Rev. Rul. 78-197

In Palmer v. Commissioner, 62 T.C. 684 (1974), aff'd on another issue, 523 F.2d 1308 (8th Cir. 1975), the United States Tax Court held that the Internal Revenue Service incorrectly treated a gift of stock to an organization exempt from income taxation pursuant to section 511(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, followed by a prearranged redemption of the stock, as a redemption of the stock from the donor followed by a gift of the redemption proceeds to the donee. The Service will follow Palmer on this issue, acq., page 6, this Bulletin.

In Palmer, the taxpayer had voting control of both a corporation and a tax-exempt private foundation. Pursuant to a single plan, the taxpayer donated shares of the corporation's stock to the foundation and then caused the corporation to redeem the stock from the foundation. It was the position of the Service that the substance of the transaction was a redemption of the stock from the taxpayer, taxable under section 301 of the Code, followed by a gift of the redemption proceeds by the taxpayer to the foundation. The United States Tax Court rejected this argument and treated the transaction according to its form because the foundation was not a sham, the transfer of stock to the foundation was a valid gift, and the foundation was not bound to go through with the redemption at the time it received title to the shares.

Also see, Grove v. Commissioner, 490 F.2d 241 (2nd Cir. 1973); Behrend v. United States, No. 72-1153, 72-1156 (4th Cir. 1972); and Carrington v. Commissioner, 467 F.2d 704 (5th Cir. 1973).

The Service will treat the proceeds of a redemption of stock under facts similar to those in Palmer as income to the donor only if the donee is legally bound, or can be compelled by the corporation, to surrender the shares for redemption.