John Bulten wrote:
I warned you. Here are the definitions for just one chapter of one title of the USC. Do you really believe every intentional difference in specification, where the 50 states are either included or omitted, is insignificant?
Uh, yes, John. Your citations are insignificant. Save 'em and use 'em in court, though.
What you're supposed to be trying to understand are the definitions in IRC 7701. Look at THOSE definitions, and the case law interpreting 7701. It's section 7701 and the case law interpreting it that would be considered "significant."
Oh, and sorry about Brigham v. United States, the case you cited. Here's an excerpt from the case:
-----"Plaintiff, accordingly, claims that Mrs. Ham, as the receiver of a one-third portion of Mr. Ham's estate, was not a "beneficiary" within the meaning of §662. This contention, however, fails. For definition, 26 U.S.C. §643(c) provides that "the term 'beneficiary' includes heir, legatee, devisee." The word "elector" (of a spouse's share) does not appear, but "includes" is not limiting. Rather, "[t]he terms 'includes' and 'including' . . . shall not be deemed to exclude other things otherwise within the meaning of the term defined." 26 U.S.C. §7701(c)."
--Brigham v. United States, 160 F.3d 759, 98-2 U.S. Tax Cas. (CCH) paragr. 50,871 (1st Cir. 1998).
Under your argument about the meaning of "includes" in 7701, the term "beneficiary" in Brigham would have to mean ONLY the terms "heir, legatee, devisee." In other words, for example, a person holding an equitable interest in property under the terms of an express trust could not be a "beneficiary" under your theory, even though a person holding an equitable interest in property under the terms of an express trust is ordinarily called a "beneficiary," just as "Oklahoma" is ordinarily called a "state."
However, as you seem not to have realized, that's not at all what the Brigham case was about anyway.
The court, in the very next sentence, stated: "In light of this we apply the principle that a list of terms should be construed to include by implication those additional terms of like kind and class as the expressly included terms." Nothing in the Brigham case supports your arguments. Indeed, Mrs. Kendal Ham in the Brigham case, as an "elector," came within the definition of "beneficiary." Again, if your theory (about the meaning of the word "includes" in 7701(c) and the meaning of "state" in 7701(a)(10)) were correct, only an "heir," "legatee," or "devisee" could be a "beneficiary."
Stated another way, if your theory were correct, then not only would Mrs. Ham, the "elector" in Brigham, have been ruled NOT to be a "beneficiary," but even an ordinary beneficiary under an express trust would not be a "beneficiary."
Are you even reading the material you post? --Famspear