Question

Several years ago, Maurice and Maureen Morris, a married couple from Ohio, purchased a used piano at an auction sale for $500, and their daughter used the piano lessons. In the current year, while cleaning the piano, Maurice and Maureen discovered $14,467 in cash tucked inside the piano. Being unable to ascertain who put the money there, and after consulting with locak authorities, the Morrises kept the $14, 467 (which, in accordance with Ohio law, is legal).

a. List as many possible tax reasearch issues as you can determine wheher the Morrises are liable for any tax on the money they found.
b. After completing your list of tax research issues, list the keywords you might use to construct an online tax research query.

Answer 1

This case has similarities to the instances of Cesarini v. the US, 296 F.Supp. 3 (N.D. Ohio 1969), is a noteworthy case decided by the U.S. Locale Court for the Northern District of Ohio, where the court decided that treasure trove property is remembered for net salary for the assessment year when it was found.

A. TAX RESEARCH ISSUES :

1. Regardless of whether charges on the monies were due in the year the piano was bought or in the year the monies were found?

2. Regardless of whether the monies found in the piano are includable as gross income of the parties?

3. Regardless of whether offended parties are qualified for capital gains treatment?

B. Keywords:

- Monies found

- Cesarini v. United States

- Treasure

- Piano

- 26 U.S. Code § 102

- Gross Income

- Gift