Question :

Carin and Ray are partners in an accounting firm. The partners have entered into an arm's length agreement requiring Ray to purchase Carin's partnership interest from Carin's estate if she dies before Ray. The price is set at 120 percent of the book value of Carin's partnership interest at the time of her death. Ray purchased an insurance policy on Carin's life to fund this agreement. After Ray had paid $45,000 in premiums, Carin was killed in an automobile accident, and Ray collected $800,000 of life insurance proceeds. Ray used the life insurance proceeds to buy Carin's partnership interest.

a) What amount could Ray include in his gross income from receiving the life insurance proceeds?

b) The insurance company paid Ray $16,000 interest on the life insurance proceeds through the period Carin's estate was in administration. During this period, Ray had left the insurance proceeds with the insurance company. Is this interest taxable?

c) When Ray paid $800,000 for Carin's partnership interest, priced as particular in the agreement, the fair market value of Carin's interest was $1 million. How much could Ray add in his gross income from this bargain purchase?