Andress v. Commissioner

51 T.C. 863, 1969 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 181
CourtUnited States Tax Court
DecidedFebruary 27, 1969
DocketDocket No. 609-67
StatusPublished
Cited by51 cases

This text of 51 T.C. 863 (Andress v. Commissioner) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Tax Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Andress v. Commissioner, 51 T.C. 863, 1969 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 181 (tax 1969).

Opinion

Dawson, Judge:

Respondent determined income tax deficiencies against the petitioners for the years 1964 and 1965 in the amounts of $1,614.61 and $727.40, respectively.

Certain adjustments made by respondent in the notice of deficiency have been resolved by agreement of the parties and can be given effect in the Rule 50 computation. The only issue for decision is whether petitioner Wm. Andress, Jr., a practicing attorney, is entitled to deduct amounts claimed as “courtesy and promotion” expenses on Federal income tax returns filed for the years 1964 and 1965.

FINDINGS OP PACT

Some of the facts have been stipulated by the parties. The stipulation of facts and attached exhibits are incorporated herein by this reference.

Wm. Andress, Jr. (herein called petitioner), and DeVona C. An-dress, husband and wife, were legal residents of Dallas, Tex., when they filed their petition in this proceeding. They filed their joint Federal income tax returns for the years 1964 and 1965 with the district director of internal revenue at Dallas.

Petitioner was admitted to the bar of the Supreme Court of Texas in 1929. From that time until the present, except for military service in World War II, he has been a practicing attorney in Dallas. Since April 1964, he has been the senior member of the law firm then formed as Andress, Woodgate, Richards and Condos.

The Canons of Ethics of the legal profession prohibits advertising and solicitation.

On Schedule C of petitioners’ 1964 income tax return, the amount of $2,551.73 was claimed as a deduction entitled “courtesy and promotion.” This amount consists of the following expenditures:

Dallas Athletic Club_ $611.42
21 Turtle Club of Dallas_ 196. 89
Marty’s Liquor Store_ 1, 044. 79
Al Barbe’s_ 34.17
Club Marquis- 1. 80
Town & Country- 8. 57
Samuel’s Flowers_ $10. 40
Everets _ 6.62
Undesignated _ 637.07
2, 551. 73

Of these expenditures, a total of $36.95 has been allowed by respondent. The difference ($2,514.78) was disallowed in the notice of deficiency.

On Schedule C of petitioners’ 1965 income tax return, the amount of $1,972.42 was claimed as a deduction entitled “promotion and courtesy.” This amount consists of the following expenditures:

Marty’s Liquor Store_ $995. 52
Dallas Athletic Club_ 584.19
21 Turtle Club of Dallas_ 319. 63
Undesignated _ 73.08
1, 972. 42

Of these expenditures, a total of $28.44 has been allowed by respondent. The difference ($1,943.98) was disallowed in the notice of deficiency.

The amounts of $1,044.79 in 1964 and $995.52 in 1965, paid to Marty’s Liquor Store, represent liquor purchases. This liquor was used primarily for social gatherings at the home of petitioners. The guests at tliese social gatherings ranged from 8 to 130. The only records kept relating to these social gatherings were of those gatherings of 60 or more people. These records consist of guest lists and the cost of the parties broken down into the amounts spent for food, liquor, catering, invitations, etc. These records do not contain any reference to business purpose. Seldom, if ever, was business actually discussed at these social gatherings other than passing remarks of no substantial importance.

The amounts of $818.68 in 1964 and $903.82 in 1965 paid to various private clubs represent payment for dues, food, and drinks. The only records kept of these expenditures were the monthly statements from the clubs and canceled checks. These records do not contain any references to other individuals or to business purpose. Seldom, if ever, was business actually discussed at these clubs other than passing remarks of no substantial importance.

In 1964 and 1965 there are no other deduction items on petitioners’ income tax returns similar or analogous to what would be the cost of sales or the cost of acquisition of business in a commercial enterprise.

In his notice of deficiency dated November 8, 1966, respondent disallowed most of the amounts claimed for “promotion and courtesy” on the ground that, in the absence of substantiating records, such amounts did not constitute “ordinary and necessary business expense within the meaning of the internal revenue laws.”

OPINION

Petitioner contends that his expenditures for “promotion and courtesy” constitute deductible expenses under either section 162(a),1 I.E.C. 1954, or section 212(1) 2 He argues that an attorney must maintain “social contacts to increase his clientele and income” and that his expenditures cannot be characterized as “entertainment” expenses under the provisions of section 2143 and the regulations promulgated thereunder.

Respondent’s position is that the claimed “promotion and courtesy” expenses disallowed by him are governed by section 274; that the claimed deductions do not meet the requirements of section 274(a) (1) and the regulations; that the petitioners have failed to comply with the recordkeeping and substantiation provisions of section 274(d) and the regulations; and that the claimed deductions do not even represent “ordinary and necessary” business expenses under either section 162 (a) or 212(1), but are, in reality, personal and nondeductible living expenses falling within the ambit of section 262.

We agree with respondent. Section 274 is a disallowance provision, and operates only to disallow expenses which have initially been demonstrated to be allowable under some other section of the Internal Revenue Code. See H. Rept. No. 1447, 87th Cong., 2d Sess., p. 19 (1962); S. Rept. No. 1881, 87th Cong., 2d Sess., p. 27 (1962). In order for an amount to be deductible as a business expense under section 162(a) or as an expense for the production of income under section 212(1), it must first meet the “ordinary and necessary” requirement. Secondly, if the expense item constitutes “entertainment,” it must meet the negative requirement of section 274(a) (1) that such a deduction is not allowed “unless the taxpayer establishes that the item was directly related to, or * * * associated with, the active conduct of the taxpayer’s trade or business.” Thirdly, a deduction for entertainment expenses will not be allowed unless it meets the substantiation and recordkeeping requirements of section 274(d). See H. Rept. No. 1447, supra at 19; S. Rept. No. 1881, supra at 24; and Conf. Rept. No. 2508, 87th Cong., 2d Sess., p. 15 (1962).

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Bluebook (online)
51 T.C. 863, 1969 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 181, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/andress-v-commissioner-tax-1969.