Cadrecha v. United States

104 Fed. Cl. 296, 2012 WL 1095359, 109 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 1664, 2012 U.S. Claims LEXIS 320
CourtUnited States Court of Federal Claims
DecidedApril 2, 2012
DocketNo. 11-152 T
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 104 Fed. Cl. 296 (Cadrecha v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Court of Federal Claims primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Cadrecha v. United States, 104 Fed. Cl. 296, 2012 WL 1095359, 109 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 1664, 2012 U.S. Claims LEXIS 320 (uscfc 2012).

Opinion

OPINION AND ORDER

GEORGE W. MILLER, Judge.

Plaintiffs, Robert N. and Cynthia Cadrecha, filed a complaint on March 9, 2011 claiming that they are owed a refund of $26,679 from the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) and petitioning the Court to determine their tax liability. See Compl. (docket entry 1). On June 20, 2011, defendant, the United States, filed a motion to dismiss (docket entry 11) pursuant to Rules 12(b)(1) and 12(b)(6) of the Rules of the Court of Federal Claims (“RCFC”). Defendant argues that plaintiffs’ claim is untimely because they filed their complaint in the United States Court of Federal Claims after the running of the two-year statute of limitations set forth in I.R.C. § 6532(a)1 and because they filed a refund [298]*298claim with the IRS after the running of the statute of limitations set forth in I.R.C. § 6511(a).2 Mot. to Dismiss 1.

I. Background

In 2003, plaintiffs were fifty-percent shareholders in an S corporation3 called Tampa Wholesale Furniture Company (“Tampa Wholesale”). Compl. ¶ 13. Tampa Wholesale owned a life insurance policy on Robert N. Cadrecha that was issued by Principal Mutual Holding Company (“Principal Mutual”). Id. Principal Mutual was a mutual insurance company that demutualized in 2003. Id. ¶ 14. When a mutual insurance company demutualizes, it converts from a company that is owned by its policyholders to a stock insurance company owned by its shareholders. See Fisher v. United States, 82 Fed.Cl. 780, 781-82 (2008) (discussing mutual insurance companies and the demutualization process), aff'd, 333 Fed.Appx. 572 (Fed.Cir.2009); see also Stephen J. Olsen, Chuck v. Goliath: Basis of Stock Received in Demutualization of Mutual Insurance Companies, 9 Hous. Bus. & Tax L.J. 360 (2009). After the demutualization, Tampa Wholesale obtained stock in Principal Financial Group in exchange for its interest in Principal Mutual. Compl. ¶ 14. Tampa Wholesale then sold the newly acquired stock. Id. ¶ 15.

On April 15, 2004, plaintiffs filed their 2003 tax return on Form 1040. Pls.’ Resp. in Opp’n to Def.’s Mot. to Dismiss 2 (“Pls.’ Resp.”) (docket entry 14, Aug. 19, 2011). On their tax return, plaintiffs reported a gain from the sale of Principal Financial Group stock that did not account for any basis4 plaintiffs or Tampa Wholesale had in the stock. Compl. ¶ 15; see also Compl. Ex. A at 5.

After timely filing their tax return, plaintiffs learned of Fisher v. United States, a case then pending before the Court of Federal Claims that presented issues that could affect plaintiffs’ 2003 tax return. Compl. ¶¶ 16-18; Pls.’ Resp. 2. In that factually analogous case, which was filed on December 1, 2004, the plaintiff trust sought a refund of taxes paid on gains reported as a result of the sale of stock received when the mutual insurance company with which the plaintiff had a policy demutualized. See Fisher, 82 Fed.Cl. at 781-83. The plaintiff sought a refund based on the theory that it realized no capital gain on the sale of its stock “because the proceeds were offset by the plaintiffs basis in the stock.” Id. at 783. The issue was whether the plaintiff had a basis in the stock it obtained as a result of the insurance company’s demutualization and, if so, how to calculate the amount of that basis. See id.

Because Fisher presented issues analogous to plaintiffs’ situation, plaintiffs understood that, if the Fisher court determined that gain realized from selling stock obtained through demutualization could be offset by the basis in that stock, plaintiffs might be able to recover the taxes they paid on the gain they reported from the sale of stock attendant to Principal Mutual’s demutualization. Because of the potential effect Fisher could have on [299]*299plaintiffs’ 2003 tax return, plaintiffs filed an amended income tax return on Form 1040X on March 20, 2007, which the IRS received on March 22, 2007. Compl. ¶ 16; Pls.’ Resp. 2. Plaintiffs styled their amended return as a protective claim for refund pending the outcome of Fisher. Pls.’ Resp. 2, Ex. B. This protective claim for refund was filed within three years from the date plaintiffs’ tax return was filed in accordance with the statute of limitations set forth in I.R.C. § 6511(a).5

On May 10, 2007, after the statute of limitations to file an amended return had expired, see supra note 5, the IRS sent plaintiffs letter 916C regarding their March 22, 2007 filing. See Pis.’ Resp. Ex. D. The letter explained that the IRS was unable to process plaintiffs’ claim because the “supporting information was not complete.” Id. The letter then invited plaintiffs to file “another claim” that included the name of the court case supporting plaintiffs’ claim for a refund and any additional information relevant to plaintiffs’ claim. Id. The IRS allowed plaintiffs thirty days from the date of the letter to submit the information it requested. Id. On May 17, 2007, plaintiffs replied to the IRS’s letter, indicating that Fisher was the case to which their protective claim for refund referred. Id.

After plaintiffs submitted their May 17 letter, which the IRS received on May 23, 2007, see id. Ex. E, the IRS sent plaintiffs two letters. The first, dated June 26, 2007, explained that the IRS had not been able to resolve plaintiffs’ claim because the necessary research had not been completed. Id. The letter advised plaintiffs that the IRS would contact them within forty-five days. Id. The second letter, dated August 13, 2007, advised plaintiffs that the IRS still had not resolved plaintiffs’ claim because of the IRS’s heavy workload and its inability to complete the applicable research. Id. Ex. F. The IRS’s letter informed plaintiffs that an additional forty-five days was required. Id.

Eighteen days later, on August 31, 2007, the IRS mailed plaintiffs letter 105C disallowing their claim. Id.; see Pls.’ Notice to Supplement Attach, (docket entry 22-1, Dec. 1, 2011).6 The letter referred to plaintiffs’ May 23, 2007 submission, which plaintiffs filed in response to the IRS’s request for additional information. Pls.’ Notice to Supplement Attach, at 1. The letter stated: “You filed your claim for credit or refund more than 3 years after the tax return due date. A claim must be filed within 3 years from the time the return was filed.” Id. It then notified plaintiffs that they filed their claim “more than 3 years after [they] filed [their] tax return” and “more than 2 year's after [they] paid the tax.” Id.; see I.R.C. § 6511(a).

Letter 105C went on to explain that plaintiffs could appeal the IRS’s decision to disallow their claim to the Appeals Office. Pis.’ Notice to Supplement Attach, at 1-3. The letter provided instructions on how to file such an appeal. Id. Finally, the letter informed plaintiffs that, if they did not agree with the decision, they could “file suit to recover tax, penalties, or other amounts, with the United States District Court having jurisdiction or with the United States Claims Court.” Id. at 4. It then explained: “The law permits you 'to do this within 2 years from the date of this letter.

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104 Fed. Cl. 296, 2012 WL 1095359, 109 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 1664, 2012 U.S. Claims LEXIS 320, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/cadrecha-v-united-states-uscfc-2012.