Chapman v. Commissioner

48 T.C. 358, 1967 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 86
CourtUnited States Tax Court
DecidedJune 21, 1967
DocketDocket No. 6034-65
StatusPublished
Cited by73 cases

This text of 48 T.C. 358 (Chapman 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
Chapman v. Commissioner, 48 T.C. 358, 1967 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 86 (tax 1967).

Opinions

Fat, Judge:

Respondent determined a deficiency in petitioners’ Federal income tax for the taxable year 1961 in the amount of $413.24.

The issues for determination are (1) whether contributions made by petitioners to the Missionary Dentist, Inc. (a.k.a. Worldwide Dental Health Service), were made to a church, educational organization, or a hospital within the meaning of section 170(b) (1) (A) of the Internal Revenue Code of 19541 and (2) whether the expenses of a garden party given by petitioners are properly deductible as ordinary and necessary business expenses of Vaughn V. Chapman’s dental practice.

FINDINGS OF FACT

Some of the facts have been stipulated, and the stipulation of facts, together with the exhibits attached thereto, is incorporated herein by this reference.

Vaughn V. Chapman (hereinafter sometimes referred to as Vaughn) and Mildred E. Chapman (hereinafter sometimes referred to as Mildred), husband and wife, filed a joint Federal income tax return for the calendar year 1961 with the district director of internal revenue at Tacoma, Wash. The residence of Vaughn and Mildred is in Seattle, Wash.

During the year 1961, Vaughn was engaged in the practice of dentistry and Mildred was employed as a school teacher.

In the taxable year 1961 petitioners made contributions to the Missionary Dentist, Inc. (a.k.a. Worldwide Dental Health Service) (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the Missionary Dentist), in the amount of $5,865.16. The sum of $5,061.11, which was equal to 30 percent of petitioners’ adjusted gross income for 1961, was claimed by them as a charitable contribution deduction in their joint income tax return for that year.

The Missionary Dentist is a religious and charitable organization which was incorporated in 1950. The organization was exempt from income taxation pursuant to section 101(6) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1939,2 as a religious and charitable organization. It is interdenominational and is not affiliated with or subservient to any church group or denomination; rather, it is totally independent.

The purpose of the Missionary Dentist, as stated in its articles of incorporation, is:

The object of this organization shall he to care for the dental health of missionaries, religious workers and all others in the Mission Fields of the United States and foreign countries in need of dental care, to supply dentists, dental technicians and hygienists for Missionary Boards of various denominations and for independent Missionary Boards. The underlying object of this organization shall be the promotion of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, around the world, and the evangelization of the world on the basis of the principles of the Protestant Faith. This shall be a non-profit, religious, charitable and benevolent organization.

In the United States, the organization conducts regular services and in addition provides various churches with speakers and literature concerning its objects.

The organization’s members are all trained in Bible and church work. Some are ordained ministers and others are seminary or Bible school graduates. The organization does not itself conduct a seminary or Bible school but, as it is interdenominational, seeks to draw upon the graduates of other Christian-Protestant schools for ministers and other trained personnel.

According to its constitution, membership in the organization is limited to those, who, inter alia,

(1) are members in full communion of an accredited Christian community;

(2) have passed through an accredited dental school and have obtained 'a State license in some State of the United States or a license from a foreign country if deemed accredited by the board of directors; and

(3) have some satisfactory spiritual preparation and personal experience with the lost such as shall meet satisfaction of the board of directors.

The underlying function of the members of the organization is to preach the Gospel around the world, using dentistry as a means by which to contact people. In general, the organization sends its members in teams to foreign countries where they set up base clinics. While there, in addition to caring for the dental health of the area, the members conduct religious services and attempt to establish small indigenous churches among the people of the area. In one instance, they have set up a small school, located in Cameroun, Africa, where dentistry is taught.

Finally, the members seek to improve the type of dental care available in foreign countries. This segment of the members’ activity is usually confined to supervision of the local practitioners who are encouraged to practice in the base clinics.

In addition to their contribution to the Missionary Dentist, petitioners also made contributions to various organizations totaling in amount $75. Respondent has stipulated that petitioners are entitled to deduct these contributions to the extent they do not exceed 30 percent of their 1961 adjusted gross income.

Also in 1961 petitioners expended the sum of $89.50 in entertaining students and faculty members of the school at which Mildred taught. This entertainment was in the form of a garden party, which took place at their home.

The primary purpose of the garden party was to enable Mildred to socialize with her students and colleagues. In addition, however, Vaughn’s presence at the party gave him the incidental benefit of meeting persons who might constitute potential patients because in the normal course they would usually become aware of the fact that he was a member of the dental profession.

On their joint Federal income tax return, this expenditure was first characterized as a requirement of Mildred’s employment. Petitioners now suggest that the expenditure was more properly an expense of Vaughn’s dental practice.

OPINION

The first issue for determination is whether the contributions made by petitioners to the Missionary Dentist qualify for the additional 10 percent of adjusted gross income allowance as provided for by section 170(b)(1)(A).

Section 170(b) (1) (A) provides that in the case of an individual a contribution deduction will be allowed to the extent that the aggregate of such contributions does not exceed 10 percent of the taxpayer’s adjusted gross income, if such contribution is made to:

(i) a church, or a convention or association of churches,
(ii) an educational organization referred to in section 503(b)(2), or
(iii) a hospital referred to in section 503(b)(5), * * *

Petitioners contend that the Missionary Dentist meets each of the three above classifications and as such their contribution to it qualifies for the additional 10-percent allowance.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
48 T.C. 358, 1967 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 86, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/chapman-v-commissioner-tax-1967.