Chomp Assoc. v. Commissioner

91 T.C. No. 67, 91 T.C. 1069, 1988 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 151
CourtUnited States Tax Court
DecidedDecember 15, 1988
DocketDocket No. 19118-87
StatusPublished
Cited by39 cases

This text of 91 T.C. No. 67 (Chomp Assoc. 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
Chomp Assoc. v. Commissioner, 91 T.C. No. 67, 91 T.C. 1069, 1988 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 151 (tax 1988).

Opinion

OPINION

GERBER, Judge:

Petitioner, pursuant to Rule 241,1 filed a petition seeking readjustment of certain items determined in respondent’s notice of final Partnership Administrative Adjustment (FPAA). Subsequently, both parties moved to dismiss for lack of jurisdiction. We must consider: (a) Whether the aforementioned notice is valid, pursuant to the allegations of petitioner’s motion; and (b) whether Melvin E. Pearl (Pearl) was the tax matters partner and, therefore, the proper party to file a petition herein during the 90-day period under section 6226(a), pursuant to allegations in respondent’s motion.

Our consideration of this case is based upon the record, including fully stipulated facts along with attached exhibits. Chomp Associates (Chomp) is an Illinois general partnership including, as partners, attorney Pearl and Flick Associates (Flick), an Illinois general partnership. More specifically, Chomp, on its 1983 Federal partnership income return, identified Pearl (3.5 percent), Flick (the largest at 67.8 percent), and eight other partners (28.7 percent) as having profit interests in Chomp. Pearl was named as tax matters partner (TMP) on the petition in this case. In addition to being a partner in Chomp, Pearl was a partner in the law firm that represented Chomp. Chomp filed its calendar year 1983 Federal partnership return (Form 1065) with the Kansas City Service Center and had its principal office in Chicago, Illinois, at all times relevant herein.

Respondent, by letter dated January 29, 1986, advised of his examination of Chomp’s 1983 return and, in keeping with the address on Chomp’s 1983 return, addressed the letter to Chomp, in care of Pearl’s law firm. Subsequently, Chomp, by letter from Pearl’s law firm dated February 25, 1986, requested that respondent correspond only with Flick as Chomp’s designated TMP. In its letter, Chomp advised respondent that Flick, its general partner, “has been designated as the tax matters partner in accordance with Section 6231” and that respondent should correspond to “Flick * * * do * * * Katten, Muchin, Zavis, Pearl, Greenberger & Galler * * * Chicago, Illinois.”

Thereafter, respondent, upon determining adjustments to Chomp’s 1983 return sent a FPAA, on or about April 14, 1987, to Chomp. The FPAA was addressed to Chomp and an unspecified TMP in care of Pearl’s law firm. Flick’s name did not appear in the FPAA, but respondent attached a settlement agreement form to the FPAA which referenced Flick as Chomp’s TMP. Additionally, respondent mailed copies of the FPAA that he addressed to the “Tax Matters Partner” at various addresses, including those of Flick and of Pearl’s law firm. For example, respondent, on or about June 12, 1987, sent Flick, at its Skokie, Illinois, address, a slightly different form of the FPAA that, although not naming Flick as tax matters partner, informed Flick of respondent’s adjustments for Chomp.

Subsequently, on the 69th day (June 22, 1987) after respondent issued the FPAA, Pearl filed a petition to readjust certain items set forth in the FPAA. However, respondent, on or about August 24, 1987, moved to dismiss for lack of jurisdiction, alleging that Pearl, while not the TMP, nevertheless filed the petition during the 90-day period under section 6226(a) when only a TMP may file a petition.

On or about September 8, 1987, Pearl filed a “Notice of Objection” to respondent’s motion and attached thereto an exhibit in an attempt to show that he was Chomp’s properly designated TMP. The exhibit, entitled “Statement As To Identity Of Tax Matters Partner” (TMP statement), contained the signatures of general partners holding an aggregate 96.622378-percent interest in Chomp’s profits, and stated that Pearl “had been duly designated by the partnership as its Tax Matters Partner within the meaning of section 6231(a)(7) prior to the time of filing the petition in this case.” (Emphasis supplied.) Neither this “Statement As To Identity Of Tax Matters Partner” nor its contents were communicated or disclosed to respondent prior to issuance of the FPAA in this proceeding. Pearl, by motion dated September 4, 1987, moved to dismiss for lack of jurisdiction, claiming that respondent’s FPAA for Chomp was invalid because respondent mailed it to an unspecified TMP.

In seeking a dismissal, both parties raise issues concerning the procedures for partnership actions under section 6226.2 Respondent, however, seeks to proceed immediately with assessing and collecting.3 See, e.g., Shelton v. Commissioner, 63 T.C. 193, 194 (1974). Conversely, Pearl challenges the FPAA’s validity and argues that it is not a proper basis for our jurisdiction. Pearl seeks to prevent respondent from assessing and collecting until a valid FPAA is issued. See, e.g., Shelton v. Commissioner, supra at 195; cf. Harrell v. Commissioner, 91 T.C. 242, 243 (1988). Accordingly, both motions must be considered, contrary to Pearl’s assertions on brief.

Pearl’s Motion — Validity of FPAA

Pearl argues that the FPAA is invalid because respondent mailed it to an unspecified (i.e., unnamed) TMP, thereby failing to comply with the notice requirements under section 6223(a). We disagree.

In general, the FPAA “is the notice to affected taxpayers that respondent has made a final administrative determination for particular tax years * * * [and] is a prerequisite to an assessment arising out of partnership items or affected items,” and mailing the FPAA “is a prerequisite to the commencement of a partnership action.” Clovis I v. Commissioner, 88 T.C. 980, 981-982 (1987); see Rule 240(c)(1). Respondent, under section 6223(a),4 must mail the FPAA to each partner whose name and address is furnished to the Secretary. Sec. 6223(a); sec. 301.6223(a)-lT(a), Temporary Proced. & Admin. Regs., 52 Fed. Reg. 6783 (Mar. 5, 1987).

In this case, respondent, without naming a specific partner, simply addressed his FPAA to Chomp’s “Tax Matters Partner.” Pearl argues that respondent must address the FPAA specifically, not “generically,” by identifying a specific partner. In particular, Pearl argues that respondent, in order to provide adequate notice, must address the FPAA either to Flick or to another partner that respondent selects as TMP under section 6231(a)(7).5

We agree that there must be adequate notice. However, section 6223 does not require that a specific TMP be enumerated on the FPAA. Moreover, the legislative history6 and the temporary regulations promulgated under section 62237 do not provide any specific guidance concerning respondent’s addressing the FPAA to a specifically enumerated TMP where one exists and is known to respondent. Indeed, we have stated that “whatever form a FPAA takes, it must minimally give notice to the taxpayer that respondent has finally determined adjustments to the partnership return.” Clovis I v. Commissioner, 88 T.C. at 982. Here, respondent sent the FPAA to Chomp’s “Tax Matters Partner,” in care of Pearl’s law firm and referenced Flick as the TMP in an attachment to the FPAA. In our view, respondent adequately provided notice to Chomp and Chomp’s self-designated TMP of his determinations and, accordingly, provided adequate, or “minimal” notice, as contemplated under section 6223(a) and Clovis I v. Commissioner, supra.

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Bluebook (online)
91 T.C. No. 67, 91 T.C. 1069, 1988 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 151, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/chomp-assoc-v-commissioner-tax-1988.