Cordes v. Commissioner

1994 T.C. Memo. 377, 68 T.C.M. 355, 1994 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 386
United States Tax Court·Decided August 11, 1994·No. Docket No. 11750-92·Unpublished

Opinion

EDMUND J. CORDES AND JUNE CORDES, Petitioners v. COMMISSIONER OF INTERNAL REVENUE, Respondent
Cordes v. Commissioner
Docket No. 11750-92
United States Tax Court
T.C. Memo 1994-377; 1994 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 386; 68 T.C.M. (CCH) 355;
August 11, 1994, Filed

*386 Decision will be entered under Rule 155.

For petitioners: Michael C. Mayhall.
For respondent: Gary L. Bloom.
PARKER

PARKER

MEMORANDUM FINDINGS OF FACT AND OPINION

PARKER, Judge: Respondent determined a deficiency in petitioners' Federal income tax for the year 1988 in the amount of $ 360,336 and additions to tax under section 6653(a)(1) in the amount of $ 18,017 and under section 6661(a) in the amount of $ 90,084.

Unless otherwise indicated, all section references are to the Internal Revenue Code in effect for the taxable year before the Court, and all Rule references are to the Tax Court Rules of Practice and Procedure.

After concessions, 1 the issues for decision are:

1. Whether petitioner Edmund J. Cordes' withdrawals of corporate funds in the amount of $ 290,800 from Cordes Finance Corp. during 1988 constitute constructive dividends to him;

2. Whether Cordes Finance Corp.'s payment of petitioner's personal expenses in the amount of $ 141,534 constitutes constructive dividends to him;

3. Whether taxable Social Security benefits should be increased in the amount of $ 2,896 for the taxable year 1988; 2

4. Whether petitioners are liable for the addition to tax under*387 section 6653(a)(1) for negligence or disregard of rules or regulations; and

5. Whether petitioners are liable for the addition to tax under section 6661 for substantial understatement of income tax.

*388 FINDINGS OF FACT

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

Petitioner Edmund J. Cordes (petitioner) and his wife June Cordes (petitioners) were residents of Lawton, Oklahoma, at the time of the filing of the petition in this case. Petitioners timely filed their 1988 Federal income tax return (Form 1040) with the Internal Revenue Service Center in Austin, Texas.

During the taxable year 1988, petitioner owned, directly or indirectly, all of the stock in the following five corporations: (1) Cordes Finance Corp., (2) Cordes Building Corp., (3) Edmund Cordes, Inc., (4) John Cordes, Inc., and (5) Eddie Cordes, Inc. 3 No dividends have ever been formally declared and paid by any of the five corporations. Petitioner had control over all of these corporations in 1988 and retained such control until at least 1992. He can serve as president of Cordes Finance Corp. as long as he lives.

*389 The corporations were engaged primarily in the sale and financing of automobiles. During 1988 petitioner deposited substantial amounts of income, which properly belonged to the other related corporations controlled by him, into a bank account of Cordes Finance Corp. (Account No. 312). 4 During 1988 petitioner diverted the following amounts of income into Account No. 312 from the following entities:

Related entityAmount 
Eddie Cordes, Inc.$   172,828
Cordes Finance Corp. 1571,035
Cordes Finance Corp. 81,269
Cordes Dodge117,471
John Cordes22,189
Cordes Building Corp.200,000
Total$ 1,164,792

At the conclusion of the Internal Revenue*390 Service's examination of all of the related corporate returns for the 1988 taxable year, petitioner in 1991 and 1992 caused Cordes Finance Corp. to reimburse the various entities from which money had been diverted. 5 The various entities agreed to the inclusion of the reimbursements in their taxable incomes for 1988. Respondent has now conceded that these amounts do not constitute constructive dividends to petitioner. See supra notes 1 and 5.

*391 Petitioner considered Account No. 312 to be a "holding account" or an account in the nature of a "shareholder loan account". Petitioner claims that he routinely put sums in and took sums out of this account over a period of time. No documentation was offered to support petitioner's testimony regarding his infusions of money into Account No. 312 or Cordes Finance Corp. There are no written agreements or notes evidencing any loans by petitioner or his wife to Cordes Finance Corp. or to the other corporations controlled by him. Petitioner claims there were loans evidenced by "receipts" or "canceled checks", but no receipts or canceled checks were offered in evidence.

At the beginning of 1988, Cordes Finance Corp. had accumulated earnings and profits of $ 1,625,887. During 1988, petitioner withdrew monthly sums from Cordes Finance Corp., made payable to the following individuals and charged against Account No. 312:

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Cordes v. Commissioner, 1994 T.C. Memo. 377, 68 T.C.M. 355, 1994 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 386 (tax 1994).

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