Cornell v. Commissioner

1983 T.C. Memo. 370, 46 T.C.M. 555, 1983 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 417
CourtUnited States Tax Court
DecidedJune 22, 1983
DocketDocket No. 29837-81.
StatusUnpublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 1983 T.C. Memo. 370 (Cornell 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
Cornell v. Commissioner, 1983 T.C. Memo. 370, 46 T.C.M. 555, 1983 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 417 (tax 1983).

Opinion

STEVEN E. CORNELL, Petitioner v. COMMISSIONER OF INTERNAL REVENUE, Respondent
Cornell v. Commissioner
Docket No. 29837-81.
United States Tax Court
T.C. Memo 1983-370; 1983 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 417; 46 T.C.M. (CCH) 555; T.C.M. (RIA) 83370;
June 22, 1983.
Thomas D. Kershaw, Jr., for the petitioner.
John C. Meaney, for the respondent.

HAMBLEN

MEMORANDUM OPINION

HAMBLEN, Judge: This case is before the Court on respondent's motion for summary judgment filed pursuant to Rule 121. 1 Therein, respondent asks the court to render judgment in his favor on all the issues presented, i.e., that there is a deficiency in petitioner's 1980 income tax as determined by respondent, that such deficiency is subject to an addition under section 6653(a), 2 and that damages should be awarded to the United States in accordance with section 6673.

*418 Respondent determined a deficiency in petitioner's 1980 Federal income tax in the amount of $718.00. The sole issue for determination is whether compensation for services received as wages by petitioner is includable in his gross income.

All the facts have been stipulated and are found accordingly. The parties represent and agree that all documents necessary to the esolution of this case are before the Court, that there is no disputed fact material to such resolution, and that such resolution essentially is a matter of law. Under these circumstances, respondent's motion for summary judgment is proper. See Rule 121.

Petitioner resided in Bly, Oregon, when he filed his 1980 Federal income tax return with the internal Revenue Service Center at Ogden, Utah, and when he timely filed his petition in this case.

During the taxable year 1980, petitioner received wages or compensation income in the amounts of $9,495.56 and $993.75 from, respectively, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, New Orleans, Louisiana, and Weyerhaeuser Company, Klamath Falls, Oregon. These amounts were set forth on Forms W-2 attached to petitioner's 1980 Form 1040A, Federal Income Tax Return. Notwithstanding*419 the income designated on the Forms W-2, petitioner reported "zero" on his return as the amount of wages received. However, petitioner attached to his return a schedule entitled "Profit or (Loss) From Compensation for Labor". On this schedule the following entries were made with reference to the amounts shown on the Forms W-2:

Employer #1 Weyerhaeuser Co.WorkMill Worker
Bly Operation
Bly, Ore. 97622
1. GROSS RECEIPTS. Wages, salaries, tips,
and other employee compensation993.75
2. CAPITAL VALUE. Value of labor or work
product invested993.75
3. PROFIT OR (LOSS). Subtract line 2 from
line 1Zero
Employer #2 U.S. Forest ServiceWorkFirefighter
Bly Ranger Dist.
Bly, Ore. 97622
4. GROSS RECEIPTS. Wages, salaries, tips,
and other employee compensation9,495.56
5. CAPITAL VALUE. Value of labor or work
product invested9,495.56
6. PROFIT OR (LOSS). Subtract line 5 from
line 4Zero

Also attached to petitioner's return was a seven-page "affidavit" executed and acknowledged by petitioner. This document related petitioner's position and argument that wages are exempt from taxation as income.

In*420 his notice of deficiency, respondent included as gross income all amounts shown on the aforementioned Forms W-2 and informed petitioner that "Compensation received for services including fees, commissions, tips, gratuities, W-2, and similar items are includible in income."

For each of the taxable years 1976 through 1979, petitioner executed and filed with the Internal Revenue Service an individual Federal income tax return. 3 Each of those returns included petitioner's compensation and wages as income.

In his petition filed in this case, petitioner incorporates the "affidavit" filed with his 1980 return as the basis of his attack on respondent's deficiency determination. The thrust of petitioner's position is one common to so-called "tax protestors"--that wages are not includable in income for Federal income tax purposes. In arguing for the exemption of wages from taxation, petitioner refers to his religious and philosophical principles, citing many judicial opinions, including opinions of both the U.S. Supreme Court and the highest courts of some states, which are totally inappropriate. Petitioner*421

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Bluebook (online)
1983 T.C. Memo. 370, 46 T.C.M. 555, 1983 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 417, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/cornell-v-commissioner-tax-1983.