Dalan v. Commissioner

1988 T.C. Memo. 106, 55 T.C.M. 370, 1988 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 134
CourtUnited States Tax Court
DecidedMarch 9, 1988
DocketDocket No. 8268-87.
StatusUnpublished

This text of 1988 T.C. Memo. 106 (Dalan 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
Dalan v. Commissioner, 1988 T.C. Memo. 106, 55 T.C.M. 370, 1988 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 134 (tax 1988).

Opinion

MELVIN H. DALAN and LILLIAN J. DALAN, Petitioners v. COMMISSIONER OF INTERNAL REVENUE, Respondent
Dalan v. Commissioner
Docket No. 8268-87.
United States Tax Court
T.C. Memo 1988-106; 1988 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 134; 55 T.C.M. (CCH) 370; T.C.M. (RIA) 88106;
March 9, 1988.
Melvin H. Dalan, pro se.
Michael W. Bitner, for the respondent.

COUVILLION

MEMORANDUM FINDINGS OF FACT AND OPINION

COUVILLION, Special Trial Judge: This case was assigned pursuant to the provisions of section 7443A(b) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 1 and Rule 180 et seq.

Respondent determined deficiencies in petitioners' Federal income taxes for the years 1983 and 1984 in the amounts of $ 2,292.04 and $ 1,395.04, respectively. After concessions by the parties, the sole issue is whether petitioners are entitled to deductions for certain expenses incurred by Melvin H. Dalan (petitioner) as a minister during*136 1983 and 1984.

FINDINGS OF FACT

Some of the facts have been stipulated and are so found. The stipulation of facts and attached exhibits are incorporated herein by this reference. Petitioners, husband and wife, resided at Fairview Heights, Illinois, at the time they filed their petition. They filed joint Federal income tax returns for 1983 and 1984.

During 1983 and 1984, petitioner was employed as a guidance counselor by the Illinois State Board of Education, from which he earned wages of $ 24,091 and $ 25,775, respectively. During the same period, petitioner's wife, Lillian J. Dalan, was employed as a music teacher by the Illinois State Board of Education, from which she earned wages of $ 21,147 and $ 20,094, respectively.

Petitioner was also an ordained minister. During 1983 and 1984, he served, in a self-employed capacity, as minister for the Bethel Tabernacle Assembly of God (Bethel Tabernacle) in Belleville, Illinois. In this capacity, petitioner received a designated parsonage allowance in the amount of $ 4,800 from Bethel Tabernacle during both 1983 and 1984. In addition to the parsonage allowances, petitioner received compensation in the amounts of $ 600 and*137 $ 500, during 1983 and 1984, respectively, for his services as a minister at Bethel Tabernacle.

On Schedule C of their 1983 and 1984 Federal income tax returns, petitioners reported the following expenses from petitioner's activities as a minister:

19831984
Car and Truck Expenses$ 2,733.86$ 2,043.66
Depreciation2,503.85228.28
Dues and Publication97.75131.80
Insurance393.13202.81
Utilities and Telephone188.6582.20
Rent on Business Property--600.00
Miscellaneous--173.58
Totals$ 5,917.24$ 3,462.33

Respondent acknowledged that the $ 4,800 received each year by petitioner as a parsonage allowance was exempt from tax under section 107. Additionally, respondent did not question the expenses claimed by petitioner itemized above. However, respondent determined that a portion of the expenses should not be allowed to the extent such expenses were allocable to the production of income wholly exempt from tax. Under section 265(a)(1), respondent allowed petitioners a deduction of $ 650.90 and $ 311.61, respectively, for 1983 and 1984 and disallowed, respectively, $ 5,266.34 and $ 3,150.72. 2

*138 Respondent's position is that, since 89 percent and 91 percent of the income earned by petitioner during 1983 and 1984, respectively, in the performance of his duties as a minister is not includable in gross income under section 107 by virtue of its designation as a parsonage allowance, the expenses allocable to such exempt income are not deductible under section 265.

OPINION

Section 265(a)(1)

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Bluebook (online)
1988 T.C. Memo. 106, 55 T.C.M. 370, 1988 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 134, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/dalan-v-commissioner-tax-1988.