Fausner v. Commissioner

55 T.C. 620, 1971 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 202
CourtUnited States Tax Court
DecidedJanuary 7, 1971
DocketDocket No. 4194-68
StatusPublished
Cited by48 cases

This text of 55 T.C. 620 (Fausner 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
Fausner v. Commissioner, 55 T.C. 620, 1971 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 202 (tax 1971).

Opinion

Sterrett, Judge:

Respondent determined a deficiency of $1,030.80 in petitioners’ income tax for the taxable year 1965.

Both petitioners and respondent have made concessions and only four issues remain for decision. They are: (1) Whether certain payments claimed by petitioners as deductible contributions were properly disallowed as nondeductible personal expenses; (2) whether petitioner Donald W. Fausner, an airline pilot, can deduct a portion of the costs of transportation between his residence and place of work; (3) whether petitioner Donald W. Fausner can deduct the costs of transportation between the two airports where he was employed; and (4) whether the costs of Donald W. Fausner’s transportation to the sites of various proficiency tests, physical examinations, union meetings, and recurrent training can be deducted.

FINDINGS OF FACT

At trial the parties stipulated certain facts and exhibits which are incorporated herein by this reference.

Donald W. Fausner (hereinafter sometimes referred to as Donald) and Anita C. Fausner are husband and wife. At the time of filing their petition herein petitioners resided at Commack, N.Y. Presently petitioners reside in Denton County, Tex. They filed a joint Federal income tax return for the calendar year 1965 with the district director of internal revenue at Brooklyn, New York.

During 1965 petitioners paid $2,283.43 to LaSalle Military Academy, $112.45 to Christ the King Parochial School, $84.95 to St. Joseph’s Parochial School, and $53.95 for parochial school books. Petitioners deducted these amounts as charitable contributions on their 1965 income tax return. The money paid to LaSalle Military Academy was on account of one of petitioners’ sons and included the costs of tuition, books, athletics, and other items not specified by petitioners. LaSalle was attended by petitioners’ son for the purpose of getting an education. If the amount in question had not been paid to LaSalle, petitioners’ son could not have attended the school except on scholarship. It was stipulated that the amounts paid to Christ the King Parochial School, St. Joseph’s Parochial School, and for parochial school books were expended for the education of petitioners’ other children.

Donald is a commercial airline pilot. During the year in issue Donald was employed by American Airlines (hereinafter sometimes referred to as American) as a captain. Donald traveled to his place of employment by private automobile. On their 1965 return petitioners deducted $105 for transportation expenses incurred by Donald traveling to work.

As a condition of his employment Donald must have knowledge of certain American Airlines and Federal Aviation Administration (hereinafter sometimes referred to as FAA) rules and regulations. In pursuance of this condition, American issued to Donald American Airlines Operating Manual 707, Flight Manual parts I and II, and maps and charts. American required that the manuals, maps, and charts be kept up to date with revisions it provided. It was also required that Donald have the manuals, maps, and charts with him while flying. In compliance with company rules Donald carried with him a “flight kit bag” in which to keep his required flight equipment. The flight kit bag contained Donald’s manuals, maps, and charts in addition to a logbook and a flashlight. The complete flight kit bag-weighed 40 pounds. In fulfillment of American rules Donald wore a uniform while working. The uniform could be worn only when on duty and when traveling to and from work. Donald also carried with him an overnight bag containing personal items and civilian clothes for use during layovers. Layovers were required by the FAA. The uniform could not be worn during layovers except when traveling between a hotel and the flight.

During the year in issue Donald flew out of either John F. Kennedy International Airport (hereinafter sometimes referred to as JFK) or LaGuardia Airport. The scheduled flights on which Donald worked would either depart and return to LaGuardia or depart and return to JFK. A flight would depart from one and return to the other airport only in the event circumstances such as a low ceiling prevented landing at the airport of origin. Interairport transportation was provided Donald by American in such instances. Otherwise Donald was not furnished interairport transportation by his employer. When a flight departed from JFK, Donald would first drive to LaGuardia. Similarly when a flight returned to JFK, Donald would drive to LaGuardia and then to his home. The stops at LaGuardia were necessary so that Donald could pick up company correspondence, manual changes, and other material, and also have contact with the chief pilot and Air Transport Control. A mailbox was established for Donald at La-Guardia. American Airlines would not send official correspondence and material to Donald’s home. A main office was maintained by American at LaGuardia.

American did not provide a lockable storage facility for Donald’s equipment or uniforms at either JFK or LaGuardia. Consequently, neither uniforms nor equipment could be left at the airport. Since the company provided no clothes changing facilities at either airport, Donald had to drive to and from work in his uniform. No study area for revising manuals, maps, and charts by pilots was maintained by American at either airport. Donald studied and made necessary revisions on his material at home.

Donald worked irregular hours. Due to Donald’s working schedule public transportation was available only on a sporadic basis.

The parties have stipulated that the round-trip distance between petitioners’ former home in Commack and LaGuardia is 84 miles, and that Donald made 82 round trips. It has also been stipulated by the parties that Donald made 30 trips between LaGuardia and JFK and that the one-way distance between the two airports is 15 miles. The costs of transportation between the two airports were not included in the amount petitioners deducted for transportation but rather were included in the amount deducted for Donald’s educational expenses.

On their return for 1965 petitioners deducted $236.70 as educational expenses incurred by Donald. The $236.70 was spent on transportation. The deduction included the costs of trips Donald made to undisclosed locations for proficiency checks, flight kit inspection, B or D box programs, American Airlines physical examinations, FAA physical examinations, and recurrent training. All of these activities were required as a condition of Donald’s employment. Also included in the educational expense deduction were the costs of transportation to union meetings. As noted earlier, part of the claimed expenses for education were attributable to 30 trips Donald made between LaGuardia. and JFK although the precise amount so claimed was not set forth.

The amounts here claimed by petitioners to be charitable contributions were disallowed by respondent in a statutory notice dated June 14, 1968. In that notice respondent asserted that the amounts represented personal expenses and were nondeductible under section 262 of the Internal Kevenue Code of 1954.1 The statutory notice also stated:

(d) The amount of $105.00 claimed for transportation is not allowed because it has not been established that such amount represents an ordinary and necessary business expense or was expended for the purpose designated.

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Bluebook (online)
55 T.C. 620, 1971 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 202, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/fausner-v-commissioner-tax-1971.