Fernandez v. Comm'r

1979 T.C. Memo. 476, 39 T.C.M. 569, 1979 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 50
CourtUnited States Tax Court
DecidedNovember 29, 1979
DocketDocket No. 3816-79.
StatusUnpublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 1979 T.C. Memo. 476 (Fernandez v. Comm'r) 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
Fernandez v. Comm'r, 1979 T.C. Memo. 476, 39 T.C.M. 569, 1979 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 50 (tax 1979).

Opinion

RAUL B. FERNANDEZ and VERA J. FERNANDEZ, Petitioners v. COMMISSIONER OF INTERNAL REVENUE, Respondent
Fernandez v. Comm'r
Docket No. 3816-79.
United States Tax Court
T.C. Memo 1979-476; 1979 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 50; 39 T.C.M. (CCH) 569; T.C.M. (RIA) 79476;
November 29, 1979, Filed
Frank E. Clohan, for the petitioners.
George Mac Vogelei, for the respondent.

SCOTT

*50 MEMORANDUM OPINION

SCOTT, Judge: On March 23, 1979, petitioners filed a petition "for a redetermination of the deficiencies set forth by the Commissioner of Internal Revenue in his notice of deficiency (Correspondence Symbol 411-F-90D E:R:MJC, dated December 27, 1978." The petition states that "for the taxable year in question" petitioners were husband and wife who are now divorced; that Raul B. Fernandez' address is Palo Alto, California, and Vera J. Fernandez' address is Los Altos, California; and that the "return for the period here involved was filed with the Internal Revenue Service Center at Fresno, California." Petitioners then allege that the Commissioner "determined*51 a deficiency in income taxes for the calendar year 1972 in the amount of $4,864.00, all of which is in controversy." The errors assigned are (1) that the Commissioner erred in determining that petitioners deducted the sum of $12,473 on their 1972 income tax return in connection with the "Wolverine 1973 Drilling Venture" and in determining that the partnership loss was nondeductible, and (2) that the Commissioner erred in determining a deficiency in income tax for petitioners for 1972 since an assessment of a deficiency for 1972 is barred by the statute of limitations.

The facts upon which petitioners rely were stated as follows:

a. Petitioners filed their income tax return for calendar year 1972 on the cash basis, within the time for filing requirements imposed by law.

b. Petitioners made no partnership investment in the Wolverine 1973 Drilling Venture in 1972 and did not claim any deduction on their 1972 tax return in connection with said partnership.

Respondent, on May 29, 1979, filed an answer in which he denied that Raul B. Fernandez is a petitioner in the case, but admitted the allegations with respect to petitioner Vera J. Fernandez as to her address, her marriage*52 and divorce from Raul B. Fernandez and that the return "for the period here involved" was filed with the Internal Revenue Service Center at Fresno, California. Respondent admitted that a notice of deficiency was mailed to Mrs. Fernandez on December 27, 1978, and was issued by the Office of the Internal Revenue Service in San Francisco, California. Respondent denied that a deficiency was determined for the year 1972 and alleged "that the deficiency determined by the respondent is in income tax for the taxable year 1973 in the amount of $4,864.00, all of which is in controversy." In his answer, respondent denied that he determined that a partnership loss of $12,473 was deducted by petitioners in 1972 and alleged "that a typographical error was made on the notice of deficiency mailed to Mrs. Vera Jean Fernandez and that the determination was for the taxable year 1973." Respondent denied that he erred in determining that the partnership loss was not deductible.

Respondent in his answer admitted that an assessment of a deficiency for 1972 against petitioners is barred by the statute of limitations. He also admitted the allegation that petitioners made no partnership investment in the*53 Wolverine 1973 Drilling Venture in 1972 and that they claimed no deduction on their 1972 tax return in connection with that partnership.

On May 29, 1979, respondent filed a motion to dismiss this case for lack of jurisdiction insofar as it purports to be an appeal on behalf of Raul B. Fernandez, and that the caption of the case be changed by striking Mr. Fernandez' name therefrom. Petitioner, on July 2, 1979, filed a motion for summary judgment in this case alleging that the statutory notice of deficiency dated December 27, 1978, upon which the case is based states on its face that it is a notice of deficiency for the year ended December 31, 1972. The motion for summary judgment further states, based on an affidavit by Mrs. Fernandez attached thereto, that the determination of a deficiency for the year 1972 was barred by the statute of limitations on December 27, 1978, when the statutory notice was issued.

The issue for decision here with respect to petitioners' motion for summary judgment is whether in fact the notice issued by respondent on December 27, 1978, was a notice for the taxable year 1972 or for the taxable year 1973. The issue for decision with respect to respondent's*54 motion to dismiss for lack of jurisdiction is whether any notice was issued by respondent on December 27, 1978, to petitioner Raul B. Fernandez.

At the hearing the parties stipulated a copy of the notice of deficiency, together with the statutory notice statement attached thereto, and a document showing that on December 27, 1978, a statutory notice was mailed only to Mrs. Vera Jean Fernandez at her address at Los Altos, California. The statutory notice, on its face, shows that the tax determined is with respect to "Mr. Raul B. Fernandez and Mrs. Vera Jean Fernandez." However, the notice is addressed merely "Dear Mrs. Fernandez" and was sent only to her at her address. The notice of deficiency, on the first page, states that the deficiency is for the taxable year ended "December 31, 1972." On the first page of the statutory notice statement also appears, under taxable year ended, "December 31, 1972," and on the following schedule at the top appears "12/31/72." However, under "Adjustments to income" appears "Wolverine 1973 Drilling Venture (Schedules Attached)--$12,473.00, Total adjustments--$12,473,00," and "Taxable income * * * Return as filed--$23,778.00." There also appears under*55 "Less credits," "Investment Credit--(103.00)," and in the computation for "Self-employment tax"-- $864. The other figures thereon are additions of items and tax computations.

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Bluebook (online)
1979 T.C. Memo. 476, 39 T.C.M. 569, 1979 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 50, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/fernandez-v-commr-tax-1979.