Hill v. Comm'r

1971 T.C. Memo. 127, 30 T.C.M. 534, 1971 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 204
CourtUnited States Tax Court
DecidedJune 1, 1971
DocketDocket Nos. 2034-68, 3222-69.
StatusUnpublished

This text of 1971 T.C. Memo. 127 (Hill 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
Hill v. Comm'r, 1971 T.C. Memo. 127, 30 T.C.M. 534, 1971 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 204 (tax 1971).

Opinion

Hamilton D. Hill and Millie K. Hill v. Commissioner.
Hill v. Comm'r
Docket Nos. 2034-68, 3222-69.
United States Tax Court
T.C. Memo 1971-127; 1971 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 204; 30 T.C.M. (CCH) 534; T.C.M. (RIA) 71127;
June 1, 1971, Filed
Hamilton D. Hill, pro se, Star Route, P. O., Seeley Lake, Mont.Eugene P. Bogner, for the respondent.

ATKINS

Memorandum Findings of Fact and Opinion

ATKINS, Judge: The respondent determined deficiencies in income tax as follows:

YearDeficiency
1964$ 1,360.27
19651,729.02
19661,180.03

The issues presented for decision are: (1) whether the statutory notices*208 of deficiency were validly executed; (2) whether the income tax return filed by petitioner Hamilton Hill for the taxable year 1965 constituted a joint return of Hamilton and Millie Hill; (3) whether petitioners are entitled to dependency exemption deductions for the mother and brother of Millie Hill for each of the taxable years 1964 through 1966; (4) whether petitioners are entitled to a loss deduction in the taxable year 1964 as a result of the appropriation by the State of New York of certain interests in property owned by petitioner Hamilton Hill; (5) whether petitioners are entitled to loss deductions in the taxable year 1966 with respect to certain property which had been owned by Hamilton Hill's deceased father; and (6) whether petitioners were engaged in the trade or business of farming during the years 1964 through 1966 entitling them to claimed business deductions.

Some of the facts have been stipulated and are incorporated herein by this reference.

Issue 1

Findings of Fact

The notice of deficiency with respect to the taxable year 1964 was dated February 13, 1968. Such notice was signed "Roland 535 V. Wise" together with the printed designation of title "District*209 Director." The initials "N M" were signed following the designation of title. The district director's name and the initials which followed were written by Ned Miller who was the chief of the audit division of the district director's office in Salt Lake City, Utah at the time of such writing.

The notices of deficiency with respect to the taxable years 1965 and 1966 were dated April 3, 1969. Such notices were signed "Richard E. Whittaker" together with the typewritten designation of title "Chief, Appellate Branch Office." Such signature was written by Richard E. Whittaker who was the chief of the appellate branch office in Salt Lake City, Utah at the time of such writing.

Opinion

As applicable to the years before us, section 6212 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 provided in part as follows:

SEC. 6212. NOTICE OF DEFICIENCY.

(a) In General. - If the Secretary or his delegate determines that there is a deficiency in respect of any tax imposed by subtitles A or B, he is authorized to send notice of such deficiency to the taxpayer by certified mail or registered*210 mail.

Pursuant to revisions of Delegation Order No. 77, chiefs of appellate branch offices and chiefs of district audit divisions possessed the delegated authority to sign and mail statutory notices of deficiency during the times here involved, namely, as of February 13, 1968 and April 3, 1969. See Delegation Order No. 77 (Rev. 1) 1967-2 C.B. 598; Delegation Order No. 77 (Rev. 2) 1968-1 C.B. 740.

In view of the above, it is clear that the notices of deficiency in question were validly executed within the meaning of section 6212 of the Code.

Issue 2

Hamilton D. and Millie K. Hill are husband and wife who had legal residence in Missoula County, Montana, at the time their petitions were filed herein. They filed joint income tax returns for the taxable years 1964 and 1966 with the district director of internal revenue, Salt Lake City, Utah. A return which purported to be a joint income tax return for the taxable year 1965 was filed by Hamilton Hill with such district director. On such return the names "Hamilton D. Hill" and "Millie K. Hill" were listed at the top of the first page and filing status was indicated as "Married filing*211 joint return." The return was signed "Hamilton D. Hill" followed by the notation "wife away caring for ailing mother."

The Hills had filed joint income tax returns for a number of years prior to the taxable year 1965 and have filed joint returns for subsequent taxable years. Millie Hill maintained the records from which the Hills' returns were prepared. Her dividend income was included in the income which was reported on the 1965 return and no separate return was filed by her for 1965. During the time in which the 1965 return was prepared and filed, Millie Hill was in Puyallup, Washington caring for her mother. Because Hamilton Hill believed that there was insufficient time to obtain her signature prior to the April 15 filing date, the return for 1965 was filed as described above.

In the notice of deficiency with respect to the taxable year 1965, the respondent determined that the return for such year did not constitute a joint return.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Wickwire v. Reinecke
275 U.S. 101 (Supreme Court, 1927)
Welch v. Helvering
290 U.S. 111 (Supreme Court, 1933)
Kieselbach v. Commissioner
317 U.S. 399 (Supreme Court, 1943)
United States v. Hilton Hotels Corp.
397 U.S. 580 (Supreme Court, 1970)
Nitterhouse v. United States
207 F.2d 618 (Third Circuit, 1953)
Frank Markarian v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue
352 F.2d 870 (Seventh Circuit, 1965)
Commissioner of Internal Revenue v. Kieselbach
127 F.2d 359 (Third Circuit, 1942)
Isaac G. Johnson & Co. v. United States
149 F.2d 851 (Second Circuit, 1945)
Fahs v. Crawford
161 F.2d 315 (Fifth Circuit, 1947)
Heim v. Commissioner
27 T.C. 270 (U.S. Tax Court, 1956)
American Properties, Inc. v. Commissioner
28 T.C. 1100 (U.S. Tax Court, 1957)
Walet v. Commissioner
31 T.C. 461 (U.S. Tax Court, 1958)
Bartsch v. Commissioner
41 T.C. 883 (U.S. Tax Court, 1964)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
1971 T.C. Memo. 127, 30 T.C.M. 534, 1971 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 204, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hill-v-commr-tax-1971.