Hyplains Dressed Beef, Inc. v. Commissioner

56 T.C. 119, 1971 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 146
United States Tax Court·Decided April 21, 1971·No. Docket No. 2559-68·Published·Cited by 18 cases

Opinion

Tietjens, Judge;

The Commissioner determined deficiencies in petitioner’s Federal income tax for taxable years 1964 and 1965 in the respective amounts of $40,321.48 and $13,704. The sole issue confronting us is whether officers’ salaries of $55,650 and $27,300, accrued for 1964 and 1965 respectively, are prohibited from being deducted by section 267,1.R.C. 1954.1

FINDINGS OF FACT

Some of the facts have been stipulated. The stipulation and exhibits attached thereto are incorporated herein by this reference. HyPlains Dressed Beef, Inc., sometimes hereinafter referred to as petitioner, is a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of Kansas, with its principal office in Dodge City, Kans., at the time its petition herein was filed. Petitioner’s Federal income tax returns for the calendar years 1963,1964, and 1965 were filed with the district director of internal revenue at Wichita, Kans. The petitioner kept its books and filed its tax returns on the accrual method of accounting.

The petitioner is engaged primarily in the slaughtering and processing of cattle, sheep, hogs, and all classes and descriptions of livestock, and rendering, refining, curing, packing, and cold storage of such livestock. During the calendar years 1963, 1964, and 1965, the petitioner’s officers and board of directors were Samuel V. Davis, president; Thomas P. Shirley, vice president; Arthur J. Ebener, secretary-treasurer; H. M. Skaggs, Jr., director; and John P. Perrier, director. During the years at issue, all of the outstanding stock of the petitioner was owned one-third 'by Samuel V. Davis, one-third by Thomas P. Shirley, and one-third by Arthur J. Ebener. None of the officers or directors of the petitioner were related to each other during the years in question, and the three stockholders filed their individual income tax returns during these calendar years on the cash method of accounting.

During the years 1963, 1964, and 1965, petitioner’s officers owned interests in partnerships as follows:

Partnership Sam V. Davis Thomas P. Shirley Arthur J. Ebener Ebener, Shirley & Davis., Frontier Cattle Co_ Price Hog Co.1... 1/3 1/6 1/6 1/3 1/6 1/6 13 1/6 1/6

Petitioner claimed the following deductions for compensation of officers during the taxable years 1963,1964, and 1965:

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The $74,200 for the compensation of officers which the petitioner claimed for the taxable year 1964 consisted of the following:

Salaries paid in cash in 1964, claimed in 1964_$18, 200 Salaries paid in cash in 1964 which were accrued and claimed by peti-
tioner in 1963_ 30, 000
Salaries accrued in 1964, but not paid in cash during the year 1964 — nor until after Mar. 15, 1965_ 55, 650
Salaries accrued in 1964 and paid in cash between Jan. 1, 1965, and Mar. 15, 1965_ 350
Total_ 104, 200
Less: Salaries for 1963_ 30,000
Compensation of officers as claimed for 1964_ 74, 200

The salaries in the amount of $55,650 accrued by the petitioner for the taxable year 1964, but not paid in cash during the year 1964, nor during the period January 1, 1965, through March 15, 1965, were accrued as follows by journal entries on the following dates:

Nov. 28,1964_$28, 350
Nov. 28, 1964_ 3,000
Dec. 31, 1964_ 24,300
Total accrued_ 55, 650

The $73,250 for compensation of officers which the petitioner claimed for the taxable year 1965 consisted of the following:

Salaries paid in cash in 1965, claimed in 1965_$44, 850
Salaries accrued in 1965, but not paid in cash during the year 1965— nor until 'after Mar. 15, 1966___ 27,300
Salaries accrued in 1965 and paid in cash between Jan. 1, 1966, and Mar. 15, 1966_ 1, 600
Error in return preparation_ (150)
Total- 73,600
Less: Adjusting entry for 1964 salaries paid between Jan. 1, 1965, and Mar. 15, 1965_ (350)
Compensation of officers as claimed for 1965_ 73, 250

The salaries in the amount of $27,300 accrued by the petitioner for the taxable year 1965, but not paid in cash during the year 1965, nor during the period January 1, 1966, through March 15,1966, as shown above, were accrued by journal entries on the following dates, in the amounts shown, and were credited to petitioner’s salaries and wages payable account:

Jan. 30, 1966_$4,200
Eeb. 27, 1965_ 4,200
Apr. 3, 1965_ 5,250
May 1, 1965_ 4,200
May 29, 1965_ 4,200
July 3, 1965_ 5,250
Total officers’ compensation accrued for 1965, as shown
•above_ 27, 300

Under petitioner’s method of accounting, all wages — including those of clerical and production staffs, officers, etc. — were 'accrued as an expense and set aside in a salaries and wages payable account, and as payment was made in cash, the amount was removed from the salaries and wages payable account. The salaries and wages payable account on petitioner’s books showed accrued amounts in total without identifying the actual individual officer or other employee involved. No separate account (s) was maintained for officers’ salaries.

On December 5,1963, a special meeting of the officers and directors of the petitioner was held in Dodge City, Kans. The minutes of that meeting state, among other things, the following:

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Hyplains Dressed Beef, Inc. v. Commissioner
56 T.C. 119 (U.S. Tax Court, 1971)