In re Pagnac

223 B.R. 185, 40 Collier Bankr. Cas. 2d 590, 1998 Bankr. LEXIS 963, 1998 WL 452216
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, D. Minnesota
DecidedJuly 31, 1998
DocketBankruptcy No. 97-60750
StatusPublished

This text of 223 B.R. 185 (In re Pagnac) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, D. Minnesota primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re Pagnac, 223 B.R. 185, 40 Collier Bankr. Cas. 2d 590, 1998 Bankr. LEXIS 963, 1998 WL 452216 (Minn. 1998).

Opinion

ORDER

DENNIS D. O’BRIEN, Chief Judge.

This matter came before the Court on the Debtors’ Objection to the Claim of the Minnesota Department of Revenue. The Trustee joined in the Debtors’ Objection. Also before the Court is the Department of Revenue’s Motion to Dismiss or Convert. Appearances are as noted in the record. This ORDER is made based on the Federal and Local Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure.

[186]*186I.

FACTS

On July 6, 1992, the Debtors filed for bankruptcy under Chapter 12. On December 29, 1992, the Debtors’ Chapter 12 plan was confirmed. On April 15, 1993, the Debtors filed their 1992 Minnesota income tax returns showing an amount owing of $12,-591.36. The tax resulted from the conveyance of real estate and farm machinery to secured creditors as part of their Chapter 12 plan. The Minnesota Department of Revenue did not seek to have this tax debt treated as an administrative expense during the Chapter 12 proceeding. The Debtors failed to pay any portion to the Department of Revenue during the pendency of the Chapter 12 case. The Debtors received their Chapter 12 discharge on June 10,1996.

On August 5, 1997, the Debtors filed for bankruptcy under Chapter 13. Their Chapter 13 plan was confirmed on September 23, 1997. On December 5,1997, the Department of Revenue timely filed a 11 U.S.C. § 1322(a)(2) priority claim in the amount of $16,634.81 based on the Debtors’ 1992 tax liability. The Department of Revenue asserts that its claim is for a 11 U.S.C. § 507(a)(8)(A)(i) tax; a tax measured by income for a pre-petition taxable year for which a return was due within three years before filing of the petition. The Department of Revenue argues that its claim is entitled to priority status because the period in which the Department of Revenue could collect was tolled during the Chapter 12 case; and, when factoring in the tolling period, the tax debt fell within the three year reach back period of 11 U.S.C. § 507(a)(8)(A)®.

The Debtors objected to the Department of Revenue’s proof of claim. They assert that during the Chapter 12 proceeding the Department of Revenue had remedies, such as objecting to the plan or seeking relief from the automatic stay; and, the failure to assert those remedies prohibits the tolling of the three year reach back period. The Trustee joins in the Debtors’ objection.

The Department of Revenue also filed a Motion to Covert or Dismiss the Chapter 13 case based on the Debtors lack of good faith in filing the Chapter 13 case after the Chapter 12, and the failure to provide for payment of its priority claim in the plan. The Debtors assert that the Department of Revenue should have raised the bad faith argument at the confirmation hearing and is not entitled to raise the issue at this time. Alternatively, the Debtors argue that the plan has been proposed in good faith and should not be dismissed or converted.

II.

DISCUSSION

A. TOLLING

11 U.S.C. § 1322 provides in part:

(a) The plan shall—
(2) provide for the full payment, in deferred cash payments, of all claims entitled to priority under section 507 of this title, unless the holder of a particular claim agrees to different treatment of such claim ...

The issue presented is whether the Department of Revenue’s claim is entitled to full payment as a priority under 11 U.S.C. § 1322(a)(2) by reason of being a tax described in 11 U.S.C. § 507(a)(8). In order for the claim to be entitled to priority, it is necessary to determine whether the three year reach back period of 11 U.S.C. § 507(a)(8)(A)® is tolled during a prior bankruptcy proceeding when the tax arose during the pendency of that bankruptcy proceeding. The Department of Revenue asserts that its claim for 1992 taxes is entitled to priority status because it was prohibited from collecting those taxes during the Chapter 12 case, thereby tolling the reach back period of 11 U.S.C. § 507(a)(8)(A)®. The Debtors argue that the period should not be tolled because the Department of Revenue failed to assert the rights and remedies it possessed during the Chapter 12 proceeding, such as objecting to the plan or seeking relief from the automatic stay.

11 U.S.C. § 507(a)(8)(A)® provides:

(a) The following expenses and claims have priority in the following order:
[187]*187(8) Eighth, allowed unsecured claims of governmental units, only to the extent that such claims are for—
(A) a tax on or measured by income or gross receipts—
(i) for a taxable year ending on or before the date of the filing of the petition for which a return, if required, is last due, including extensions, after three years before the date of the filing of the petition

The Bankruptcy Code does not contain any provisions which explicitly toll the three year reach back period of 11 U.S.C. § 507(a)(8)(A)(i). In re Waugh, 109 F.3d 489, 492 (8th Cir.1997). However, courts have found that the period is tolled during the pendency of a prior bankruptcy petition where the taxes arose pre-petition of the prior bankruptcy, based on 11 U.S.C. § 108(c) and 26 U.S.C. § 6503 of the Internal Revenue Code. In re Waugh, 109 F.3d 489 (8th Cir.1997); In re West, 5 F.3d 423, (9th Cir.1993); In re Montoya, 965 F.2d 554 (7th Cir.1992).

11 U.S.C. § 108(c) provides:

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Bluebook (online)
223 B.R. 185, 40 Collier Bankr. Cas. 2d 590, 1998 Bankr. LEXIS 963, 1998 WL 452216, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-pagnac-mnb-1998.