In Re the Overly-Hautz Co.

57 B.R. 932, 14 Collier Bankr. Cas. 2d 360, 1986 Bankr. LEXIS 6732
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, N.D. Ohio
DecidedFebruary 7, 1986
Docket19-50133
StatusPublished
Cited by43 cases

This text of 57 B.R. 932 (In Re the Overly-Hautz Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, N.D. Ohio primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In Re the Overly-Hautz Co., 57 B.R. 932, 14 Collier Bankr. Cas. 2d 360, 1986 Bankr. LEXIS 6732 (Ohio 1986).

Opinion

ORDER

WILLIAM J. O’NEILL, Bankruptcy Judge.

In the within case the United States of America, Department of the Treasury, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) filed a supplemental claim for $281,614.45 to which the Debtor, The Overly-Hautz Company (OHC) has objected. The parties submitted the matter on stipulations, oral argument and briefs.

The parties agreed to the following stipulation of facts:

“1. This Court has subject matter jurisdiction to determine the validity of the claim of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), against OHC. This Court has properly exercised personal jurisdiction over the parties, and this action is subject to the Court’s venue.

2. The tax dispute in issue relates to the underfunding by OHC of its Salaried Employees’ Pension Plan for the following tax years:

a. November 1, 1980, to October 31, 1981;
b. November 1, 1981, to December 31, 1981; and
c. January 1, 1982, to December 31, 1982.

3. There was a funding deficiency for the first tax year of $71,206.98, for the second tax year of $3,972.62, and for the third tax year of $19,860.85. Therefore, the cumulative funding deficiency for the first tax year was $71,206.98, for the second tax year, $75,179.60, and for the third tax year, $95,040.45.

4. On August 12, 1982, OHC filed Form 5500-R, Registration Statement of Employee Benefit Plan, with the IRS for the first tax year. The Form 5500-R indicated there was a funding deficiency for the November 1, 1980, to October 31, 1981, tax year. See Exhibit Al-2.

5. On August 12, 1982, OHC filed Form 5500-R, Registration Statement of Employee Benefit Plan, with the IRS for the second tax year. The Form 5500-R indicated there was a funding deficiency for the November 1, 1981, to December 31, 1981, tax year. ' Exhibit Bl-2.

6. On April 28, 1983, OHC filed a voluntary petition of bankruptcy under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code.

7. The Attorney General of the United States, the Cleveland office of the IRS; and the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio were on the Bankruptcy Court matrix and had actual knowledge of OHC’s bankruptcy petition. See Exhibit D.

8. On May 13, 1983, this Court set a September 19, 1983 deadline for filing proofs of claim. This deadline was indicated in the Court’s notice of the meeting of creditors under 11 U.S.C., Section 341(a). The IRS received this notice. See Exhibit E.

9. On August 26, 1983, IRS filed a proof of claim with this Court as to certain 1980-1983 corporate, withholding, and FICA taxes. See Exhibit F.

10. IRS did not file a proof of claim prior to the September 19, 1983 filing deadline with respect to the funding deficiencies of the OHC Salaried Employees’ Pension Plan discussed in Paragraphs 4 and 5 above.

11. On October 13, 1983, OHC filed Form 5500-C Return/Report of Employee Benefit Plan, with the IRS for the third tax year. The Form 5500-C indicated there was a funding deficiency for the January 1, 1982, to December 31, 1982, tax year. The cumulative funding deficiency as of the end *935 of the 1982 tax year was $95,040.45, such sum includes the funding deficiencies of $71,206.98 for the first tax year and $3,972.62 for the second tax year.

12. On February 15, 1985, the IRS sent a 30-day letter indicating its proposed assessment for excise taxes under Section 4971(a) and (b) of the Internal Revenue Code as to the funding deficiencies of the OHC Salaried Employees’ Pension Plan. See Exhibit Gl-7.

13. On June 10, 1985, IRS filed a proof of claim for the amount of the excise taxes set forth in the prior paragraphs. This proof of claim and the letter accompanying it from the IRS characterized the proof of claim as “supplementing” the proof of claim filed August 26, 1983. The amount set forth in the claim filed August 26, 1983 was totally offset against an overpayment of other taxes by OHC. This offset was indicated in a letter to OHC on December 5, 1983. The IRS letter of June 10, 1985, makes reference to a purported withdrawal letter dated January 3, 1985. The August 26, 1983, claim related to corporate, withholding, and FICA taxes and did not include penalty taxes in relationship to the OHC Salaried Employees’ Pension Plan. See Exhibits H, I, J, and K.”

The Court finds the following additional facts:

14. The IRS letter of January 3,1985 to the United States Attorney, Exhibit K, which was filed with the Court and sent to the Debtor states, in part, “Our proof of claim filed in the proceeding noted above has been closed. You may therefore discontinue further consideration of the claim.”

a. The IRS letter of June 10, 1985, Exhibit I, states, in part, “Our withdrawal letter dated January 3, 1985, was correct. However, the attached proof of claim supplements the original claim, which is paid.”

15. Attached to Debtor’s Reply Brief is an affidavit of President, Paul J. Reeves, indicating that after the bar date Debtor relied on identity and quantity of claims on file in decisions and assessments concerning sale of various assets including the Motor Base Division.

16.The supplemental claim filed June 10, 1985 (Exhibit J) sets forth the initial tax imposed under 26 U.S.C. § 4971(a) on Debt- or’s annual pension plan accumulated funding deficiency. Also reflected are amounts imposed under 26 U.S.C. § 4971(b) as additional tax for Debtor’s failure to timely cure accumulated funding deficiency. These amounts have not yet been assessed.

A brief summary of facts reflects the IRS filed a timely claim for corporate, withholding, and FICA taxes. The IRS letter of January 3, 1985 to the United States Attorney with copies to the Debtor and the Court withdrew this claim. On June 10, 1985 the IRS filed a supplemental claim purported to amend the original claim. A letter accompanying that filing confirmed that the initial claim had been withdrawn. OHC argues that having withdrawn the original claim, IRS could not file an amendment thereto outside the claims bar date. Alternatively, OHC asserts the supplemental claim is an untimely new claim rather than an amendment of the original. IRS argues to the contrary.

I. WITHDRAWAL OF CLAIM

Bankruptcy Rule 3006 provides that “a creditor may withdraw a claim as of right by filing a notice of withdrawal except as provided in this rule...” Exceptions to creditor’s discretionary right of withdrawal are inapplicable herein; therefore, IRS’s filing notice was all that was required for claim withdrawal. Since no specific form is required, the IRS letter of January 3, 1985 to the Court constituted withdrawal of its timely filed claim as confirmed by letter of June 10, 1985. Withdrawal was “of right” and required no court authorization. An untimely amendment of a withdrawn claim is inappropriate. In re E.O. Thompson’s Sons, 123 F. 174 (D.C.E.D.Pa.1903). IRS’s supplemental claim, being untimely and seeking to amend a withdrawn claim is, therefore, disallowed.

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Bluebook (online)
57 B.R. 932, 14 Collier Bankr. Cas. 2d 360, 1986 Bankr. LEXIS 6732, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-the-overly-hautz-co-ohnb-1986.