Jones v. Commissioner

71 T.C. 391, 1978 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 9
United States Tax Court·Decided December 20, 1978·No. Docket No. 2958-77·Published·Cited by 11 cases

Opinion

OPINION

Tietjens, Judge:

Respondent determined a deficiency in the Federal corporate income tax of T. H. Jones & Co. for the fiscal year ending September 30,1968, in the amount of $9,349.14 and determined petitioner Thomas H. Jones to be liable for that deficiency as a transferee of the corporation’s assets. The issue is whether a deficiency attributable to the erroneous application of a loss carryback may be adjusted for a subsequent loss carryback when the limitations period for the subsequent loss year has run.

This case was fully stipulated pursuant to Rule 122, Tax Court Rules of Practice and Procedure. The stipulation of facts and attached exhibits are incorporated herein by reference.

Petitioner Thomas H. Jones resided in Shaker Heights, Ohio, when he filed his petition. The corporation filed its Federal corporate income tax returns as follows:

FYE Sept. SO— Date filed
1968 . Mar. 17, 1969
1970 . June 15, 1971
1971 . Dec. 16, 1971

Each of those returns was filed with the District Director of the Internal Revenue Service Center in Cleveland, Ohio.

The deficiency determined by respondent reflects the disal-lowance of a net operating loss carryback less certain amounts already paid by petitioner with respect to that disallowance. When the corporation filed its fiscal year 1968 income tax return, it reflected a net capital gain of $100,727 and taxable income of $98,460.91. On its fiscal year 1970 income tax return, the corporation reported a net operating loss of $154,095. The return attributed $150,414 of that loss to the liquidation of certain securities.

On June 23, 1971, the corporation filed a Form 1139, “Corporation Application for a Tentative Refund from Carry-back of Net Operating Loss and Unused Investment Credit.” This is the form prescribed by respondent as the application for tentative carryback adjustments under section 6411.1 The corporation’s application sought tentative refunds for the taxable years ending September 30, 1967, 1968, and 1969, attributable to the $154,095 net operating loss reflected on its fiscal year 1970 income tax return. The refunds were initially granted. After a later audit of the corporation’s fiscal year 1970 return, however, respondent determined that the loss from the liquidation of the securities was a capital loss instead of an ordinary one. Because of this, the corporation could not properly carry back the loss.2 Thus a deficiency resulted. See sec. 6211(a)(2).

Petitioner agreed to the determination and, on July 28, 1975, executed Form 870-C, “Waiver of Restrictions on Assessment and Collection of Deficiency in Tax and Acceptance of Overas-sessment.” In it he accepted as transferee of the corporation respondent’s recharacterization of the loss as a capital loss instead of an ordinary one. However, this represented only a partial agreement to the assessment of income tax for fiscal year 1968. Petitioner still contests $9,349.14 of the deficiency.

Petitioner contends that the notice of deficiency overstates the deficiency that arose from the erroneous refund by $9,349.14 because respondent failed to allow the corporation a net capital loss carryback from its fiscal year 1971 to its fiscal year 1968. After making the adjustment, petitioner argues, there is no deficiency in tax for which he could be liable. Respondent contends, however, that the adjustment is barred by the limitations of sections 6511 and 6512 and section 6501(h) and (m).

The burden is on petitioner to prove that there is no deficiency in the corporation’s income tax. Sec. 6902(a). Aside from procedural considerations, petitioner is clearly correct. For taxable years beginning after December 31, 1969, corporations may carry back capital losses. Sec. 512(g), Pub. L. 91-172, 83 Stat. 487, 642 (1969). The corporation’s fiscal year 1971 began on October 1, 1970, and respondent does not contest the amount of the net capital loss claimed or petitioner’s computation of the reduction in income taxes caused by the net capital loss carryback. Again, respondent’s sole argument is that petitioner is barred by the statute of limitations from taking advantage of the carryback. In this regard, the burden of proof is on respondent. Rule 142(a), Tax Court Rules of Practice and Procedure.

Section 6512 generally provides for limitations in the case of a petition to this Court. Section 6512(a)(1) provides that for taxable years over which this Court has jurisdiction, no credit or refund of income tax shall be allowed or made except for overpayments determined by a final decision of this Court. Section 6512(b)(1) then gives the Court jurisdiction to determine the amount of such overpayment subject to the limitations of subsection (b)(2). Respondent relies on those limitations to bar the taxpayer from taking the adjustment for the 1971 net capital loss carryback. Respondent seems to be arguing that by allowing the adjustment, we would be effectively allowing a claim for credit or refund of an overpayment of tax; unless the “claim” has been timely “filed,” it cannot be allowed by us.

We think respondent’s reliance on section 6512(b) is misplaced. We are not determining an overpayment of tax for 1968. We are merely redetermining the amount of deficiency, if any, for that year. Section 6211(a) defines a deficiency as the amount by which the tax actually imposed exceeds: (1) The amount shown as a tax on the tax return, plus (2) the amounts previously assessed or collected without assessment as a deficiency, minus (3) the amount of rebates. Groetzinger v. Commissioner, 69 T.C. 309, 314 (1977). The cornerstone of this definition is the amount of tax actually imposed. In determining whether there is a deficiency, we must therefore determine the correct tax imposed under subtitle A or B or chapter 41,42,43, or 44.3

The fiscal year 1971 net capital loss carryback is a deduction for fiscal year 1968, reducing gross income and thus the amount of tax imposed for 1968 under subtitle A. See secs. 1212(a) and 62(4). It is as relevant as any other deduction for fiscal year 1968, which petitioner would be entitled to deduct in determining the tax imposed for that year. Certainly, a deduction claimed for the first time in a petition to this Court, which would not result in the determination of an overpayment if allowed, would not be barred by section 6512(b) solely because a credit or refund of an overpayment for the year at issue would be barred. The prerequisite for applying the limitations of section 6512(b)(2) is a finding by the Court “that the taxpayer has made an overpayment of income tax for the same taxable year.” Sec. 6512(b)(1). If petitioner does not effectively seek the determination of an overpayment for fiscal year 1968, then there can be no credit or refund of an overpayment that the limitations of section 6512(b)(2) might bar.

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Jones v. Commissioner, 71 T.C. 391, 1978 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 9 (tax 1978).

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71 T.C. 391 (U.S. Tax Court, 1978)