Kennedy v. Commissioner

1980 T.C. Memo. 310, 40 T.C.M. 958, 1980 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 276
CourtUnited States Tax Court
DecidedAugust 12, 1980
DocketDocket No. 9346-78.
StatusUnpublished

This text of 1980 T.C. Memo. 310 (Kennedy v. Commissioner) 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
Kennedy v. Commissioner, 1980 T.C. Memo. 310, 40 T.C.M. 958, 1980 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 276 (tax 1980).

Opinion

JOHN P. KENNEDY V and SANDRA K. KENNEDY, Petitioners v. COMMISSIONER OF INTERNAL REVENUE, Respondent
Kennedy v. Commissioner
Docket No. 9346-78.
United States Tax Court
T.C. Memo 1980-310; 1980 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 276; 40 T.C.M. (CCH) 958; T.C.M. (RIA) 80310;
August 12, 1980, Filed
John P. Kennedy V. pro se. Jerome Borison, for the respondent.

TANNENWALD

MEMORANDUM FINDING OF FACT AND OPINION

TANNENWALD, Judge: Respondent determined a deficiency in petitioners' income tax for 1975 in the amount of $5,320. Concessions having been made by the parties, the issues for decision are:

(1) whether petitioners are entitled to deductions for meals and lodging as ordinary and necessary expenses paid or incurred while away from home in pursuit of a trade or business pursuant to section 162(a)(2); 1

(2) whether transportation expenses between Arnold, California, and San Francisco, California, are commuting expenses or deductible travel expenses;

(3) whether petitioners are entitled to deduct premiums paid for disability insurance; and

(4) whether petitioners may deduct or capitalize travel expenses for which petitioner John P. Kennedy V did not seek reimbursement from a closely held corporation.

*278 FINDINGS OF FACT

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

John P. Kennedy V (hereinafter petitioner) and Sandra K. Kennedy were legal residents of Arnold, California, at the time they filed the petition herein. They filed a joint income tax return for the taxable year 1975 using the cash method of accounting with the Internal Revenue Service Center in Fresno, California.

During the calendar year 1975, petitioner earned gross wages of $45,661.45 as a pilot for American Airlines (American). He has been employed by American since 1964.

In 1970, the petitioners, along with their two children, moved to Arnold, California, which is located approximately 165 miles 2 east of South San Francisco. In 1974, the petitioners purchased a boat and berthed it in San Rafael, approximately 30 miles north of South San Francisco. South San Francisco is where San Francisco International Airport is located. When flying for American, the petitioner originated his flying trips from the San Francisco airport.

*279 From 1970, when petitioner was upgraded to captain from co-pilot, through at least 1975, he was primarily on reserve status due to his low seniority. While on reserve status, petitioner was required to be available to substitute for another crew member who might be ill, called in for training, delayed by the weather, etc. Each month, petitioner was required to be available for approximately 20 scheduled days. Although American generally tried to assign trips to reserve crew members up to 30 hours in advance to allow for sleeping habits, it was sometimes necessary to give much shorter notice. Accordingly, American had a policy that pilots on reserve status were required to be "reasonably available" by surface transportation to the San Francisco airport; reasonably available, in practice, meant within a three-hour radius using surface transportation. If a crew member with a permanent out-of-town residence was on reserve status, he was expected to maintain a temporary residence within that radius of the airport. Petitioner used his boat to satisfy this requirement.

After moving to Arnold in 1970 and prior to his acquisition of the boat in 1974, petitioner stayed with friends*280 or lived in motels in the San Francisco area to comply with American's requirements. Occasionally, on his last day of reserve status before a break, petitioner would return to Arnold if a pilot with lower seniority would be available.

Petitioner paid $46.42 for meals away from home while on trips in connection with his employment by American.

In 1975, petitioner expended $1,004 on premiums for disability income insurance policies made available to airline pilots. The policies insured him against loss of income resulting from accidental bodily injury or sickness resulting in a total disability. If such total disability occurred, the insurers would pay the monthly indemnity specified in the policies until the end of the disability, the attainment of age sixty, his death, or the end of the maximum indemnity period as specified in the policies. 3

*281 In May 1975, petitioner was approached to enter a new business in the Arnold, California, area. On or about July 5, 1975, Ebbetts Pass Lumber Company (Ebbetts) was incorporated and began doing business on or about August 26, 1975. It continued the pre-existing business of a lumber company which had been operated as a sole proprietorship by another individual. Since its beginning, petitioner has owned 2,500 shares, representing one-third of Ebbetts' stock, and had also served as an officer and director of the corporation. During 1975, he was not an active employee of Ebbetts, but he received $625 compensation from it. Two other individuals also owned 2,500 shares each and served as officers and directors; one of them managed the business in 1975. The corporation did not make the election available to a small business corporation pursuant to section 1372(a).

From August through December 1975, petitioner made 21 round trips between San Rafael and Arnold.

In September 1975, petitioner and his wife and children took a three-and-a-half-week trip through northern California, Oregon, Washington, and Canada. They made several stops along the way so that petitioner could call*282 upon present and potential suppliers of Ebbetts. They visited friends while in Canada for five days. The petitioner was not reimbursed for any of these expenses by Ebbetts.

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Bluebook (online)
1980 T.C. Memo. 310, 40 T.C.M. 958, 1980 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 276, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/kennedy-v-commissioner-tax-1980.