Macri Corp. v. Commissioner
Opinion
MEMORANDUM FINDINGS OF FACT AND OPINION
IRWIN,
Pat Ferruccio, Sr.
Samuel J. Ferruccio (Pat's brother)
Rocco A. Ferruccio (Pat's son)
Liberty Vending Company, Inc. (owned 70 percent by Pat Ferruccio, Sr.; 10 percent by Samuel J. Ferruccio; 10 percent by Rocco A. Ferruccio; and 10 percent by Patrick M. Ferruccio, Jr.) 2
P & R Enterprizes, Inc. (owned equally by Rocco and Patrick M. Ferruccio, Jr.-- sons of Pat Ferruccio, Sr.)
Macri Corporation (owned 56 percent by Pat Ferruccio, Sr.; 22 percent*132 by Rocco A. Ferruccio; and 22 percent by Patrick M. Ferruccio, Jr.)
Although these cases were consolidated for purposes of trial, we are presenting separate findings of fact and separate opinions for each taxpayer. This approach is in light of the number of taxpayers involved and the number of issues remaining for our determination (some 38 separate issues), even though it requires repetitive discussion on similar issues.
Most of the issues herein are purely factual, the resolution of which has been made difficult by a haphazard and poorly developed record. In each instance, the party bearing the burden of proof has suffered the consequences flowing from his own failure to properly develop a record upon which findings in his favor might have been made.
Respondent determined deficiencies in petitioners' Federal income tax as follows:
| Addition to | ||||
| Docket | Tax | |||
| Petitioner | No. | Year | Deficiency | Sec. 6653(a) |
| Pat Ferruccio and | 4013-72 | 1965 | $47,997.13 | $2,399.86 |
| Estate of Roxy | 1968 | 63,085.31 | 3,154.27 | |
| Ferruccio | ||||
| Pat Ferruccio | 4041-72 | 1966 | 45,474.85 | 2,273.74 |
| 1967 | 46,643.58 | 2,332.18 |
*133 Various concessions having been made, the following issues remain for our determination:
1. Whether petitioner Pat Ferruccio understated his income on individual returns filed for the years 1966 and 1967 in the respective amounts of $69,358 and $71,274; and whether petitioners Pat and Roxy Ferruccio understated their income on joint returns filed for the years 1965 and 1968 in the respective amounts of $60,460 and $85,519.
2. Whether petitioner Pat Ferruccio received additional income in the form of constructive dividends during the years 1965 through 1968 from Liberty Vending Company, Inc., Macri Corporation and North, Inc.
3. Whether the addition to the tax under section 6653(a) 3 is applicable for each of the years 1965 through 1968.
4. Whether the statute of limitations bars the assessment and collection of any deficiencies determined for the years 1965, 1966 and 1967.
FINDINGS OF FACT
Some of the facts have been stipulated and are found accordingly.
Pat and Roxy Ferruccio (hereafter referred to as Pat and Roxy, respectively), husband and*134 wife, resided in Canton, Ohio, during the years in question and at the time the petitions in this case were filed. 4 Pat and Roxy timely filed joint income tax returns for the years 1965 and 1968 on which they reported gross income (including gross sales in 1965 and dividends before exclusion in 1968) in the respective amounts of $21,144 and $7,071.32. Pat timely filed individual income tax returns for the years 1966 and 1967 on which he reported gross income in the respective amounts of $5,000 and $5,609.On April 11, 1972, respondent mailed a stat
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MEMORANDUM FINDINGS OF FACT AND OPINION
IRWIN,
Pat Ferruccio, Sr.
Samuel J. Ferruccio (Pat's brother)
Rocco A. Ferruccio (Pat's son)
Liberty Vending Company, Inc. (owned 70 percent by Pat Ferruccio, Sr.; 10 percent by Samuel J. Ferruccio; 10 percent by Rocco A. Ferruccio; and 10 percent by Patrick M. Ferruccio, Jr.) 2
P & R Enterprizes, Inc. (owned equally by Rocco and Patrick M. Ferruccio, Jr.-- sons of Pat Ferruccio, Sr.)
Macri Corporation (owned 56 percent by Pat Ferruccio, Sr.; 22 percent*132 by Rocco A. Ferruccio; and 22 percent by Patrick M. Ferruccio, Jr.)
Although these cases were consolidated for purposes of trial, we are presenting separate findings of fact and separate opinions for each taxpayer. This approach is in light of the number of taxpayers involved and the number of issues remaining for our determination (some 38 separate issues), even though it requires repetitive discussion on similar issues.
Most of the issues herein are purely factual, the resolution of which has been made difficult by a haphazard and poorly developed record. In each instance, the party bearing the burden of proof has suffered the consequences flowing from his own failure to properly develop a record upon which findings in his favor might have been made.
Respondent determined deficiencies in petitioners' Federal income tax as follows:
| Addition to | ||||
| Docket | Tax | |||
| Petitioner | No. | Year | Deficiency | Sec. 6653(a) |
| Pat Ferruccio and | 4013-72 | 1965 | $47,997.13 | $2,399.86 |
| Estate of Roxy | 1968 | 63,085.31 | 3,154.27 | |
| Ferruccio | ||||
| Pat Ferruccio | 4041-72 | 1966 | 45,474.85 | 2,273.74 |
| 1967 | 46,643.58 | 2,332.18 |
*133 Various concessions having been made, the following issues remain for our determination:
1. Whether petitioner Pat Ferruccio understated his income on individual returns filed for the years 1966 and 1967 in the respective amounts of $69,358 and $71,274; and whether petitioners Pat and Roxy Ferruccio understated their income on joint returns filed for the years 1965 and 1968 in the respective amounts of $60,460 and $85,519.
2. Whether petitioner Pat Ferruccio received additional income in the form of constructive dividends during the years 1965 through 1968 from Liberty Vending Company, Inc., Macri Corporation and North, Inc.
3. Whether the addition to the tax under section 6653(a) 3 is applicable for each of the years 1965 through 1968.
4. Whether the statute of limitations bars the assessment and collection of any deficiencies determined for the years 1965, 1966 and 1967.
FINDINGS OF FACT
Some of the facts have been stipulated and are found accordingly.
Pat and Roxy Ferruccio (hereafter referred to as Pat and Roxy, respectively), husband and*134 wife, resided in Canton, Ohio, during the years in question and at the time the petitions in this case were filed. 4 Pat and Roxy timely filed joint income tax returns for the years 1965 and 1968 on which they reported gross income (including gross sales in 1965 and dividends before exclusion in 1968) in the respective amounts of $21,144 and $7,071.32. Pat timely filed individual income tax returns for the years 1966 and 1967 on which he reported gross income in the respective amounts of $5,000 and $5,609.On April 11, 1972, respondent mailed a statutory notice of deficiency, covering the years 1965 and 1968, to Pat and Roxy and on the same date respondent mailed a notice of deficiency to Pat covering the years 1966 and 1967.
During the years 1965 through 1968 Pat was the majority shareholder in three closely held corporations: (1) Macri Corporation (hereafter Macri); (2) Liberty Vending Company, Inc. (hereafter Liberty); and (3) North, Inc. (hereafter North). Pat served as president*135 of both Macri and Liberty but his primary employment activities were in his capacity as president of Liberty.
Upon advice of counsel Pat and Roxy declined to provide respondent's agents with records regarding their income for the years 1965 through 1968. Consequently, respondent used third party records to reconstruct income for those years. Employing the source and application of funds method of reconstruction, respondent determined that known cash expenditures exceeded known available funds 5 by the following amounts:
| 1965 | $39,820 |
| 1966 | 34,061 |
| 1967 | 33,714 |
| 1968 | 40,155 |
However, respondent also determined that Samuel J. Ferruccio (Pat's brother and hereafter referred to as Samuel) and Rocco A. Ferruccio (Pat's son and hereafter referred to as Rocco) understated their incomes for each of the years 1965 through 1968.Anticipating that Samuel and Rocco would each claim that the source of his unreported income was a nontaxable gift from Pat, respondent, as a protective measure, added to Pat's known cash expenditures for each year the*136 amounts by which he determined Samuel and Rocco had understated their incomes for each such year. After adding these amounts, respondent determined that Pat's cash expenditures exceeded known available funds in the following years by the following amounts: 6
| 1965 | $60,460 |
| 1966 | 69,358 |
| 1967 | 71,274 |
| 1968 | 85,519 |
Neither Samuel nor Rocco claimed that Pat made gifts to them during the years in issue.Accordingly, respondent conceded on brief that the amounts by which he determined Samuel and Rocco had understated their incomes should not be treated as additional cash expenditures by Pat for the purpose of reconstructing Pat's income. Taking into account this concession, the excess of Pat's expenditures over known available funds, as determined by respondent for each of the years in issue, is as follows:
| 1965 | $39,820 |
| 1966 | 34,061 |
| 1967 | 33,714 |
| 1968 | 40,155 |
*137 The parties have agreed on many of the items (and the correct amounts thereof) which appeared in respondent's reconstruction of income. The stipulation of facts, encompassing that agreement, indicates that Pat and Roxy had known available funds and made expenditures in at least the following amounts:
| 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | |
| Total of known | ||||
| available funds | ||||
| which have been | ||||
| stipulated | $37,239.01 | $11,219.75 | $8,849.75 | $16,574.46 |
| Total of ex- | ||||
| penditures | ||||
| which have been | ||||
| stipulated | 47,008.70 | 20,792.69 | 23,197.12 | 31,396.17 |
The items which appeared in respondent's reconstruction as expenditures which are still in issue are as follows:
| 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | |
| Advance Commissions | $3,000 | |||
| Food | 1,040 | $1,040 | $1,040 | $1,040 |
| Electric | 180 | 180 | 180 | 180 |
| Clothing | 300 | 300 | 300 | 300 |
| Furniture | 200 | 200 | 200 | 200 |
| Cecil R. Bordine | 500 | |||
| Canton Bldg. & Foundation Co. | 391.51 | |||
| Travelers' Indemnity in | ||||
| American Central Insurance | ||||
| Company | 1,300 | |||
| Recreation | 2,080 | 2,080 | 2,080 | 2,080 |
| Cash Advance to George | ||||
| McCarthy | 125 |
We find that during each of the years in issue Pat spent $1,200 rather than $2,080, as*138 determined by respondent, for recreation. However, we find that Pat made each of the other above-listed expenditures in the amounts determined by respondent.
An additional item which appeared as an expenditure in respondent's reconstruction was labeled "cash advances to Patrick M. Ferruccio, Jr." Patrick M. Ferruccio, Jr. (hereafter Pat, Jr.) was Pat's son who was 20 years old in 1965. Pat, Jr., did not work during the years in issue and was supported by his father. Respondent computed Pat, Jr.'s expenditures and known available funds for each of the years 1965 through 1968. Respondent then determined that an amount equal to the excess of Pat, Jr.'s expenditures over his known available funds for each year was received by him as a cash distribution from his father. That amount was then included as an expenditure by Pat in respondent's reconstruction of Pat's income.Although the parties have not reached an agreement as to the amount of cash advances made by Pat to Pat, Jr., in each year, they have agreed on some of the items which appeared in respondent's reconstruction of Pat, Jr.'s income. Respondent's computation of Pat, Jr.'s expenditures included the following items which*139 have not been agreed to in the stipulations:
| Expenditures | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 |
| Insurance - Equitable of Iowa | $ 888.25 | $ 420.00 | $ 420.00 | $ 428.50 |
| Richard Bennett - New York, N.Y. | 85.50 | 371.00 | 137.50 | 155.00 |
| Rent - New York, N.Y. | ||||
| - St. Johns College | 468.00 | |||
| Rent - Kent State University | 462.50 | 1,110.00 | 1,110.00 | 555.00 |
| Tuition - Kent State University | 510.00 | 680.00 | 680.00 | 170.00 |
| Food | 520.00 | 520.00 | 520.00 | 520.00 |
| Clothing | 300.00 | 300.00 | 300.00 | 300.00 |
| Transportation | 300.00 | 300.00 | 300.00 | 300.00 |
| Medical | 150.00 | 150.00 | 150.00 | 150.00 |
| Recreation | 1,020.00 | 1,020.00 | 1,020.00 | 1,020.00 |
| Tuition - St. Johns College, | ||||
| New York, N.Y. | 200.00 | |||
| Total | $4,904.25 | $4,871.00 | $4,637.50 | $3,598.50 |
We find that Pat, Jr., made the above expenditures in the above amounts, as determined by respondent. When these expenditures are added to the stipulated expenditures, the excess of Pat, Jr.'s expenditures over his known available funds (from sources other than his father) for each year is as follows: 7
| 1965 | $5,909.30 |
| 1966 | 6,448.53 |
| 1967 | 5,905.78 |
| 1968 | 6,717.80 |
*140 Respondent's computation of Pat's known available funds does not include all funds which were available to Pat during the years in issue. During 1967 Pat sold a number of diamond rings to James L. Yerkey for $11,000. Also in 1967 Pat sold a diamond ring to Pete Manoff for $4,000. In 1966, Pat received $1,432 from Monumental Life Insurance Company upon surrendering a life insurance policy which he had maintained with that company.
In February 1963, Pat loaned $2,000 to John B. Sutton, Jr. (hereafter Sutton). Sutton repaid $1,000 in 1966 and $1,000 in 1968. Although the terms of the loan called for interest, Pat cancelled the interest obligation. In January 1967, Pat received $4,725 from Joseph Green pursuant to a settlement agreement, as payment in full of a loan which Pat had previously made to Green.
In addition to the understatements determined through the use of the source and application of funds method of reconstructing income, respondent determined that Pat received unreported dividend income (through the use of corporate property and from various distributions of corporate property) from Macri, Liberty and North in the following amounts:
| 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | |
| Macri | $ 5,500 | $ 5,700 | $5,900 | $23,472 |
| Liberty | 1,200 | 2,150 | 3,050 | 5,428 |
| North | 37,010 | 5,361 | ||
| Total | $43,710 | $13,211 | $8,950 | $28,900 |
*141 The parties have agreed on some of the items (and the correct amounts thereof) which respondent characterized as dividend income. The stipulation of facts, encompassing that agreement, indicates that Pat received unreported dividend income in at least the following amounts:
| 1965 | $1,852.50 |
| 1966 | 3,540.00 |
| 1967 | 2,302.00 |
| 1968 | 1,976.50 |
The additional items of dividend income which are still in issue are as follows:
| Fair | ||||||
| Rental | Fair | |||||
| Value | Market | |||||
| Use of | Per Month | Value | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 |
| Corporate | ||||||
| Property | ||||||
| Liberty | $150.00 | $ | $ 1,200.00 | $1,800.00 | $1,800.00 | $ 1,800.00 |
| Vending | ||||||
| Co., Inc. | ||||||
| (a) | ||||||
| Cadillac | ||||||
| Automobile | ||||||
| Macri, Inc. | ||||||
| (a) | ||||||
| Personal | ||||||
| Residence | ||||||
| (1230 22nd | ||||||
| St., N.E., | ||||||
| Canton, | 250.00 | 3,000.00 | 3,000.00 | 3,000.00 | 3,000.00 | |
| Ohio) | ||||||
| Distributio | ||||||
| ns of | ||||||
| Corporate | ||||||
| Property | ||||||
| North, Inc. | ||||||
| (a) | ||||||
| Apartment - | ||||||
| 2413 | ||||||
| Cleveland | ||||||
| Ave., | 33,430.00 | 33,430.00 | ||||
| Canton, | ||||||
| Ohio | ||||||
| (b) Cash | ||||||
| advanced | ||||||
| from | ||||||
| McKinley | ||||||
| Savings and | ||||||
| Loan Co.; | ||||||
| Savings | 1,600.00 | 700.84 | ||||
| account No. | ||||||
| 1328 | ||||||
| Macri, Inc. | ||||||
| (a) Jack's | ||||||
| Cafe | ||||||
| 2600 8th | ||||||
| St., N.E. | ||||||
| Canton, | 15,452.38 | 15,452.38 | ||||
| Ohio | ||||||
| TOTAL | $39,230.00 | $5,500.84 | $4,800.00 | $20,252.38 | ||
| DIVIDENDS | ||||||
| STILL IN | ||||||
| ISSUE: |
*142 During the years 1965 through 1968 Pat operated a Cadillac automobile which was owned by Liberty. Liberty also provided Pat with a weekly automobile allowance of $45. Expenses incurred in the operation of the car in excess of the $45 weekly allowance were paid out of Pat's personal funds. Pat drove the car to and from work and sometimes called on customers while en route.The fair rental value of the car was $150 per month.
Pat and Roxy lived in a house located at 1230 22nd Street, N.E., Canton, Ohio, which was owned by Macri. The house was built in 1950 at a cost of $26,000, and during the years in issue the fair rental value of the house was $250 per month. Although Pat did not pay rent for the use of the house, he did make various expenditures out of his personal funds for maintenance and repair.
North owned an apartment building located at 2413 Cleveland Avenue, Canton, Ohio. In 1965 North transferred the apartment building to P & R Enterprises, Inc. (hereafter P & R) for the sum of one dollar and the assumption by P & R of an outstanding mortgage on the building in the amount of $16,797.19. P & R was owned by Pat's two sons, Rocco Ferruccio and Pat Ferruccio, Jr. *143 At the time the building was transferred, its fair market value was $33,430.
North maintained a savings account at the McKinley Savings and Loan Company. In 1965, $1,600 was withdrawn from that account and distributed to Pat and in 1966 $700.84 was withdrawn from the account and distributed to Pat.
Macri owned a building, known as Jack's Cafe, which was located at 2600 8th Street, N.E., Canton, Ohio. In 1968 Macri transferred the building, without consideration, to Pat, Jr.At the time the building was transferred, its fair market value was $15,452.38.
OPINION
Pat and Roxy Ferruccio declined to provide respondent with records pertaining to their income for the years 1965 through 1968. Respondent, therefore, reconstructed their income for those years, using third party records. Employing the source and application of funds method of reconstructing income, respondent determined that Pat understated his individual income for the years 1966 and 1967 and that Pat and Roxy understated their joint income for the years 1965 and 1968. Additionally, respondent determined that Pat received unreported dividend income during each of the years in issue.
Respondent's determinations*144 are presumptively correct and petitioners have the burden of proof.
The source and application of funds method of reconstructing income is based on the assumption that the amount by which a taxpayer's application of funds during a taxable period exceeds his known available funds 8 for that same period has, absent some explanation by the taxpayer, taxable origins. As explanation, the taxpayer may show that the difference between the total for the application of funds and the total for known sources of funds is attributable to such nontaxable items as loans, gifts, inheritances, or assets on hand at the beginning of the taxable period. 9
Petitioners argue that respondent's reconstruction*145 failed to give them credit for various nontaxable sources of income which they claim were available for disposition during the years in issue.Petitioners also contest various expenditures which have been asserted by respondent.
With respect to alleged additional sources, petitioners attempted to establish the following:
1. In 1953 Pat sold a cigarette vending machine route for $50,181.
2. In 1953 Pat received $29,500 in cash at two different times from "a fellow in Canton" as repayment of a loan.
3. During the years 1958 through 1961 Pat received cash gifts from his mother totaling $56,500 and during the same years Pat received gifts of jewelry from his mother, which jewelry was worth $13,000 to $14,000.
4. In 1959 Pat sold a vending machine route for $18,000.
5. In 1961 Pat received $2,023 from New York Life Insurance Company upon surrendering a life insurance policy for its cash value.
6. In 1962 Pat received $3,041.43 from the estate of a Mr. Nickles 10 as repayment of a loan.
7. During the years in issue the estate of Teresa Ferruccio (Pat's mother), *146 of which Pat was administrator, received dividends on stock owned by the estate.
8. In May 1969 Pat had a lock box stored under the floor of his office which contained $35,000 to $40,000 in cash, various items of jewelry with an approximate total value of $28,000 and several sets of mint proof coins.
We have been unable to make findings with respect to the above matters. Most of the evidence introduced with respect to these matters was in the form of testimony by Pat which we found to be vague, indefinite and self serving and upon which we have placed little value. See
We assume that petitioners rely on all but one of the above items to establish a cash hoard out of which the excess expenditures during the years in issue were made. Even if we were able to make findings with respect to the receipt of the above amounts, there is no evidence that any of these amounts were still available to petitioners during the years in issue. Testimony*147 regarding amounts received by Pat in earlier years does not establish that those amounts were still available to Pat during the years in issue. Similarly the existence of a cash hoard in a later year, if indeed one existed, does not establish its existence in earlier years.
The only additional source, alleged by petitioners, which might have been available during the years in issue was the dividend income received by the estate of Teressa Ferruccio. There is no evidence, however, that such dividends were distributed to Pat in his individual capacity and were available for his personal consumption.
Our findings reflect several items that were received by Pat during the years in issue which do not appear in respondent's computation of Pat's available funds. In 1967 Pat received $15,000 from the sale of diamonds. However, Pat did not report income from the sale of these diamonds, and he was unable to establish at trial his basis in the diamonds. Under these circumstances, we cannot characterize these proceeds as a nontaxable source of funds. Therefore, $15,000 of the amount by which we determine that Pat understated his income for 1967 will be income derived from these sales.
*148 We agree with petitioners, however, that the $1,432 received by Pat from Monumental Life Insurance Company, in 1966, should be considered as an additional nontaxable source for that year. We also agree that the following loan payments received by Pat should be considered additional nontaxable sources in the years received:
| Payment | Year |
| $1,000 (payment by John B. Sutton, Jr.) | 1967 |
| $4,725 (payment by Joseph Green) | 1967 |
| $1,000 (payment by John B. Sutton, Jr.) | 1968 |
Although petitioners contest the following expenditures, they presented no evidence in this regard and we have, accordingly, upheld respondent's determination that they were made:
| 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | |
| Food | $1,040 | $1,040 | $1,040 | $ 1,040 |
| Electric | 180 | 180 | 180 | 180 |
| Clothing | 300 | 300 | 300 | 300 |
| Furniture | 200 | 200 | 200 | 200 |
| Canton Building and | ||||
| Foundation Co. | 391.51 | |||
| Advances to George | ||||
| McCarthy | 125 |
Petitioner presented evidence with respect to the following contested expenditures:
| Amount Determined by Respondent | ||||
| 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | |
| Advance Commissions | ||||
| (to Kent Development | ||||
| Corporation) | $3,000 | |||
| Cecil R. Bordine | $ 500 | |||
| Travelers' Indemnity | ||||
| in American Central | ||||
| Insurance Company | 1,300 | |||
| Recreation | 2,080 | $2,080 | $2,080 | 2,080 |
*149 Pat did not deny that he advanced $3,000 to Kent Development Corporation in 1967, but he claimed that the advance was a loan to Kent from funds belonging to Macri and not from his personal funds. This is in effect an argument as to source and not a contested expenditure. In any event, we are not convinced that the funds originated from Macri. The only documentation offered for this assertion is a copy of a bank record of an account which Macri had with the First Federal Savings and Loan Association of Canton, Ohio, which record indicates that $3,000 was withdrawn from the account on December 1, 1964. However, the note which Kent executed in respect of the advance was dated April 12, 1965. Additionally, we cannot reconcile Pat's testimony that Kent made weekly payments on the loan, which Pat claimed were redeposited in Macri's account, with the fact that no such weekly deposits are reflected on the bank record.
Nor did Pat deny making payments to Cecil R. Bordine and to Travelers' Indemnity in American Central Insurance Company.He claimed that such payments were in respect of property damage resulting from an automobile accident in which his wife was at fault and for which*150 he received reimbursement from his own insurance company. Again, this is really an argument as to source and not a contested expenditure. In light of the fact that Pat was unable to recall the name of his insurance company or when the alleged reimbursement was made, we are not convinced that any such reimbursement occurred.
Pat presented credible testimony to the effect that he spent only $1,200 in each of the years in issue for recreation and we have so found.
The last item of expenditure which petitioners contest is that listed by respondent as "cash advances to Pat M. Ferruccio, Jr." Respondent used the source and application of funds method to reconstruct Pat, Jr.'s income during each of the years in question. As Pat, Jr., did not work and was supported by his father during these years, respondent determined that Pat, Jr., received cash distributions from his father equal to the excess of Pat, Jr.'s expenditures over other known available funds. The parties stipulated to some of the items (and the correct amounts thereof) which appeared in respondent's reconstruction of Pat, Jr.'s income. Petitioners presented no evidence to refute the remaining items or the amounts thereof. *151 Pat admitted that he supported Pat, Jr., during these years but he could not recall how much he spent in this regard. We have accordingly upheld respondent's determination that the excess of Pat, Jr.'s expenditures over known available funds originated in cash distributions from his father.
The next area of dispute is in regard to additional unreported dividend income.During each of the years in issue Pat drove a Cadillac automobile which was owned by Liberty. Respondent determined that the fair rental value of $150 per month was dividend income to Pat. Petitioners do not contest respondent's determination of rental value, but argue that: (1) Pat used the car primarily for business purposes; and (2) Pat paid for the use of the car by virtue of having paid operating and maintenance expenses.
The only support for petitioners' first contention is in Pat's testimony which was general and conclusory. Petitioners have not presented evidence which would enable us to even estimate the amount of time the car was used for company purposes. We must, therefore, agree with respondent's determination that the car was provided for Pat's personal benefit. There is no merit in petitioners' *152 second contention. The payment of costs incurred in operating and maintaining an automobile which was provided for Pat's personal benefit could in no way be considered payment for the use of the car. Even if Pat incurred operating and maintenance costs while using the car for company purposes, petitioners have not demonstrated the amount of such expenditures, or even that such expenditures exceeded the weekly automobile allowance provided by Liberty.
Expenditures made by a corporation for the personal benefit of its stockholders, or the making available of corporate owned property to stockholders for their personal benefit, may result in the receipt by the stockholders of constructive dividends in amounts equal to the fair market value of the benefits conferred.
| 1965 | $1,200 |
| 1966 | 1,800 |
| 1967 | 1,800 |
| 1968 | 1,800 |
We also hold that Pat received dividend income in each of the years in question equal to the fair rental value of the house which was owned by Macri and which was used by Pat and Roxy as their personal residence.Petitioners argue that Pat paid for the use of the house by virtue of having paid various maintenance expenses. Again, we fail to see how expenditures incurred by a shareholder in maintaining property, held by his corporation solely for the purpose of conferring a personal benefit upon the shareholder, could be deemed payment for the use of that property.In any event, petitioners have not established the amount of such alleged expenditures.
Respondent determined that the transfer, in 1965, of an apartment building by North (95 percent of the stock of which was owned by Pat) to P & R (100 percent of the stock of which was owned by Pat's sons, Pat Jr., and Rocco) resulted in dividend income to Pat in an amount equal to the building's fair market value of $33,430. Petitioners' contentions in this*154 regard are not entirely clear, but they apparently believe respondent's determination incorrect because: (1) Pat did not receive any cash as a result of the transaction; and (2) the transfer constituted a sale upon which North realized a loss.
The apartment building was worth $33,430 in 1965 and it was sold by North to P & R for the consideration of one dollar plus the assumption by P & R of an outstanding mortgage indebtedness of $16,797.19. Had the form of the transaction been a sale by North to Pat, there clearly would have been a distribution to which section 301 applies. The amount of the distribution would have been equal to the excess of the building's fair market value over the sales price. See
Petitioners have made no effort to overcome respondent's determination that North had earnings and profits out of which a dividend could have been paid. We hold that Pat received a constructive dividend in 1965 of $16,631.81 (the difference between fair market value of the property transferred and the sales price).
During the years 1965 and 1966 North maintained a savings account with the McKinley Savings and Loan Company. The following amounts were distributed to Pat from that account:
| 1965 | $1,600.00 |
| 1966 | 700.84 |
Respondent maintains that the above amounts constituted dividend income to Pat. Petitioners maintain that the distributions were made to Pat for the purpose of making loans to customers. Petitioners simply have not carried their burden on this issue. Although Pat testified that the money was used to make loans, he did not identify any of the borrowers, nor did he even indicate that the "customers" were customers of North. No notes or other documents supporting the existence of these alleged loans were produced. We uphold respondent's determination that these amounts were*156 distributed to Pat for his personal benefit and constituted dividend income.
In 1968 Macri transferred, without consideration, a building with a fair market value of $15,452.38 to Pat, Jr. Respondent determined that the distribution to Pat, Jr., was a constructive distribution to Pat and, therefore, asserted that Pat realized dividend income equal to the building's fair market value. Petitioners attempted to establish that the transfer was not without consideration but was in respect of an agreement between Macri and Roxy, executed in 1964, whereby Roxy surrendered her stock in Macri in exchange for Macri's promise to transfer this building to her son, Pat, Jr.
Upon the evidence presented, we have been unable to make a finding with respect to the alleged redemption agreement. We do not agree with respondent, however, that the transfer of the building was a constructive distribution to Pat. Pat, Jr., owned 22 percent of Macri's outstanding stock and we believe the transfer of the building was with respect to his stock, and not with respect to the stock held by his father.
Our findings, in summary form, are as follows:
| I. Reconstruction of Income | ||||
| Using Source and Application of | ||||
| Funds Method | ||||
| 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | |
| A. Stipulated known available | $37,239.01 | $11,219.75 | $ 8,849.75 | $16,574.46 |
| funds | ||||
| B. Additional available funds | 1,432.00 | 5,725.00 | 1,000.00 | |
| determined herein | ||||
| C. Total known available funds | $37,239.01 | $12,651.75 | $14,574.75 | $17,574.46 |
| D. Stipulated expenditures | $47,008.70 | $20,792.69 | $23,197.12 | $396.17 |
| E. Additional expenditures | 11,829.30 | 9,760.04 | 8,825.78 | 11,562.80 |
| determined herein | ||||
| F.Total expenditures | $58,838.00 | $30,552.73 | $32,022.90 | $42,958.97 |
| G. Excess of expenditures over | $21,598.99 | $17,900.98 | $17,448.15 | $25,384.51 |
| known available funds | ||||
| II. Unreported Dividend Income | ||||
| A. Stipulated dividend income | $ 1,852.50 | $ 3,540.00 | $ 2,302.00 | $ 1,976.50 |
| B. Additional dividend income | 22,431.81 | $ 5,500.84 | $ 4,800.00 | $ 4,800.00 |
| determined herein | ||||
| C. Total unreported dividend | $24,284.31 | $ 9,040.84 | $ 7,102.00 | $ 6,776.50 |
| income | ||||
| III. Other Unreported Income 1 | 593.00 | 2,314.00 | 3,569.00 | |
| IV. Total Unreported Income 2 | $45,883.30 | $27,534.82 | $26,864.15 | $35,730.01 |
Petitioners assert that respondent is barred from assessing deficiencies for the years 1965, 1966 and 1967 by virtue of the three-year statute of limitations set forth in section 6501(a). Respondent argues that the six-year statute of limitations, set forth in section 6501(e)(1)(A), is*158 applicable. Although petitioners have the burden of refuting respondent's determination as to the amount of the deficiencies, respondent must carry the burden of proof in order to extend the statute of limitations beyond the normal three-year period. When respondent relies on section 6501(e)(1)(A), he must establish that petitioners omitted from gross income an amount in excess of 25 percent of gross income stated in the return.
Our findings and discussion thus far have been based upon petitioners' failure to carry the burden of proof. We must now analyze the evidence from a different standpoint, i.e., in terms of whether respondent has carried his burden of proof. For each of the years 1966 and 1967, petitioners have stipulated to unreported income in excess of 25 percent of the gross income stated in the returns filed for those years. The requisite omission for each of the years 1966 and 1967 has, therefore, been established by petitioners' own admissions and respondent is not barred from assessing the deficiencies for those years.
The amount of unreported income to which petitioners stipulated for 1965 is not in excess of 25 percent of the gross income stated in the return*159 filed for that year. Although petitioners have admitted to corporate distributions in an amount which would establish the requisite omission, they have argued that such distributions did not constitute income. After determining that petitioners had not established the
The remainder of unreported income asserted by respondent for 1965 was determined by employing the source and application of funds method of reconstructing income. For 1965 the amount by which stipulated expenditures exceed stipulated known available funds is greater than 25 percent of reported income. However, petitioners merely stipulated to a minimum figure for known available funds and have attempted to establish a greater amount. When petitioners' evidence in this regard is viewed in the*160 absence of the presumption in respondent's favor, we are unable to conclude that the excess expenditures were not made from a cash hoard.Respondent has not introduced evidence to counter petitioners' claim of a cash hoard, nor has respondent attempted to establish the accuracy of his figure for known available funds.
Recognizing the difficulty of negating all possible nontaxable sources, especially where books and records have not been made available, we would sustain respondent's determination if he had established a likely taxable source for the excess expenditures. Cf.
Respondent has not established the requisite*161 omission of gross income for 1965, and the assessment of a deficiency for that year is barred by the three-year statute of limitations.
Petitioners introduced no evidence to overcome respondent's determination that the addition to the tax under section 6653(a) is applicable for the years 1966 through 1968. Consequently, we are compelled to find for respondent on this issue.
Respondent determined deficiencies in petitioners' Federal income tax and additions thereto as follows:
| Addition to Tax | ||
| Year | Deficiency | Sec. 6653(a) |
| 1965 | $24,378.88 | $1,218.94 |
| 1966 | 28,820.89 | 1,441.04 |
| 1967 | 31,550.20 | 1,577.51 |
| 1968 | 42,527.44 | 2,126.37 |
Various concessions having been made, the following issues remain for our determination:
1. Whether petitioners understated their income for the taxable years 1965 through 1968 in the amounts of $60,460, $69,358, $71,274 and $85,519, respectively.
2. Whether petitioner Samuel J. Ferruccio received additional income from Liberty Vending Company, Inc., during the taxable years 1965 through 1968 in*162 the amounts of $800, $1,200, $1,200 and $1,200, respectively.
3. Whether petitioners are liable for the addition to tax under section 6653(a) for the taxable years 1965 through 1968.
4.Whether the statute of limitations bars the assessment and collection of any deficiencies determined for the taxable years 1965 through 1967.
FINDINGS OF FACT
Some of the facts have been stipulated and except as hereinafter noted are so found.
Samuel J. and Joan R. Ferruccio (hereafter referred to as Samuel and Joan, respectively), husband and wife, resided in Canton, Ohio, during the years in issue and at the time the petition in this case was filed. Petitioners timely filed joint income tax returns for each of the years 1965 through 1968 on which they reported gross income in the respective amounts of $18,981 (including gross sales), $6,432.04 (including dividends before exclusion), $7,385.12 and $7,903.69 (including dividends before exclusion). On April 11, 1972, respondent mailed a statutory notice of deficiency to petitioners covering the years 1965 through 1968.
In April 1965 Samuel and his brother, Pat Ferruccio, formed the Liberty Vending Company (hereafter Liberty).Liberty*163 took over two separate businesses which had previously been operated by the two brothers as sole proprietorships. Upon incorporation, Samuel received 5 percent of Liberty's outstanding stock and he thereafter acquired, by gift, another 5 percent from his sister, Catherine Morello. In November 1968 Samuel transferred all of his stock in Liberty to his nephews, Patrick M. Ferruccio, Jr., and Rocco Ferruccio. Throughout the years in question Samuel was employed by Liberty as its vice president.
Upon advice of counsel, Samuel and Joan declined to provide respondent's agents with records regarding their income for the years 1965 through 1968. Consequently, respondent used third party records to reconstruct income for those years.Employing the source and application of funds method of reconstruction, respondent determined that known cash expenditures exceeded known available funds 13 by the following amounts:
Footnotes
Footnotes
1. Cases of the following petitioners are consolidated herewith: P & R Enterprises, Inc., docket No. 4010-72; Samuel J. Ferruccio and Joan R. Ferruccio, docket No. 4012-72; Pat Ferruccio and Estate of Roxy Ferruccio, Deceased, Pat Ferruccio, Administrator, docket No. 4013-72; Rocco A. Ferruccio, docket No. 4014-72; Liberty Vending Company, Inc., docket No. 4039-72; and Pat Ferruccio, docket No. 4041-72.↩
2. On November 1, 1968, Samuel J. Ferruccio transferred his stock in Liberty Vending Company, Inc., to Rocco and Patrick M. Ferruccio, Jr.↩
3. All statutory references are to the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 as in effect during the years in issue.↩
4. Subsequent to the filing of the petition in docket No. 4013-72, Roxy Ferruccio died. The Estate of Roxy Ferruccio, Deceased, Pat Ferruccio, Administrator, has been substituted as a petitioner.↩
5. Respondent included within known available funds: reported income; cash on hand; and other nontaxable sources of funds.↩
6. After following this same procedure with respect to Samuel and Joan Ferruccio (docket No. 4012-72) and also with respect to Rocco Ferruccio (docket No. 4014-72), respondent's reconstruction of their incomes resulted in understatements equal in amounts to the above amounts determined for Pat and Roxy Ferruccio.↩
7. These totals are greater than the totals which appear in respondent's brief (p. 100) by the respective amounts of $85.50, $371, $137.50 and $155. These amounts correspond with payments which were listed in the notice of deficiency as having been made to Richard Bennett. Respondent included these payments in his request for findings of fact (p. 38 of respondent's brief) and there is no indication that he has conceded that they were not made. Consequently, we have assumed that these payments were inadvertently omitted by respondent when he computed the totals which appear on p. 100 of his brief.↩
8. The phrase "known available funds" will hereafter refer to the sum of cash on hand, reported income, and other nontaxable sources of funds. ↩
9. See
.Edward A. Troncelliti, T.C. Memo. 1971-72↩10. "Mr. Nickles" and "the fellow from Canton" may be one and the same; the record is not clear.↩
1. These amounts represent unreported income which was stipulated to and which is not reflected in the above reconstruction of income.
[See stips 23 and 25.] ↩
2. In order to avoid duplication, the following items must be taken into consideration in making the Rule 155 computation.The cash dividends received from North were available for disposition and account for part of the excess of expenditures over known available funds. Additionally, the parties stipulated to the unreported amount of Pat's distributable share of partnership income for each year and they also stipulated to the amount of gain realized upon the sale of certain real property in 1968. The amounts of partnership income actually distributed to Pat and the amount realized upon the sale of the real property were funds available for disposition and account for part of the excess of expenditures over known available funds.↩
11. Respondent does not contend in the alternative that these distributions represented compensation.↩
12. Liberty's books and records were available to respondent.↩
- 1↩4 Employing the same procedure described in our findings in respect of Pat and Roxy Ferruccio (docket Nos. 4013-72 and 4041-72), respondent added to these amounts the amounts by which he had determined that Pat and Rocco had understated their incomes for each of the years in issue. Respondent has since abandoned this position and now asserts understatements only in the above amounts.
13. Respondent included within known available funds: reported income, cash on hand, and other nontaxable sources of funds.
The stipulation of facts contains an item described as "Loan Proceeds - P. T. Bruel Inc. - Akron, Ohio" in the amount of $28,000 as a source of funds for 1966. Respondent's brief indicates that this item was inadvertently included in the stipulation as a source for 1966 and should rather be included as a source for 1967. Noting that the notice of deficiency lists this item as a source for 1967, that petitioners have not objected to respondent's request that we find the item as a source for 1967, and that it is to petitioners' advantage to do so, we have included this item in the above total for 1967 rather than for 1966.
17. Liberty's books and records were available to respondent.↩
18. Respondent included within known available funds: reported income, cash on hand, and other nontaxable sources of funds. ↩
19. Employing the same procedure described in our findings in respect of Pat and Roxy Ferruccio (docket Nos. 4013-72 and 4041-72), respondent added to these amounts the amounts by which he had determined that Pat and Samuel Ferruccio had understated their incomes for each of the years in issue. Respondent has since abandoned this position and now asserts understatements only in the above amounts.↩
20. The phrase "known available funds" will hereafter refer to the sum of reported income, cash on hand, and other nontaxable sources of funds. ↩
21. See
2. This item was the subject of stipulation and has not been previously discussed herein. ↩
3. To the extent partnership income was actually distributed to petitioner, it was available for disposition and accounts for part of the excess of expenditures over known available funds. Therefore, an adjustment may be necessary in the Rule 155 computation in order to avoid duplication.↩
22. Liberty's books and records were available to respondent.↩
23. Pursuant to an amendment to conform his answer to the proof, respondent increased the deficiencies and additions to the following amounts:
| Additions to Tax | |||
| Year | Deficiency | Sec. 6651(a) | Sec. 6653(a) |
| 1965 | $23,754.74 | $1,125.27 | $ 1,125.27 |
| 1966 | 28,012.63 | 1,373.26 | |
| 1967 | 32,040.52 | 1,602.03 | |
| 1968 | 29,023.95 | 1,451.20 | |
1. These items were included in cost of goods sold. The copy of the 1968 return which was submitted as a joint exhibit does not specify the amounts claimed for parts, records, cigarette purchases and truck rental. ↩
2. No such single category of deductions was specified in the returns filed for 1965, 1966, 1967 and 1968. Respondent has not further identified what specific items are included in "Other"; we, therefore, cannot determine the amounts claimed by petitioner in this category.↩
24. The notice of deficiency stated that the following unaccounted for cash advances were made:
| 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | |
| Pat Ferruccio, Sr. | $7,043 | $ 6,257 | $ 7,457 | $12,109 |
| Rocco Ferruccio | 5,028 | 10,123 | 12,692 | -- |
| Samuel Ferruccio | 6,742 | 3,192 | 9,859 | 10,090 |
By way of an amended answer, respondent asserted that the unaccounted for cash advances to shareholders were as follows:
| 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | |
| Pat Ferruccio, Sr. | $22,393.49 | $19,841.98 | $23,915.65 | $27,109.51 |
| Samuel Ferruccio | 5,054.97 | 6,947.77 | 9,090.41 | 1,906.88 |
These are the amounts by which respondent asserts Pat Ferruccio, Sr., and Samuel Ferruccio understated their incomes, which amounts respondent presumed originated from Liberty. Respondent has conceded that Rocco Ferruccio did not receive any cash advances from Liberty during the years in issue.↩
25. The only documentary evidence submitted with respect to petitioner's books and records was two of the daily sales sheets for cigarette sales and two of the weekly checks written to cash to which were attached the supporting "receipts" for cash expenditures.↩
26. In the case of a trade or business "gross income" means gross receipts prior to the deduction for cost of goods sold. Section 6501(e)(1)(A)(i).↩
27. Pursuant to an amendment to conform his answer to the proof, respondent increased the deficiencies and additions to the following amounts:
| Addition to Tax | ||
| Year | Deficiency | Section 6653(a) |
| 1967 | $ 8,458.02 | $422.90 |
| 1968 | 13,751.07 | 687.60 |
28. The notice of deficiency listed unaccounted for cash distributions to Rocco in the following amounts:
| 1965 | $ 5,028 |
| 1966 | 10,123 |
| 1967 | 12,692 |
| 1968 | 0 |
After trial, respondent amended his answer with respect to the years 1967 and 1968 to assert unaccounted for cash distributions to Rocco in the following amounts:
| 1967 | $15,471.92 |
| 1968 | 11,865.28 |
29. The documentary evidence presented by petitioner consisted of: (1) ledger cards on which expenses were recorded; (2) six daily reports on which were recorded the daily gross receipts and expenses for the lounge; and (3) the summary of cash expenditures made from lounge receipts for the months of July 1967 and July 1968.↩
30. In the case of a trade or business "gross income" means gross receipts prior to the deduction for cost of goods sold. Section 6501(e)(1)(A)(i).↩
31. See
32. The ledger cards simply list these expenditures as being for maintenance. This is an insufficient description for purposes of determining whether the expenditures were capital in nature.↩
33. See also
1976 T.C. Memo. 273 (Macri Corp. v. Commissioner) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.