McAdams v. Comm'r

118 T.C. No. 24, 118 T.C. 373, 2002 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 24
CourtUnited States Tax Court
DecidedMay 15, 2002
DocketNo. 127863-00
StatusPublished
Cited by12 cases

This text of 118 T.C. No. 24 (McAdams v. Comm'r) 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
McAdams v. Comm'r, 118 T.C. No. 24, 118 T.C. 373, 2002 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 24 (tax 2002).

Opinion

Vasquez, Judge:

Respondent determined a deficiency of $1,106 in petitioner’s Federal income tax for 1998. After concessions,1 the issues for decision are: (1) Whether petitioner did not “live apart” from his spouse at all times during 1998, and (2) whether section 86 2 is unconstitutional.

FINDINGS OF FACT

Some of the facts have been stipulated and are so found. The stipulation of facts and the attached exhibits are incorporated herein by this reference. At the time he filed the petition, petitioner resided in Ninilchik, Alaska.

As of the time of trial, petitioner was 74 years old and retired from the U.S. military. Petitioner has a bachelor’s degree in social work and a master’s degree in human relations. During his last 22 years in the military, he taught classes about race relations and nuclear weapons at the Command General Staff College in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

In 1947, petitioner married Norma McAdams. During the year in issue and up to the date of trial, petitioner and Mrs. McAdams were married. As of the date of trial, petitioner and Mrs. McAdams had not legally separated.

During 1998, Mrs. McAdams resided at 4802 Shirley Avenue, Boise, Idaho (Boise address). Petitioner’s two children, four grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren all reside in Boise, Idaho.

During 1998, petitioner used the Boise address as a mailing address. Petitioner received mail and telephone messages at the Boise address. Petitioner kept “things” at the Boise address.

From approximately April 15 through October 15, petitioner lived in Alaska. During the rest of the year, petitioner resided in “the lower 48” — i.e., in the continental United States. When in the lower 48, petitioner traveled in a “fifth-wheel” trailer to Wyoming, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, and California. When he was in Boise, he stayed at the Boise address.

During 1998, petitioner stayed at the Boise address in excess of 30 days. He parked his fifth-wheel trailer at the Boise address and slept inside the house located at the Boise address. Petitioner and Mrs. McAdams maintained separate bedrooms at the Boise address.

During 1998, petitioner’s main source of income was his military retirement pay. During 1998, petitioner also received Social Security income in the amount of $11,181.60. Petitioner received a Form SSA-1099, Social Security Benefit Statement, for 1998 reporting “Benefits Paid in 1998” and “Net Benefits for 1998” in the amount of $11,181.60.

Petitioner filed his 1998 Federal individual income tax return claiming “Married filing separately” status. When he prepared his 1998 tax return, petitioner filled out the Social Security Benefits Worksheet. Petitioner listed $25,000 as his “base amount” because he believed that he lived apart from his spouse for the entire year. On his return, petitioner reported $11,181.60 of Social Security benefits and zero as the taxable amount of his Social Security benefits.

In the notice of deficiency, respondent increased petitioner’s interest income by $52 and reduced petitioner’s “base amount” to zero, thereby increasing the taxable amount of petitioner’s Social Security benefits to $9,218.

OPINION

Section 86 provides for the taxability of Social Security benefits pursuant to a statutory formula. If a taxpayer’s “modified adjusted gross income” plus one-half of the Social Security benefits received during the taxable year exceeds the “base amount”, then a portion of the taxpayer’s Social Security benefits is includable in gross income. Sec. 86(a) through (d).

A. Base Amount and Living Apart at All Times During the Taxable Year

Section 86(c)(1) provides that for purposes of section 86, the term “base amount” means:

(A) except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, $25,000,
(B) $32,000 in the case of a joint return, and
(C) zero in the case of a taxpayer who—
(i) is married as of the close of the taxable year (within the meaning of section 7703) but does not file a joint return for such year, and
(ii) does not live apart from his spouse at all times during the taxable year.

When he prepared his 1998 tax return, petitioner filled out the Social Security Benefits Worksheet. Petitioner listed $25,000 as his “base amount” because he was married and believed that he lived apart from his spouse for the entire year. Respondent contends that petitioner did not live apart from his wife at all times during the taxable year within the meaning of section 86(c)(l)(C)(ii). Whether a taxpayer did not “live apart” from his spouse “at all times during the taxable year” within the meaning of section 86(c)(l)(C)(ii) is an issue of first impression.3

We do not find any ambiguity in the language “at all times during the taxable year.” “All” means “whole”, “entire”, “each and every one”, or “each and every thing”.4 Webster’s II New Riverside University Dictionary 93 (1994).

Neither the statute nor the legislative history defines what “live apart” means. See S. Rept. 98-23, at 27 (1983), 1983-2 C.B. 326, 328; H. Conf. Rept. 98-47, at 122 (1983), 1983-2 C.B. 336, 340. Similar language to that contained in section 86(c)(l)(C)(ii) is contained in sections 22(e)(1), 66(a)(2)(A), 152(e)(l)(A)(iii), 219(g)(4)(B), and 469(i)(5)(B)(ii). Therefore, we look to the case law interpreting the phrase “live apart” contained in those sections.

In Costa v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 1990-572, in 1970 the taxpayer and her husband had purchased a residence located in Fairfax, California (Fairfax residence). In 1982, as a result of marital problems, the taxpayer moved out of the Fairfax residence. During 1982, the taxpayer’s husband also moved out of the Fairfax residence. In 1983, the taxpayer resumed residing at the Fairfax residence. In 1984, the taxpayer’s husband visited the Fairfax residence several times on an intermittent basis, he used the Fairfax residence address for receiving mail, he kept documents and clothes there, he received telephone messages there, he had a key to the Fairfax residence, and he came and went at his convenience. The taxpayer did not file a joint return with her husband for 1984. The taxpayer did not obtain a formal termination or separation, and as of the time of trial the taxpayer was still legally married to her husband.

We concluded that, for purposes of section 66(a), the taxpayer “did not live apart at all times during the year as required by statute” for 1984. Costa v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 1990-572. We based our holding on the fact that during 1984 the taxpayer’s husband intermittently resided at the Fairfax residence. Id.

In Dawkins v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 1991-225, during 1987 the taxpayer and his wife were in the process of obtaining a divorce. During 1987, the taxpayer had not obtained a legal separation, and the taxpayer, his wife, and his three children all resided in the same household.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Patrick C. Kelley
U.S. Tax Court, 2021
Levon Johnson v. Commissioner
152 T.C. No. 6 (U.S. Tax Court, 2019)
Hunter v. Comm'r
2016 T.C. Memo. 164 (U.S. Tax Court, 2016)
Powell v. Comm'r
2014 T.C. Memo. 235 (U.S. Tax Court, 2014)
Moore v. Comm'r
2009 T.C. Summary Opinion 105 (U.S. Tax Court, 2009)
Calvert v. Comm'r
2007 T.C. Summary Opinion 7 (U.S. Tax Court, 2007)
Ferko v. Comm'r
2006 T.C. Summary Opinion 158 (U.S. Tax Court, 2006)
WEAVER v. COMMISSIONER
2003 T.C. Summary Opinion 155 (U.S. Tax Court, 2003)
Dubois v. Comm'r
2003 T.C. Memo. 222 (U.S. Tax Court, 2003)
Thomas William McAdams v. Commissioner
118 T.C. No. 24 (U.S. Tax Court, 2002)
McAdams v. Comm'r
118 T.C. No. 24 (U.S. Tax Court, 2002)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
118 T.C. No. 24, 118 T.C. 373, 2002 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 24, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mcadams-v-commr-tax-2002.