McGuire v. Commissioner

1981 T.C. Memo. 486, 42 T.C.M. 987, 1981 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 255
CourtUnited States Tax Court
DecidedSeptember 3, 1981
DocketDocket Nos. 15151-79, 17964-80.
StatusUnpublished

This text of 1981 T.C. Memo. 486 (McGuire 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
McGuire v. Commissioner, 1981 T.C. Memo. 486, 42 T.C.M. 987, 1981 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 255 (tax 1981).

Opinion

DENNIS P. McGUIRE, Petitioner v. COMMISSIONER OF INTERNAL REVENUE, Respondent
McGuire v. Commissioner
Docket Nos. 15151-79, 17964-80.
United States Tax Court
T.C. Memo 1981-486; 1981 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 255; 42 T.C.M. (CCH) 987; T.C.M. (RIA) 81486;
September 3, 1981

*255 For each of the years in issue, petitioner claimed a so-called "war involvement" deduction. Held, respondent properly disallowed petitioner's "war involvement" deductions. Held further, petitioner is liable for additions to tax under sec. 6653(a), I.R.C. 1954.

Dennis P. McGuire, pro se.
James C. Lanning, for the respondent.

STERRETT

MEMORANDUM OPINION

STERRETT, Judge: In these consolidated cases, respondent determined the following deficiencies in petitioner's Federal income taxes and the following additions to tax:

DocketAddition to tax under
No.YearDeficiencysec. 6653(a)
15151-791975$ 127.00$ 6.35
19761,539.9477.00
19772,011.00100.55
17964-8019783,106.00155.30

These cases have been consolidated for purposes of briefing and opinion. After concessions, the issues for decision are: (1) whether petitioner is entitled to a "war involvement" deduction in each of the taxable years at issue and (2) whether petitioner is liable for the additions to tax under section 6653(a), I.R.C. 1954, for negligence or intentional disregard of the rules and regulations.

The facts in this case have*256 been fully stipulated pursuant to Rule 122, Tax Court Rules of Practice and Procedure. The stipulation of facts, together with the exhibits attached thereto, is incorporated herein by this reference.

Petitioner Dennis P. McGuire resided in Minneapolis, Minnesota at the time of the filing of the petitions herein. He timely filed Federal income tax returns for his taxable years ended December 31, 1975, December 31, 1976, December 31, 1977 and December 31, 1978.

On each of the tax returns under examination, petitioner claimed a "war involvement" deduction to express his conscientious objection to the United States Government's military activities and to his indirect participation in such activities through the payment of taxes. The amounts of the claimed war involvement deductions for the taxable years specified were as follows:

War involvement
Yeardeduction
1975$ 2,108.08
19766,331.19
197710,559.00
197814,079.86

Respondent, in his notices of deficiency dated August 2, 1979 and June 19, 1980, disallowed the claimed war involvement deductions and determined that petitioner was liable for additions to tax under section 6653(a) for negligence or*257 intentional disregard of rules and regulations.

We must first decide whether, for the years in issue, petitioner is entitled to the claimed war involvement deductions.

We begin with the oft-recited legal maxim that deductions are a matter of legislative grace and are not allowable unless specifically provided for by Congress. New Colonial Ice Co. v. Helvering, 292 U.S. 435, 440 (1934). Petitioner has the burden of proving that he is entitled to the deductions.

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1981 T.C. Memo. 486, 42 T.C.M. 987, 1981 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 255, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mcguire-v-commissioner-tax-1981.