Parma v. United States

45 Fed. Cl. 124, 84 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 6534, 1999 U.S. Claims LEXIS 244, 1999 WL 817965
CourtUnited States Court of Federal Claims
DecidedOctober 13, 1999
DocketNo. 96-346T
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 45 Fed. Cl. 124 (Parma v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Court of Federal Claims primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Parma v. United States, 45 Fed. Cl. 124, 84 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 6534, 1999 U.S. Claims LEXIS 244, 1999 WL 817965 (uscfc 1999).

Opinion

OPINION

BASKIR, Judge.

The Parmas, husband and wife, seek to recover Federal income taxes and interest collected by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for the 1983 tax year. The government has moved to dismiss, arguing a fatal variance between their amended complaint and the required claim to the IRS. The parties have also filed cross motions for summary judgment on the appropriate statute of limitations.

We conclude there is no fatal variance and so deny the government’s motion to dismiss. On the merits, we agree with the government that the later statute-of limitations (October 16, 1992) applies. We grant its summary judgment motion and deny plaintiffs’.

Background

The dispute before the Court stems from the Parmas’ ownership in a Subchapter S corporation, La Jolla Capital, Inc., (La Jolla) that itself was a partner in a partnership, RAP Investment Company (RAP). The Par-mas assert that the government did not make timely assessments on income that flowed from the partnership to the corporation to the Parmas. They argue that a May 3, 1990, agreement which gave the IRS one year to assess the tax in the corporation, governs as [126]*126well the income flow from the RAP partnership to the corporation to the Parmas.

The government asserts the La Jolla agreement did not cover the partnership. Rather, another agreement entered into the following year, October 16, 1991, governs income from the partnership. At stake is the timeliness of a remittance credited by the IRS on March 6, after the May 1991 statute of limitations, but within the October 1992 statute of limitations. If the remittance is timely, and we conclude it is, there is still the question whether the IRS may retain it. That issue will be decided at another stage in the proceedings.

Motion to Dismiss

First, the Court must address the government’s motion to dismiss. The government asserts that because there is a “variance” between the claim for refund the Parmas made to the IRS and the Parmas’ amended complaint, the Court lacks jurisdiction.

In their IRS claim, the Parmas justified their refund by citing “all applicable statute of limitations.” In the letter from counsel accompanying the claim, they cited specifically the October 1992 statute of limitations. The amended complaint, however, relies on the May 1991 statute of limitations. The government’s position is that the claim reference was too general, and that counsel’s letter differs fatally from the statute of limitations upon which they now rely.

The Court concludes that the claim and amended complaint are not at variance for at least three reasons: The claim reference to “applicable statute of limitations” was sufficient notice; counsel’s letter did not serve to limit that notice; and the May 1991 statute of limitations became pertinent only because of the government’s theory advanced in its motion for summary judgment filed against the original complaint. This new argument had not been part of the dispute when the claim was filed.

To resolve this issue, it is first necessary to review the history of the remittances, assessments and abatements, as well as the claim, complaint, and subsequent pleadings. The facts are not in dispute.

Chronology

The story begins sometime prior to October 16, 1984, when the Parmas filed a 1983 Federal income tax return and paid income taxes of $631,384. The return reported income from La Jolla and RAP. The Parmas owned 50% of the stock of La Jolla. La Jolla owned a 90% interest in RAP. The Parmas also owned a 5% interest in RAP through a family trust. The remaining 50% interest in La Jolla and, through a family trust, the remaining 5% interest in RAP, were owned by Ernest Rady.

In 1987, Mr. Parma signed an agreement on behalf of all partners of RAP extending indefinitely the statute of limitations with respect to its 1983 return. Three years later, on May 3, 1990, the IRS and the Parmas entered into a Form 870-S Agreement to Assessment and Collection of Deficiency in Tax for S Corporation Adjustments (Form 870-S), with respect to the Parmas’ share of subchapter S items reported on Form 1120S filed by La Jolla for the taxable year 1983. This established for one year, until May 3, 1991, the time open to the IRS to assess taxes.

On October 16, 1991, the IRS and Mr. Parma entered into two Form 870-P(AD), Settlement Agreements for Partnership Adjustments (Form 870-P) for taxable years 1983 and 1984. One was with respect to the Parma family trust’s 5% interest in RAP. The other was signed by Mr. Parma as the tax matter person for La Jolla, and was for La Jolla’s 90% interest in RAP. The period within which to assess tax related to items which are thus converted from partnership items to non-partnership items pursuant to an 870-P agreement is also one year. 26 U.S.C. § 6229(f); Crnkovich v. United States, 41 Fed.Cl. 168 (1998). (Henceforth, references to statutory sections are to the Internal Revenue Code (IRC), 26 U.S.C.)

On November 6, 1991, the Parmas remitted to the IRS $396,297.29. The IRS did not post the remittance until March 6, 1992, and we will refer to this remittance by that latter date. In any case, the remittance came after May 1991, but was within the later statute of limitations. The status of this remittance is the sole remaining issue between the parties.

[127]*127On September 8, 1992, the IRS assessed the Parmas’ 1983 income tax. On October 15, 1992, the IRS issued a revised Form 1902C with respect to the change in the Parmas tax liability for 1983, and on that same day, assessed them additional income tax for the year 1983. These assessments related to income derived directly and indirectly from the Parmas’ interest in RAP.

In November and December 1992, the Par-mas remitted additional sums. The government later refunded those amounts early in 1999 in the settlement of what the Parmas denoted as Issue A of this litigation.

After reevaluation, the IRS concluded it was mistaken and, in February 1993, abated part of the tax assessment for 1983. Likewise, in March 1993, the IRS abated additional interest for 1983. This had the effect of disavowing the September and October 1992 assessments, a conclusion with which the government later agreed. However, what the IRS gave back with one hand it took again with another. In May 1993, the IRS assessed the Parmas additional income tax for 1983. All these had again to do with RAP-generated income. The May 1993 assessment came well after the October 1992 statute of limitations, a position to which the government later acceded during the course of the litigation.

On March 5, 1994, the Parmas filed a Form 1040X claiming a refund for 1983 of $462,361. The narrative explanation on the 1040X stated in pertinent part that the IRS—

[A]ssessments were made after the expiration of all applicable statutes of limitation and the taxpayers are therefore entitled to a refund of their overpayments pursuant to I.R.C. §§ 6401 and 6402. (Emphasis added)

The 1040X did not specify which statute of limitations the Parmas had in mind. The Parmas’ counsel, however, submitted a letter with the claim which stated:

Under the provisions of I.R.C.

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45 Fed. Cl. 124, 84 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 6534, 1999 U.S. Claims LEXIS 244, 1999 WL 817965, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/parma-v-united-states-uscfc-1999.