Pecora v. Commissioner

1988 T.C. Memo. 104, 55 T.C.M. 365, 1988 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 124, 9 Employee Benefits Cas. (BNA) 1656
CourtUnited States Tax Court
DecidedMarch 8, 1988
DocketDocket No. 22930-80R.
StatusUnpublished

This text of 1988 T.C. Memo. 104 (Pecora 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
Pecora v. Commissioner, 1988 T.C. Memo. 104, 55 T.C.M. 365, 1988 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 124, 9 Employee Benefits Cas. (BNA) 1656 (tax 1988).

Opinion

CONO A. PECORA, M.D., P.A., Petitioner v. COMMISSIONER OF INTERNAL REVENUE, Respondent
Pecora v. Commissioner
Docket No. 22930-80R.
United States Tax Court
T.C. Memo 1988-104; 1988 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 124; 55 T.C.M. (CCH) 365; T.C.M. (RIA) 88104; 9 Employee Benefits Cas. (BNA) 1656;
March 8, 1988.
Joseph S. Pecora, for the petitioner.
David Mustone, for the respondent.

WOLFE

MEMORANDUM FINDINGS OF FACT AND OPINION

*126 WOLFE, Special Trial Judge: This case is before the Court on respondent's motion for summary judgment filed pursuant to Rule 121, Tax Court Rules of Practice and Procedure.1

Respondent determined that petitioner's pension and profit sharing plans (plans) failed to meet the qualification requirements of section 401(a) for the taxable year 1978. Pursuant to section 7476, 2 petitioner has invoked the jurisdiction of this Court for a declaratory judgment that its plans satisfy such qualification requirements. Rule 217 provides for disposition of an action for declaratory judgment involving a revocation on the basis of the administrative record alone only where the parties agree that the record contains all the relevant facts and that such facts are not in dispute. In this case respondent*127 has asserted that he disputes the truth of some of the alleged facts.

Respondent filed a motion for summary judgment pursuant to Rule 121. 3

Rule 121(b) provides that a motion for summary judgment is to be granted if "there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and * * * a decision may be rendered as a matter of law." The burden of proof is on the moving party, and we are required to view the factual materials and reference to be drawn therefrom in the light most favorable to the party opposing the motion. Casanova Co. v. Commissioner,87 T.C. 214, 217 (1986).

In*128 January 1977, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued favorable determination letters for the plans maintained by Cono A. Pecora, M.D., P.A., (petitioner) with respect to the amendments adopted April 29, 1976. These letters determined that the plans complied with the requirements set forth in section 401(a) for favorable tax treatment.

The petitioner is a professional corporation on a fiscal year ending January 31 of each year. Both of the plans were also on the same fiscal year. During the plan year ending January 31, 1978, petitioner had three employees, two of whom were eligible to participate in the plans. The two employees eligible to participate were Cono A. Pecora, M.D. and August Leslie Warger. Dr. Pecora participated in both plans and Mr. Warner elected not to participate in either. Mr. Warer elected not to participate in order to receive current cash in lieu of coverage. Dr. Pecora was president, sole shareholder and highest paid employee of petitioner during this time.

By letters dated September 29, 1980, the IRS revoked the 1977 favorable determination letters for both plans on the ground that the minimum coverage requirement of section 401 had not been satisfied*129 for the 1978 plan year.

Respondent determined that petitioner's plans failed to meet the qualification requirements of section 401(a) for the plan year ending January 31, 1978. Pursuant to section 401(a)(3), the plans must satisfy the minimum participation standards contained in section 410. Section 410(b) provides "percentage" and "classification" tests for plan eligibility one of which a plan must satisfy in order to qualify under 401(a). Under these tests a plan will satisfy the eligibility requirements if it benefits either: (A) 70 percent or more of all employees, or 80 percent or more of all employees who are eligible to benefit under the plan if 70 percent or more of the employees are eligible to benefit under the plan, or (B) such employees as qualify under a classification set up by the employer and found by the Secretary not to be discriminatory in favor of employees who are officers, shareholders, or highly compensated. Sec. 410(b)(1)(A) and (B).

Of the petitioner's three employees, only Dr. Pecora and Mr. Warger were eligible to participate in the plans. But, of these two employees, only Dr. Pecora participated in either plan. Since Mr. Warger elected not to participate*130 in the plans in order to receive more cash currently, he is not considered as covered by either plan. Sec. 1.401-3(c), Income Tax Regs.; Harwood Associates, Inc. v. Commissioner,63 T.C. 255, 262-263 (1974). Consequently, neither 70 percent of all employees nor 80 percent of eligible employees participated in the plans as required by section 410(b)(1)(A).

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Related

Usery v. Turner Elkhorn Mining Co.
428 U.S. 1 (Supreme Court, 1976)
Loevsky v. Commissioner
55 T.C. 1144 (U.S. Tax Court, 1971)
Harwood Associates, Inc. v. Commissioner
63 T.C. 255 (U.S. Tax Court, 1974)
Fujinon Optical, Inc. v. Commissioner
76 T.C. 499 (U.S. Tax Court, 1981)
Casanova Co. v. Commissioner
87 T.C. No. 13 (U.S. Tax Court, 1986)

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Bluebook (online)
1988 T.C. Memo. 104, 55 T.C.M. 365, 1988 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 124, 9 Employee Benefits Cas. (BNA) 1656, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/pecora-v-commissioner-tax-1988.