Phillips v. Commissioner

1993 T.C. Memo. 349, 66 T.C.M. 329, 1993 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 356
United States Tax Court·Decided August 11, 1993·No. Docket No. 13809-91·Unpublished

Opinion

DAVID S. PHILLIPS, Petitioner v. COMMISSIONER OF INTERNAL REVENUE, Respondent
Phillips v. Commissioner
Docket No. 13809-91
United States Tax Court
T.C. Memo 1993-349; 1993 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 356; 66 T.C.M. (CCH) 329;
August 11, 1993, Filed

*356 Decision will be entered under Rule 155.

David S. Phillips, pro se.
For respondent: Ruud L. DuVall and Kristine A. Roth.
RAUM

RAUM

MEMORANDUM OPINION

RAUM, Judge: The Commissioner determined a deficiency in Federal income tax against petitioner for taxable year 1986 in the amount of $ 3,733. The Commissioner also determined for that tax year that petitioner owed interest of $ 2,271 and additions to tax under section 6651(a)(1) 1 in the amount of $ 933, section 6653(a)(1)(A) in the amount of $ 187, section 6653(a)(1)(B) in the amount of 50 percent of the interest on $ 3,733, and section 6654 in the amount of $ 108.

At issue is whether this Court is without jurisdiction to determine an overpayment by petitioner for 1986 by reason of section 6512 in conjunction with section 6511. The case was submitted fully*357 stipulated.

Petitioner resided in Richmond, Virginia, at the time he filed his petition herein. During 1986, Federal income tax in the amount of $ 5,964 was paid through withholding. However, petitioner did not file his 1986 return until October 15, 1990. On March 29, 1991, the Commissioner mailed to petitioner a statutory notice of deficiency for 1986, in which it was determined that there was an underpayment in the amount of $ 3,733 and in which petitioner was charged with additions to tax and interest totaling $ 1,228 and $ 2,271, respectively. In a subsequent settlement agreement, however, the parties agreed that petitioner's tax liability for 1986 was only $ 4,546, which was less than the amount withheld, $ 5,964. The Commissioner thus conceded that petitioner did not have an income tax deficiency for 1986 and that petitioner is not liable for interest or any additions to tax.

The parties have agreed that the sole issue remaining for decision concerns petitioner's right to a determination of overpayment and refund of $ 1,418, the amount by which petitioner's 1986 withholdings exceeded his liability for that year. We hold that this Court does not have jurisdiction to determine*358 an overpayment here, because the taxes at issue were not paid within any of the time periods specified in section 6512(b)(3), upon which jurisdiction depends.

The authority of this Court to determine the amount of overpayment of Federal income tax and thus the amount to be refunded to the taxpayer is derived from section 6512. Such authority arises when a notice of deficiency is mailed to the taxpayer and the taxpayer files a petition with the Tax Court within the time permitted in section 6213(a) (generally 90 days of the date specified in the notice). Sec. 6512(a). If, under such circumstances, "the Tax Court finds that there is no deficiency and further finds that the taxpayer has made an overpayment of income tax for the same taxable year, * * * the Tax Court shall have jurisdiction to determine the amount of such overpayment". Sec. 6512(b)(1). But that grant of jurisdiction is limited by an immediately preceding introductory clause reading "Except as provided by paragraph (3)". And that limitation in section 6512(b)(3) states "No such credit or refund shall be * * * made of any portion of the tax unless the Tax Court determines * * * that such portion [of the tax] was *359 paid" within one of three time periods designated in subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) as follows:

(A) after the mailing of the notice of deficiency,

(B) within the period which would be applicable under section 6511(b)(2), (c), or (d), if on the date of the mailing of the notice of deficiency a claim had been filed (whether or not filed) stating the grounds upon which the Tax Court finds that there is an overpayment or

(C) within the period which would be applicable under section 6511(b)(2), (c), or (d), in respect of any claim for refund filed within the applicable period specified in section 6511 and before the date of the mailing of the notice of deficiency --

(i) which had not been disallowed before that date,

In the instant case, petitioner paid the taxes at issue through withholding during 1986. Those taxes were, however, deemed paid for purposes of sections 6511 and 6512 on April 15, 1987, pursuant to section 6513(b)(1). 2 And pursuant to regulations, petitioner's return, filed October 15, 1990, served as a claim for refund. Sec. 301.6402-3(a)(1) and (a)(5), Proced. & Admin. Regs. 3 It is, therefore, clear that subparagraphs (A) and (B) of section 6512(b)(3) *360 do not apply to petitioner's refund claim. Subparagraph (A) clearly does not apply, because petitioner paid the taxes for which he seeks the refund before rather than after the mailing of the Commissioner's deficiency notice on March 29, 1991. Subparagraph (B) also does not apply, because petitioner had already filed an actual claim for refund prior to the mailing of the deficiency notice. 4 Thus, in order for petitioner to obtain a determination of overpayment from this Court, petitioner's refund claim must satisfy the conditions of subparagraph (C) of section 6512(b)(3), which is applicable "in respect of any claim for refund filed within the applicable period specified in section 6511 and before the date of the mailing of the notice of deficiency -- (i) which had not been disallowed before that date". As to such claims, this Court has authority under subparagraph (C) to determine the amount of overpayment with respect to any taxes paid "within the period which would be applicable under section 6511(b)(2), (c), or (d)".

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Phillips v. Commissioner, 1993 T.C. Memo. 349, 66 T.C.M. 329, 1993 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 356 (tax 1993).

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