Polyak v. Commissioner

94 T.C. No. 20, 94 T.C. 337, 1990 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 20
CourtUnited States Tax Court
DecidedMarch 12, 1990
DocketDocket No. 2794-88
StatusPublished
Cited by23 cases

This text of 94 T.C. No. 20 (Polyak 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
Polyak v. Commissioner, 94 T.C. No. 20, 94 T.C. 337, 1990 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 20 (tax 1990).

Opinion

OPINION

GOFFE, Judge:

This case was heard by Chief Special Trial Judge Marvin F. Peterson pursuant to the provisions of section 7443A(b) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, and Rules 180, 181, and 182. All section references are to the Internal Revenue Code as amended and in effect for the year in issue unless otherwise indicated. All Rule references are to the Tax Court Rules of Practice and Procedure. The Court agrees with and adopts the Chief Special Trial Judge’s opinion which is set forth below.

OPINION OF THE SPECIAL TRIAL JUDGE

PETERSON, Chief Special Trial Judge:

Respondent determined a deficiency in petitioners’ Federal income tax for the year 1984 in the amount of $945.

The issues to be decided are (1) whether and to what extent petitioners are entitled to a medical expense deduction; and (2) whether petitioners are entitled to a current deduction for repairs made to rental property.

FINDINGS OF FACT

Petitioners were legal residents of Trenton, Michigan, at the time this petition was filed. Petitioners timely filed a joint Federal income tax return for the year in issue.

Petitioners (Mr. and Mrs. Polyak) owned several rental properties and incurred expenses relating to those properties during 1984. Petitioners also incurred expenses relating to Mrs. Polyak’s medical problems in 1984. These expenses included expenditures for prescription medicines, medical insurance premiums, transportation to and from Florida, lodging while in Florida, travel trailer depreciation, telephone expenses, and air conditioners installed in both a travel trailer and petitioners’ Michigan home. At issue are the medical deductions petitioners claimed due to these expenses and deductions for expenses relating to rental income.

Mrs. Polyak underwent open heart surgery in 1979. Since that time, she has had continuing coronary artery disease and associated lung problems. She was hospitalized several times after the surgery through 1984, and required an oxygen tank to assist her in breathing. She also suffered from acute arthritis in 1984. Mrs. Polyak’s health problems caused her difficulties especially when outdoor temperatures became extreme. She was advised by her doctors in Michigan to seek a warmer climate during the winter months. Because of this advice, Mr. Polyak drove Mrs. Polyak to Florida in the fall of 1983, and flew back to Michigan while Mrs. Polyak remained in Florida throughout the winter months. In April of 1984, Mr. Polyak flew to Florida to drive Mrs. Polyak back to Michigan for the summer. Petitioners then repeated the process in the fall of 1984.

Mrs. Polyak’s Florida doctor was a Dr. Herman whom she saw twice during the 5 months she resided in Florida in 1984. The first appointment was in February and was for an upper respiratory infection. The second appointment was in December and was a routine visit for renewal of her medications. Dr. Herman became her physician when she was taken to a hospital emergency room in Florida during 1983. Dr. Herman was covering that emergency room for patients who did not have physicians and treated Mrs. Polyak. Thereafter she continued seeing him; however, he occasionally referred her to specialists as her need arose. Mrs. Polyak’s physicians in Michigan did not refer her to any physicians in Florida for medical care.

Mrs. Polyak lived in a travel trailer which was parked at a K.O.A. campground in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, during the 5 months she resided in Florida in 1984. Petitioners expended $1,426 in rental fees at the campground. The travel trailer was not specially equipped for Mrs. Polyak, although it did have an air conditioner to alleviate her breathing problems. Petitioners also installed an air conditioner in their home in Michigan some time prior to 1984 to help Mrs. Polyak’s medical condition.

Due to her poor health, Mrs. Polyak did not enjoy any significant element of personal pleasure, recreation, or vacation while she spent the winter months in Florida.

Petitioners also claim deductions for expenditures made to rental properties they own. After concessions made at trial by respondent, the only rental expense item in dispute is a $565 expenditure for repair to a bathroom floor in petitioners’ New Boston rental property. The bathroom floor was a wooden floor and, due to water damage over the course of many years, the floor had rotted in several places so there was danger of someone falling through. Petitioners had the section of floor that was most damaged cut out and replaced with similar materials.

The first medical expense issue we will decide is the expenditure of $1,426 for Mrs. Polyak’s lodging while she was in Florida. Petitioners contend they may claim a medical expense deduction under section 213(d)(2) for Mrs. Polyak’s lodging expenses while she resided in Florida.

Respondent contends that in order to itemize lodging expenses as a medical expense under section 213(d)(2), Mrs. Polyak must have been in Florida specifically to be treated by a physician who is working out of a licensed medical care facility.

Section 213(d)(2) was added to the Internal Revenue Code by section 482(a) of the Deficit Reduction Act of 1984, Pub. L. 98-369, 98 Stat. 494, 847-848. Section 213(d)(2) applies to all tax years beginning after December 31, 1983; therefore, it is applicable to the year before us.

This is a case of first impression for this Court. We have not had a prior occasion to interpret and apply section 213(d)(2).

The Supreme Court considers issues of statutory construction from time to time and has set forth our role as follows: “In the interpretation of statutes, the function of the courts is easily stated. It is to construe the language so as to give effect to the intent of Congress.” United States v. American Trucking Associations, Inc., 310 U.S. 534, 542 (1940).

As early as 1849, Chief Justice Taney stated, “In expounding a statute, we must not be guided by a single sentence or members of a sentence, but look to the provisions of the whole law, and to its object and policy.” United States v. The Heirs of Boisdore’, 49 U.S. (8 Howard) 113, 122 (1849). See Pilot Life Insurance Co. v. Dedeaux, 481 U.S. 41, 51 (1987). Almost 100 years later the Supreme Court added, “But words are inexact tools at best, and for that reason there is wisely no rule of law forbidding resort to explanatory legislative history no matter how clear the words may appear on ‘superficial examination.’ ” Harrison v. Northern Trust Co., 317 U.S. 476, 479 (1943). See Train v. Colorado Public Interest Research Group, Inc., 426 U.S. 1, 10 (1976). However, it is well settled that the first step in statutory interpretation is an analysis of the statutory language. Reiter v. Sonotone Corp., 442 U.S. 330, 337 (1979).

The Supreme Court summarized the importance of the statutory language as follows:

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Bluebook (online)
94 T.C. No. 20, 94 T.C. 337, 1990 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 20, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/polyak-v-commissioner-tax-1990.