Ragsdale v. Commissioner

1981 T.C. Memo. 322, 42 T.C.M. 213, 1981 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 423
CourtUnited States Tax Court
DecidedJune 23, 1981
DocketDocket Nos. 2158-80, 2159-80.
StatusUnpublished

This text of 1981 T.C. Memo. 322 (Ragsdale 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
Ragsdale v. Commissioner, 1981 T.C. Memo. 322, 42 T.C.M. 213, 1981 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 423 (tax 1981).

Opinion

WYNETTE A. RAGSDALE, Petitioner v. COMMISSIONER OF INTERNAL REVENUE, Respondent; ESTATE OF EDWARD S. RAGSDALE, DECEASED and WYNETTE A. RAGSDALE, SURVIVING SPOUSE, Petitioners v. COMMISSIONER OF INTERNAL REVENUE, Respondent
Ragsdale v. Commissioner
Docket Nos. 2158-80, 2159-80.
United States Tax Court
T.C. Memo 1981-322; 1981 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 423; 42 T.C.M. (CCH) 213; T.C.M. (RIA) 81322;
June 23, 1981.
Luther S. Fouts, Jr., and Glenn H. Strother, for the petitioners.
Bonnie L. Cameron and W. Preston White Jr., for the respondent.

SCOTT

MEMORANDUM FINDINGS OF FACT AND OPINION

SCOTT, Judge: Respondent determined a deficiency of $ 6,333.07 and an addition to tax under section 6653(a), I.R.C. 1954, 1 in the amount of $ 316.65 in the Federal income tax of Edward S. Ragsdale, Sr. (now deceased) and Wynette A. Ragsdale for the calendar year 1976 and a deficiency for the calendar year 1977 in the amount of $ 7,025.34 in the Federal income tax of Wynette A. Ragsdale.

*423 Respondent concedes that the addition to tax under section 6653(a) is not applicable to the year 1976, leaving for our decision: (1) whether petitioners are entitled to dependency exemption deductions for their son, his wife and two children in 1976 and 1977; 2 (2) whether petitioners are entitled to a medical expense deduction for expenditures paid by them and by their son and his wife in 1976 and 1977 and, if so, in what amounts; and (3) whether petitioner Wynette A. Ragsdale is entitled to a miscellaneous deduction for publications in the amount of $ 66.03 in the year 1977.

FINDINGS OF FACT

Some of the facts have been stipulated and are found accordingly.

Wynette A. Ragsdale (petitioner), who resided in Atlanta, Georgia, at the time of the filing of the petition in this case, filed a joint Federal income tax return for herself and her deceased husband for the calendar year*424 1976 with the Internal Revenue Service Center in Chamblee, Georgia. Petitioner filed her individual Federal income tax return for the calendar year 1977 with the Internal Revenue Service Center in Chamblee, Georgia.

Edward S. Ragsdale, Sr. (Mr. Ragsdale) was born on December 27, 1895, and he and petitioner were married on May 22, 1944, and remained married until Mr. Ragsdale's death. Petitioner was employed by the DeKalb County Board of Education during the years 1976 and 1977. Prior to 1965, when he retired at the age of 70, Mr. Ragsdale was an attorney for the Federal Trade Commission in Atlanta, Georgia. He died on November 14, 1976, after a serious illness which lasted for four months. There was one child of the marriage of Mr. Ragsdale and petitioner, Edward S. Ragsdale, Jr. (Edward), who was born in 1948.

Edward married Shelia Charles Ragsdale. There was one child of this marriage, Melanie Denise Ragsdale. In a final judgment and decree entered on November 30, 1971, Shelia Charles Ragsdale divorced Edward. The settlement agreement provided that Shelia was to have custody of the child, Melanie. Edward was to pay $ 150 per month for the support of Melanie until she*425 became self-supporting or reached the age of 21. In addition, Edward had the right to claim Melanie as a dependent on his State and Federal income tax returns.

Mary Margaret Frederick Jones (Mary Margaret) married Michael Haywood Jones on June 6, 1969. There was one child of this marriage, Jennifer Alyson Jones. On September 6, 1972, Mary Margaret and Michael Haywood Jones were divorced. Mary Margaret was granted custody of Jennifer and Mr. Jones was required to pay $ 150 per month for child support and to pay all medical bills incurred by Jennifer in excess of $ 400 per year until the child marries, completes her college education, dies, becomes self-supporting, or becomes 18 years of age, whichever event first occurs.

Mary Margaret and Edward were married prior to the year 1976. On July 28, 1976, Edward adopted Jennifer.

During 1976 a checking account, numbered XXXX-XXXX-XXX-X3-368, was maintained at the Citizens and Southern National Bank, Atlanta, Georgia, in the name of Mr. Ragsdale. Petitioner had signature authority on this account and, in fact, wrote most of the checks on the account. On almost every check on which the name of the payor did not indicate the purpose*426 of the check, petitioner would make a short notation on the lower left-hand portion of the check. In addition, during the calendar years 1976 and 1977, another account, numbered 0611-1291-806-76-539, was maintained at the Citizens and Southern Emory Bank, Decatur, Georgia, in petitioner's name.

During 1976, petitioner issued checks on account number XXXX-XXXX-XXX-X3-368 at the Citizens and Southern National Bank, Atlanta, Georgia, for nurses, sitters, and ambulances in connection with the last illness of Mr. Ragsdale in the amount of $ 5,229.26. Also during 1976, petitioner issued checks on account number XXXX-XXXX-XXX-X6-539 at the Citizens and Southern Emory Bank, Decatur, Georgia, for nurses, sitters, and doctors in connection with the last illness of Mr. Ragdale in the amount of $ 399.50. These expenses totaled $ 5,628.76 in 1976 and petitioner was not reimbursed by insurance.

During the year 1977, petitioner wrote checks for medical expenses for herself and in connection with the last illness of Mr. Ragsdale in the amount of $ 160.

On the United States Estate Tax Return for the Estate of Mr. Ragsdale, filed on August 11, 1977, medical expenses were claimed as a debt*427 of the estate in the amount of $ 2,208.30.

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Bluebook (online)
1981 T.C. Memo. 322, 42 T.C.M. 213, 1981 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 423, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/ragsdale-v-commissioner-tax-1981.