Runtch v. Commissioner

1971 T.C. Memo. 206, 30 T.C.M. 856, 1971 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 125
CourtUnited States Tax Court
DecidedAugust 19, 1971
DocketDocket No. 5288-69.
StatusUnpublished

This text of 1971 T.C. Memo. 206 (Runtch 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
Runtch v. Commissioner, 1971 T.C. Memo. 206, 30 T.C.M. 856, 1971 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 125 (tax 1971).

Opinion

Gerta Runtch v. Commissioner.
Runtch v. Commissioner
Docket No. 5288-69.
United States Tax Court
T.C. Memo 1971-206; 1971 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 125; 30 T.C.M. (CCH) 856; T.C.M. (RIA) 71206;
August 19, 1971, filed.
Gerta Runtch, pro se, 955 Bruce Ave., Clearwater, Fla. Charles L. Dunlap, for respondent.

ATKINS

Memorandum Findings of Fact and Opinion

ATKINS, Judge: Respondent determined deficiencies in income tax and additions to tax and penalties against petitioner as follows:

AdditionsAdditions
to Taxto TaxPenalty
IncomeSectionSectionSection
YearTax6651(a)6653(a)6676(a)
1962$206.00$51.50$10.30$ 5.00
1963368.0092.0018.405.00
1964306.0076.5015.305.00
1965278.0069.5013.905.00
1966278.0069.5013.905.00
1967278.0069.5013.905.00

The issues presented for decision are (1) whether petitiss income for each of the years in question; (2) whether petitioner's failure to file income tax returns for the years in question was due to reasonable cause and not due to willful neglect; (3) whether any part of any underpayment of tax for the years*127 in question was due to negligence or intentional disregard of rules and regulations; and (4) whether petitioner is liable for a penalty for failure to supply her identifying number for the years in question.

Findings of Fact

At the time of the filing of the petition herein, petitioner was a resident of 857 Clearwater Beach, Florida. She has never filed a Federal income tax return for any of the years in question.

On April 24, 1962, petitioner was granted a divorce from her husband by the Circuit Court of the Sixth Judicial Circuit of the State of Florida in and for Pinellas County. As part of the divorce decree petitioner and her husband entered into a stipulation which provided that he was to pay her "as alimony, the sum of $225.00 per month." Such amount was payable without modification until petitioner either died or remarried. The stipulation also made provision for the support of their daughter.

From 1962 through 1967, petitioner received total monthly alimony payments from her former husband as follows:

YearAmount
1962$ 1,800.00
19632,700.00
19642,700.00
19652,700.00
19662,700.00
19672,700.00
In calculating the amount payable*128 to petitionerr as alimony, no allowance was made for the tax payable by her on receipt of the alimony payments and her attorney did not advise her that amounts received as alimony pursuant to the terms of the stipulation were includable in her gross income. She was unaware of the includability of such amounts in her gross income, and the consequent need to file Federal income tax returns, until she was informed thereof by agents of the respondent in connection with the examination of her tax liability for the years in question.

In the notice of deficiency, respondent determined that the amounts received by petitioner as alimony were includable in her gross income for the taxable years 1962 through 1967. He also determined that she was required to file returns for each of the years in question and that her failure to file timely returns was not due to reasonable cause, and asserted the 25 percent addition to tax pursuant to section 6651(a).

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1971 T.C. Memo. 206, 30 T.C.M. 856, 1971 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 125, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/runtch-v-commissioner-tax-1971.