Sadberry v. Comm'r

2004 T.C. Memo. 40, 87 T.C.M. 982, 2004 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 40
United States Tax Court·Decided February 18, 2004·No. No. 10499-02 ·Unpublished·Cited by 1 cases

Opinion

ANTHONY J. AND DENISE D. SADBERRY, Petitioners v. COMMISSIONER OF INTERNAL REVENUE, Respondent
Sadberry v. Comm'r
No. 10499-02
United States Tax Court
T.C. Memo 2004-40; 2004 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 40; 87 T.C.M. (CCH) 982;
February 18, 2004, Filed

*40 Decision was entered for respondent.

Anthony J. and Denise D. Sadberry, pro se.
R. Scott Shieldes, for respondent.
Couvillion, D. Irvin

COUVILLION

MEMORANDUM OPINION

COUVILLION, Special Trial Judge: Respondent determined a deficiency of $ 22,255 in petitioners' Federal income tax and a penalty of $ 4,433 under section 6662(a) for the year 1999. 1

After a concession by petitioners, 2 the issues for decision are: (1) Whether petitioners realized gross income under section 72 from two annuity distributions; (2) whether petitioners are liable for the 10-percent penalty on premature distributions from nonqualified annuities under section 72(q); 3 and (3) whether petitioners are liable for the 20-percent accuracy-related penalty for understatement of tax pursuant to section 6662(a). The Court*41 decides the issues in this case on the preponderance of evidence in the record. Rule 142(a); sec. 7491.

Some of the facts were stipulated, and those facts, with the annexed exhibits, are so found and are incorporated herein by reference. *42 At the time the petition was filed, petitioners' legal residence was Caldwell, Texas.

Anthony Sadberry (petitioner) was born in Caldwell, Texas, in 1949. During the year at issue, he was married to petitioner Denise D. Sadberry, his wife of many years. Petitioner is an attorney, and Mrs. Sadberry is a homemaker. Petitioners have one daughter, Andrea Joi Sadberry, who is also known as Savannah J. Spivey (Andrea). Petitioners own a ranch on the Brazos River in Caldwell, Texas, across the river from Texas A&M University.

Petitioner's education includes a bachelor's degree from the University of Texas at Austin and a law degree from Georgetown University Law Center at Washington, D. C. Upon receiving his law degree in 1975, petitioner was employed in the Office of the Attorney General for the State of Texas for 2 years. From 1977 until the date of trial, petitioner was engaged in the private practice of law at various firms in Houston and San Antonio, Texas. His area of practice is commercial litigation. Additionally, petitioner has served as a member of the Attorney Admissions Committee for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas. In 1993, petitioner received a gubernatorial*43 appointment to the Texas Lottery Commission, on which he served as a commissioner until 2001. As an appointed State official, petitioner was required to and did file personal financial statements with the Texas Ethics Commission.

When petitioner commenced law practice, most firms did not have retirements plans. Petitioner undertook his own financial and retirement planning, which he continued throughout his career. Initially, he invested primarily in certificates of deposit (regular CDs). Later, some of his CDs were converted into or purchased as individual retirement accounts (IRA CDs). To the extent pertinent to the issues before the Court, petitioner's retirement planning transactions are described below in greater detail.

In 1993, petitioner became a name partner in the law firm of Oldenettel & Sadberry. His partner was Rick Oldenettel. The law firm had a qualified section 401(k) retirement plan in which petitioner participated. The firm accountant was Dan Wendel, from whom petitioner sought informal personal tax and retirement advice from time to time during his tenure with the law firm and thereafter.

During 1996, petitioner purchased a number of annuities. In May, he purchased*44 a nonqualified annuity from Glenbrook Life and Annuity with proceeds he received from the settlement of a lawsuit (Glenbrook nonqualified annuity). 4 In June, he purchased a second nonqualified annuity from Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance Co., funded with an initial contribution of petitioner's regular CDs (SFB nonqualified annuity). 5 In August, he purchased another annuity, a qualified annuity, from Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance Co., funded with an initial contribution of petitioner's IRA CDs. 6

*4

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Sadberry v. Comm'r, 2004 T.C. Memo. 40, 87 T.C.M. 982, 2004 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 40 (tax 2004).

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