Somma v. United States (In re Somma)

147 B.R. 133, 15 Employee Benefits Cas. (BNA) 2302, 1992 Bankr. LEXIS 2440, 70 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 5666
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, N.D. Ohio
DecidedJuly 22, 1992
DocketBankruptcy No. 585-648; Adv. No. 590-0040
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 147 B.R. 133 (Somma v. United States (In re Somma)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, N.D. Ohio primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Somma v. United States (In re Somma), 147 B.R. 133, 15 Employee Benefits Cas. (BNA) 2302, 1992 Bankr. LEXIS 2440, 70 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 5666 (Ohio 1992).

Opinion

FINDING

HAROLD F. WHITE, Bankruptcy Judge.

This matter came on for trial on July 15, 1991 on the Second Amended and Supplemental Complaint filed by the debtor, Fred F. Somma, M.D., and his non-debtor spouse, Sara Jane Somma, against the United States of America, Internal Revenue Service, the United States Attorney and Harold Corzin, the Chapter 7 Trustee of the Bankruptcy Estate (“the Trustee”).

BACKGROUND AND FINDINGS

1. Beginning in the late 1970’s, the debtor, Fred F. Somma, M.D., began receiving money by alleged loans from the “Fred F. Somma and Associates, Inc. Amended [134]*134and Restated Pension Trust” (“the Pension Plan”) and the Fred F. Somma & Assoc. Inc. Profit Sharing Plan” (“the Profit Sharing Plan”). Both of these plans were maintained by Fred F. Somma & Assoc., Inc. (“the Company”). Debtor was the sole stockholder of the Company, one of the participants in both plans, and the Trustee of both of the plans.

2. Debtor never repaid any interest or principal on these alleged loans, nor did the plans, which were administered by Thompson Plan Administration Company, ever institute an action to recover the money.

3. In 1984, the I.R.S. audited the Pension Plan. The I.R.S. determined that the money which was allegedly loaned should be treated as distributions to debtor. As a result of this audit, the debtor was required to amend his 1981 and 1982 individual income tax returns to include $122,000 in income for 1981 and $10,000 in income for 1982.

4. In 1985, the I.R.S. further audited the Pension Plan and the Profit Sharing Plan and required debtor to further amend his 1981 and 1982 individual income tax returns to include $43,852.44 in income for 1981 and $97,000 in income for 1982. Since the I.R.S. audits only went back to 1981, they did not include ten alleged loans which occurred between 1978 and 1980 by which the debtor received a total of $183,000 from the Pension Plan, evidenced by notes, as follows: (Note, $13,000, dated October 10, 1978; Note, $5,000, dated November 11, 1978; Note, $60,000, dated January 18, 1980; Note, $45,000, dated July 7, 1980; Note, $5,000, dated August 9, 1980; Note, $6,000, dated August 18, 1980; Note, $10,-000, dated September 18, 1980; Note, $6,000, dated November 10, 1980; Note, $9,000, dated November 25, 1980; and Note, $24,000, dated November 28, 1980).

5. On May 31, 1985, debtor filed a petition in bankruptcy with this court (Case No. 585-648). Neither the debts involving the Pension. Plan, nor debtor’s interest in the Pension Plan, were included in debtor’s schedules.

6. On November 7, 1985, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court entered an order discharging debtor. There were no objections to debt- or’s discharge, nor have there been any actions to determine the dischargeability of the debts represented by the ten notes.

7. During 1986 the Pension Plan was terminated and its assets were transferred ' into the Profit Sharing Plan. The ten notes were never repaid and remained on the books of the Profit Sharing Plan. The first of the notes became payable in 1986, and the last of the notes became payable in 1988. The $183,000 was never included in debtors’ gross income. The Company continues to carry the notes as “loans” on its books and records, along with the debtor’s vested interest in the plans.

8. On April 20, 1990, debtor and his non-debtor spouse filed this adversary proceeding requesting that the court render a declaratory judgment determining the amount of pre-petition taxes, penalties and interest, and requiring the Trustee to pay those sums to the I.R.S.

9. On December 14, 1990, the I.R.S. sent an examination report (“the report”) to the debtor. The report proposed the assessment of a total of $150,875 in taxes and penalties, beginning in 1986 through 1989, against debtor on the money evidenced by the ten notes, as constituting prohibited transactions pursuant to Title 26 U.S.C. § 4975(c). (See Docket No. 49.) No notice of deficiency under Title 26 U.S.C. § 6212 has been mailed with respect to these taxes and penalties, and no assessment has been made. The report is a “proposed adjustment” not a final determination of the IRS. The IRS has not filed a proof of claim or request for payment for these taxes and penalties.

10. On February 14, 1991, debtor filed a protest letter with the I.R.S. in response to the report. The debtor took this administrative action under the Internal Revenue Code in order to protest the proposed adjustment to his taxes. (See Transcript of Proceedings filed August 8, 1991, Docket No. 51.)

11. On March 1, 1991, plaintiffs filed their Second Amended and Supplemental Complaint including an additional fifth [135]*135count concerning the taxes and penalties assessed on the money evidenced by the ten notes. In that count, the plaintiffs request that this court render a declaratory judgment determining whether their liability for the post-petition taxes and penalties is barred by debtor’s discharge; whether the assessment is barred by the doctrines of estoppel and/or waiver; and whether the taxes and penalties should be collected, if at all, from the estate rather than from the debtor. (See Count Five of the Second Amended and Supplemental Complaint and Exhibit “H” attached to the complaint.)

12. On July 15,1991, the debtor and the United States of America appeared in a trial before this court and settled the first four counts of the complaint in a Joint Stipulation of Facts filed July 15, 1991. Among other things, the parties stipulated that debtor owed $1,620.36 as a pre-petition claim based upon an assessment pursuant to Title 26 U.S.C. § 6672 in connection with the Company and that debtor owed $1,037.99 arising from the pre-petition interest on his 1982 personal federal income tax liability. However, the IRS moved to dismiss the plaintiffs’ fifth count, arguing that this court lacked jurisdiction over the matters involved in that count. The court took the motion under advisement.

13. On October 24, 1991, based on the July 15, 1991 Joint Stipulation of Facts, this court ordered that the trustee pay the IRS $1,620.36 constituting the assessment in connection with the Company and $1,037.99 constituting the pre-petition interest accrued on the debtor’s 1982 personal federal income tax liability.

14. The following proofs of claim have been filed either by, or on behalf of, the IRS: On August 28, 1985, the IRS filed a proof of claim in the amount of $29,349.69 in respect to the debtor’s 1981 federal income year; on November 8, 1985, the debt- or filed a proof of claim on behalf of the IRS in the amount of $106,000 in respect to the debtor’s 1981 and 1982 federal income tax years; on August 20, 1986, the debtor filed a proof of claim on behalf of the IRS for an “unknown” amount for taxes which are owed by Fred F. Somma & Assoc., Inc.; and on August 27, 1990, the IRS filed a proof of claim in the amount of $34,749.01 in respect to the debtor’s 1982 federal income tax year and an assessment made under 26 U.S.C. § 6672 in connection with Fred F. Somma & Associates, Inc.

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Bluebook (online)
147 B.R. 133, 15 Employee Benefits Cas. (BNA) 2302, 1992 Bankr. LEXIS 2440, 70 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 5666, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/somma-v-united-states-in-re-somma-ohnb-1992.