Wilson v. Commissioner

76 T.C. 623, 1981 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 142
CourtUnited States Tax Court
DecidedApril 21, 1981
DocketDocket Nos. 7611-74, 5720-75, 5773-75
StatusPublished
Cited by62 cases

This text of 76 T.C. 623 (Wilson 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
Wilson v. Commissioner, 76 T.C. 623, 1981 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 142 (tax 1981).

Opinion

Goffe, Judge:

The Commissioner determined the following deficiencies in and additions to the Federal income tax of the petitioners:

Dewey and Margarette M. Wilson
Docket No. 7611-74
Taxable Addition to tax
year Deficiency Sec. 6658(b)2
1972 $63,614.31 $31,807.15
Margarette M. Wilson
Docket No. 5720-75
Additions to tax
Taxable
year Deficiency Sec. 6653(b) Sec. 6651(a)(1) Sec. 6653(a) Sec. 665)
1970 $4,013.87 0 $401.39 $247.62 0
1971 5,259.67 0 1,314.92 262.98 $168.32
Dewey Wilson
Docket No. 5773-75
Additions to tax
Taxable
year Deficiency See. 6653(b) Sec. 6651(a)(1) Sec. 6653(a) Sec. 665)
1969 $2,410.61 0 $602.65 $120.53 $77.14
1970 5,147.06 0 1,286.77 257.35 164.70
1971 6,525.26 $3,262.63 0 0 0

The issues are:

(1) Whether petitioners spent less than $65,013 in 1972 to purchase narcotics which were found in their home and seized by police in that year;

(2) Whether petitioner Dewey Wilson (Dewey) had $20,000 in a safe-deposit box on January 1, 1969, which the Commissioner failed to take into account in computing Dewey’s gross income using the “net worth” method;

(3) Whether Dewey provided $7,500 cash from his own assets to pay for a bail bond posted in order to obtain his release from jail in 1972, or whether the bail bond money was a gift or loan from one of Dewey’s relatives;

(4) Whether any part of the underpayment of tax required to be shown on Dewey’s separate 1971 return was due to fraud; and

(5) Whether any part of the underpayment of the tax required to be shown on petitioners’ 1972 income tax return was due to the fraud of Dewey, Margarette, or both.

FINDINGS OF FACT

Some of the facts have been stipulated. The stipulation of facts, together with the exhibits attached thereto, are incorporated herein by this reference.

At the times their various petitions in these cases were filed, the petitioners were residents of the State of California.

Dewey never filed Federal income tax returns for his taxable year 1969 or 1970. He did file a return for his 1971 taxable year. Margarette filed a return for her 1970 taxable year. She failed to file a return for her 1971 taxable year. For the taxable year 1972, Dewey and Margarette filed a joint Federal income tax return.

At the outbreak of World War II, Dewey was working as a chief steward on an intercoastal freighter. During the war, he served as a lieutenant in the Merchant Marine on troop ships. His wartime duties were those of a chief steward. He was in charge of all food, housing, and clothing for 5,000 troops for 60 to 90 days while they were aboard ship. He supervised and directed 250 to 300 employees on a typical voyage.

As an employee of our wartime Merchant Marine, Dewey was provided with food, lodging, and clothing, and, in addition, received a cash salary and cash bonuses which he saved and deposited in a safe-deposit box at the Day and Night Branch of the Bank of America in San Francisco, Calif. By the close of the war, he had hoarded 50 to 60 thousand dollars. He spent most of this fund in acquiring real estate.

The total purchase price of a lot on Post Street in San Francisco which Dewey acquired on August 4, 1970, was $19,716.80. The balance of the mortgage loan outstanding on this lot as of December 31, 1970, was $12,094.64. Dewey acquired a lot on Fulton Street in San Francisco on March 2,1971.

On February 15, 1974, Gary Reynolds, an internal revenue agent, interviewed Dewey. Dewey stated to Agent Reynolds that he had zero cash on hand as of December 31,1968, and as of December 31,1969.

On July 31, 1970, in connection with their purchase of an automobile, both petitioners signed a credit application for a $1,464.51 loan on which each reported an income of $800 per month (total income of $1,600 per month).

On May 18, 1971, in connection with her purchase of an automobile, Margarette signed a credit application on which she reported a monthly income of $1,200.

On July 31, 1971, in connection with his purchase of an automobile, Dewey signed an application for a loan of $3,421.28 on which he claimed a monthly income of $2,000.

During their taxable years 1969 through 1972, petitioners engaged in the trade or business of buying and selling narcotics. In 1971 and 1972, they derived gross income from this trade or business, none of which they reported on their Federal income tax returns. They maintained no records of their income from narcotics transactions.

During the 23-year period from 1945 to 1968, Dewey purchased rental properties subject to mortgages, made mortgage payments, collected rent, and filed income tax returns reporting his interest expenses and rental income.

In 1971 and 1972, petitioners operated a business known as the Kansas City Hickory Pit Restaurant, from which .Dewey received wages of $3,230 during 1972. On a W-2 form attached to Dewey’s 1971 Federal income tax return, Margarette is designated as the owner of the restaurant.

In 1971 and 1972, Margarette operated businesses known as Margarette’s Salon Continental, a beauty shop, and Brothers & Sisters, an after-hours social club.

Margarette did not help prepare any of the income tax returns mentioned above. Her separate 1970 return was prepared by George Tyrrell from information which she furnished to him She has filed other separate returns during her marriage to Dewey. She filed individual returns prior to her marriage. Dewey’s separate 1971 income tax return and petitioners’ joint 1972 income tax return were prepared by George Tyrrell. Dewey, however, “did all the footwork” necessary to prepare the returns and took the information to Tyrrell. Dewey filed these returns with the Internal Revenue Service.

During 1972, petitioners caused certain funds that they owned to be held in the names of other persons. As of December 31, 1972, $48,054.93 of petitioners’ funds were held by nominees.

Margarette is a high school graduate. She attended business college following high school.

On November 30, 1972, both petitioners were arrested and charged with possession of, and possession with intent to sell, narcotics.

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Bluebook (online)
76 T.C. 623, 1981 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 142, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/wilson-v-commissioner-tax-1981.