1993 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 608 | Tax Ct. | 1993
1993 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 608">*608 Decision will be entered under Rule 155.
MEMORANDUM FINDINGS OF FACT AND OPINION
SCOTT,
Additions to Tax | ||||||
Sec. | Sec. | Sec. | Sec. | Sec. | ||
Year | Deficiency | 6651(a) | 6653(a)(1)(A) | 6653 | 6654(a) | |
(1)(B) | (a)(1) | |||||
1986 | $ 81,422.75 | $ 2,932.18 | $ 4,071.14 | 1 | ||
1987 | 38,164.61 | |||||
1988 | 33,830.34 | 2,550.33 | $ 1,691.52 | $ 483.48 |
1993 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 608">*609 The issues for decision are: (1) Whether respondent was required to raise as an affirmative defense the statute of limitations on refunds in order to be considered as not having waived the provisions of
FINDINGS OF FACT
Some of the facts have been stipulated and are found accordingly.
Petitioners resided in Columbus, Ohio, at the time of the filing of their petitions in these cases.
In the early 1970s, 1993 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 608">*610 Mr. Gabelman graduated from Ohio State University with a degree in economics and, thereafter, passed the examination for certified public accountant. He was licensed as a certified public accountant but did not engage in practice as an accountant during the periods here involved.
During the 1986 taxable year, $ 22,194 and $ 390 were withheld from the wages or other income of Mr. Gabelman and Mrs. Gabelman, respectively. On or about April 14, 1987, petitioners submitted a Form 4868 (Application for Automatic Extension of Time to File U.S. Individual Income Tax Return) for the 1986 taxable year (the 1986 Form 4868) with a remittance of $ 47,500 in the form of a check drawn by Mr. Gabelman. The 1986 Form 4868 contained the following information concerning petitioners' estimated tax liability:
Total income tax liability for 1986 | $ 70,085 |
Federal income tax withheld | 22,585 |
Income tax balance due | 47,500 |
On or about August 14, 1987, petitioners filed Form 2688 (Application for Additional Extension of Time To File) for the 1986 taxable year requesting an additional 2-month extension of time within which to file a return for 1986. Respondent granted the requested extension. 1993 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 608">*611 No additional amounts were remitted by petitioners with their submission of the Form 2688. On August 2, 1991, respondent mailed a notice of deficiency to petitioner John A. Gabelman with respect to his tax liability for the year 1986. In the notice of deficiency for the year 1986 respondent determined the tax liability of Mr. Gabelman for 1986 to be $ 81,422.75, and showed the amount of $ 69,694 as "adjustments to prepayment credits; other prepayment credits", with a balance due of $ 11,728.75. Petitioners have not filed a Federal income tax return for 1986 nor have they filed a claim for refund of tax for that year.
During the 1987 taxable year, $ 25,020 was withheld from the wages or other income of Mr. Gabelman. On or about April 15, 1988, petitioners submitted a Form 4868 (Application for Automatic Extension of Time to File U.S. Individual Income Tax Return) for the 1987 taxable year (the 1987 Form 4868), along with a check drawn by Mr. Gabelman payable to the Internal Revenue Service for $ 18,000. The 1987 Form 4868 contained the following information concerning petitioners' estimated tax liability:
Total income tax liability for 1987 | $ 43,020 |
Federal income tax withheld | 25,020 |
Income tax balance due | 18,000 |
1993 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 608">*612 On or about April 24, 1991, petitioners filed their Federal income tax return for the taxable year 1987. On August 2, 1991, respondent mailed a notice of deficiency to petitioners for the taxable year 1987.
During the 1988 taxable year, $ 23,630 and $ 77 were withheld from the wages or other income of Mr. Gabelman and Mrs. Gabelman, respectively. On or about April 17, 1989, petitioners submitted a Form 4868 (Application for Automatic Extension of Time to File U.S. Individual Income Tax Return) for the 1988 taxable year (the 1988 Form 4868). No remittance was made with the submission of the 1988 Form 4868. The 1988 Form 4868 contained the following information concerning petitioners' estimated tax liability:
Total income tax liability for 1988 | $ 16,000 |
Federal income tax withheld | 23,310 |
Income tax balance due | -0- |
On or about August 15, 1989, petitioners filed Form 2688 (Application for Additional Extension of Time To File) for the 1988 taxable year requesting an extension of time to file their income tax return until September 30, 1989, which requested extension was granted. No amount was remitted by petitioners along with their submission of the Form 2688. On1993 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 608">*613 August 6, 1991, respondent mailed a notice of deficiency to petitioner John A. Gabelman for the taxable year 1988. Petitioners never filed a Federal income tax return for 1988 nor have they filed a claim for refund of income tax for the year 1988.
It has been Mr. Gabelman's practice, going back as far as 1972, to file requests for extensions of time to file his Federal income tax returns. Usually Mr. Gabelman would send a remittance with each of these requests. To calculate the amount to be remitted with each extension request, Mr. Gabelman would prepare a worksheet that listed all the items of taxable income and all deductions of which he had knowledge. In making such a list, Mr. Gabelman would consult Forms W-2, Forms 1099, and brokerage statements that were available to him. During each year, Mr. Gabelman kept a record of deductions, which was used in calculating the amount to be remitted. The amounts on the worksheet would then be compared to amounts on the prior year's tax return or worksheet in order to determine items that might be missing. Any items that were determined to be missing would be added to the worksheet.
If Mr. Gabelman was unable to ascertain the exact1993 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 608">*614 amount of the item, he would take the amount on the prior worksheet and increase it if it was income and decrease it if it was a deduction. If Mr. Gabelman determined that stock had been sold during the year and he was unable to determine his basis in the stock, a zero basis would be used and the entire gross receipts would be included in income.
Mr. Gabelman would then total the items and compute the amount of tax that would be payable on that income. The amounts that had been withheld from petitioners' income would be subtracted from the amount of the tax as computed. The balance would be the amount of the remittance.
At the time Mr. Gabelman requested extensions and made remittances he had not received all the necessary information to calculate his income tax liability with complete accuracy.
On October 30, 1991, Mr. Gabelman's counsel sent a letter to respondent stating in part as follows: The above-referenced taxpayer has made undesignated remittances to the Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") in the total amount of $ 69,694 for income taxes for the year ending December 31, 1986. This amount consists of $ 22,194 remitted through withholding and $ 47,500 remitted by check. 1993 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 608">*615 Pursuant to In a Notice of Deficiency dated August 2, 1991, the IRS asserted a deficiency in income tax for the above-referenced taxpayer for the tax year ended December 31, 1986. Pursuant to Pursuant to
1993 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 608">*616 The deficiencies in petitioners' income taxes to be assessed are $ 23,790, $ 38,164, and $ 16,778 for the taxable years 1986, 1987, and 1988, respectively, based on a joint filing status. 4 Petitioners are not liable for any additions to tax. The total amounts remitted for the years 1986, 1987, and 1988 are $ 70,084, 5 $ 43,020, and $ 23,707, respectively.
OPINION
Petitioners at the trial objected to the relevancy of the stipulated facts with respect to their having filed no Federal income tax returns for the years 1986 and 1988 and having filed no claims for refund for these years.
The basis of the objection is that these facts relate solely to the affirmative defense of the statute of limitations which respondent failed to properly plead as required by 1993 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 608">*617 Rule 39. Petitioners contend that respondent's argument under
Respondent contends that
1993 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 608">*618 The limit on the amount that may be credited or refunded under
A determination by this Court that the payment of the tax was within one of the periods specified in
The facts here are clear that none of the amounts remitted by petitioners for the years 1986 and 1988 were remitted to respondent within the periods set forth in
Since if these remittances were payments of tax, we cannot on the facts here present make the required finding under Respondent argues that the statute of limitations bars claims of additional deductions resulting in an overpayment of tax for nonpartnership items, such as deductions against partnership income. The bar of the statute of limitations is not normally a jurisdictional issue.
We have also stated that "Petitioner * * * must show that the tax was paid within the periods applicable under
While in our view under the facts here present respondent is not required to affirmatively plead that no amount of the overpayment was paid within the periods specified in
The remittances by petitioners in the years 1986 and 1988 were either amounts withheld from petitioners' wages or an amount remitted with the filing of a Form 4868. (b) Prepaid Income Tax. -- For purposes of (1) Any tax actually deducted and withheld at the source during any calendar year 1993 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 608">*622 under chapter 24 shall, in respect of the recipient of the income, be deemed to have been paid by him on the 15th day of the fourth month following the close of his taxable year with respect to which such tax is allowable as a credit under section 31.
It is therefore clear from the statute that the amounts withheld from petitioners' wages in 1986 are considered as a payment of tax on April 15, 1987, and the amounts withheld in 1988 are considered a payment of tax on April 15, 1989. By law these withheld amounts are considered tax payments.
Whether the amount remitted1993 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 608">*623 with the Form 4868 filed by petitioners for 1986 was a payment of tax or a deposit is a question of fact in this case. The crucial fact to be decided is the intent of petitioners at the time the remittance was made. This much is clear: (1) a remittance is not per se "payment" of the tax; (2) a remittance that does not satisfy an asserted tax liability should not be treated as the "payment" of a tax; and (3) an essential factor in "payment" before assessment is the satisfaction or discharge of what the taxpayer deems a liability.
Factors, in addition to whether there has been an assessment1993 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 608">*624 of tax, to be considered are: (1) When the tax liability is defined; (2) the taxpayer's intent in remitting the money; and (3) how the Internal Revenue Service treats the remittance upon receipt.
Whether a taxpayer intends to have a remittance treated as a payment or a deposit is usually established by examining all the relevant facts and circumstances surrounding the remittance.
In
We stated that remittances accompanying a Form 4868 "are not necessarily to be treated, as a matter of law, as payments of tax as of the filing date of the associated income tax return". a disorderly or random remittance (that is made by a taxpayer arbitrarily,
Such application for extension must show the full amount properly estimated as tax for such taxpayer for such taxable year, and such application must be accompanied by the full remittance of the amount properly estimated as tax which is unpaid as of the date prescribed for the filing of the return. File this form with the Internal Revenue Service Center where you must file your income tax return and pay the amount shown on line 6 below. This is not an extension of time for payment of tax. You will be charged a penalty for late payment of tax and late filing unless you show reasonable cause for not paying or filing on time (see instructions).
After considering all the facts, we hold that the remittance made by petitioners with the 1986 Form 4868 was a payment of tax and not a deposit. This conclusion is based in part on the fact that Mr. Gabelman, when filing the Forms 4868, made a good faith attempt to calculate his tax liability. His calculation of the amounts to be remitted was more than an arbitrary guess at what amounts should be remitted. These calculations1993 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 608">*630 differed substantially from the calculations made by the taxpayer in
In
Since the payment made with the 1986 Form 4868 was a payment of tax not made within 2 years of August 2, 1991, the date of the mailing of the notice of deficiency, it cannot be allowed as a credit or refund under
We hold that the remittance accompanying the 1986 Form 4868 was a payment of tax that is not eligible for refund or credit under
Footnotes
1. Cases of the following petitioners are consolidated herewith: John A. Gabelman, docket No. 25325-91 and John A. Gabelman, docket No. 25332-91.↩
2. All section references are to the Internal Revenue Code in effect for the years in issue.
Sec. 6512(b)(3) , formerlysec. 6512(b)(2)↩ , was redesignated by the Technical and Miscellaneous Revenue Act of 1988 (TAMRA), Pub. L. 100-647, sec. 6244(a), 102 Stat. 3750, effective for overpayments determined by the Tax Court which had not been refunded on the 90th day after Nov. 10, 1988. All Rule references are to the Tax Court Rules of Practice and Procedure, unless otherwise indicated.1. 50 percent of the interest due on the full deficiency.↩
3. Respondent and petitioners have agreed that the amount of $ 4,857 by which petitioners' remittances for 1987 exceed their tax liability for that year is refundable to petitioners.↩
4. This agreement is conditioned upon the agreement of Mrs. Gabelman to the assessment of these amounts.↩
5. This amount was stipulated by the parties. No explanation was given as to why it is one dollar less than the amount shown on the 1986 Form 4868.↩
6.
Sec. 6512 .(b) Overpayment Determined by Tax Court. --
(1) Jurisdiction to Determine. -- Except as provided by paragraph (3) and by section 7463, if the Tax Court finds that there is no deficiency and further finds that the taxpayer has made an overpayment of income tax for the same taxable year, of gift tax for the same calendar year or calendar quarter, of estate tax in respect of the taxable estate of the same decedent, or of tax imposed by chapter 41, 42, 43, or 44 with respect to any act (or failure to act) to which such petition relates for the same taxable period, in respect of which the Secretary determined the deficiency, or finds that there is a deficiency but that the taxpayer has made an overpayment of such tax, the Tax Court shall have jurisdiction to determine the amount of such overpayment, and such amount shall, when the decision of the Tax Court has become final, be credited or refunded to the taxpayer.
* * *
(3) Limit on amount of credit or refund. -- No such credit or refund shall be allowed or made of any portion of the tax unless the Tax Court determines as part of its decision that such portion was paid --
(A) after the mailing of the notice of deficiency,
(B) within the period which would be applicable under
section 6511(b)(2) ,(c) , or(d) , if on the date of the mailing of the notice of deficiency a claim had been filed (whether or not filed) stating the grounds upon which the Tax Court finds that there is an overpayment, or(C) within the period which would be applicable under
section 6511(b)(2) ,(c) , or(d) , in respect of any claim for refund filed within the applicable period specified insection 6511 and before the date of the mailing of the notice of deficiency --(i) which had not been disallowed before that date,
(ii) which had been disallowed before that date and in respect of which a timely suit for refund could have been commenced as of that date, or
(iii) in respect of which a suit for refund had been commenced before that date and within the period specified in
section 6532↩ .7. See also
, 442 (11th Cir. 1988);United States v. Phillips , 843 F.2d 438">843 F.2d 438 ;Burton v. Commissioner , T.C. Memo. 1991-12 .Bacon v. Commissioner , T.C. Memo. 1989-90↩