1947 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 151">*151
A banking corporation sold railroad bonds at a loss and on the same day purchased the same type and amount of bonds.
9 T.C. 68">*69 OPINION.
The Commissioner determined deficiencies in income and declared value excess profits tax for the year 1942 in the amounts of $ 987.74 and $ 598.04, respectively. The question presented is, Did petitioner sustain a deductible loss with respect to a sale of securities where, on the same date as that of the sale, securities substantially identical with those sold were purchased1947 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 151">*153 by it?
The facts in this case were all developed by a stipulation, which is adopted in full, but from which we set forth the following:
The petitioner is a corporation, organized and existing under and by virtue of the National Banking Laws of the United States of America, with its principal place of business located in Quakertown, Pennsylvania, and carrying on the business of receiving deposits and making loans and discounts. It is subject to supervision and examination by the Federal authority having supervision over banking institutions. The petitioner was chartered by the United States Government on October 20, 1902.
The petitioner filed its income tax return for the year 1942 with the collector of internal revenue at Philadalphia on a calendar year basis.
On March 8, 1935, the petitioner purchased $ 10,000 par or face value of Central Railroad of New Jersey general mortgage coupon bonds bearing interest at the rate of 4 per cent per annum and falling due July 1, 1987, paying therefor the sum of $ 9,700. The aforesaid bonds were sold by the petitioner January 30, 1942, for the sum of $ 1,519.96.
On January 30, 1942, the petitioner purchased $ 11,000 par or face value Central1947 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 151">*154 Railroad of New Jersey General Mortgage Registered Bonds bearing interest at the rate of 4 per cent per annum and falling due July 1, 1987, paying therefor the sum of $ 1,567.50.
The bonds involved herein had the same security behind each one and had the same maturity date and interest rate and were otherwise substantially identical.
The petitioner occasionally sells a bond to a customer, but it is not regularly engaged in the business of dealing or trading in stocks, bonds, or other like securities, and the bonds and other securities referred to in the above paragraphs were at all times held for investment purposes.
The Commissioner in his deficiency notice says: "The alleged loss in the amount of $ 8,180.04 claimed due to the sale of $ 10,000.00 par value Central Railroad of New Jersey 4% coupon bonds due 1987, is disallowed," 9 T.C. 68">*70 and in his brief, he states that the claimed loss resulted from wash sales which produced a nondeductible loss by reason of
In the case of any loss claimed to have been sustained from any sale or other disposition of shares of stock or securities where it appears that, within a period beginning1947 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 151">*155 30 days before the date of such sale or disposition and ending 30 days after such date, the taxpayer has acquired (by purchase or by an exchange upon which the entire amount of gain or loss was recognized by law), or has entered into a contract or option so to acquire, substantially identical stock or securities, then no deduction for the loss shall be allowed under section 23 (e) (2); nor shall such deduction be allowed under section 23 (f) unless the claim is made by a corporation, a dealer in stocks or securities, and with respect to a transaction made in the ordinary course of its business.
The taxpayer denies the applicability of
For the purposes of this chapter, in the case of a bank, as defined in section 104, if the losses of the taxable year from sales or exchanges of bonds, debentures, notes, or certificates, or other evidence of indebtedness issued by any corporation (including one issued by a government or political subdivision thereof) with interest coupons or in registered form, exceed the gains of the taxable year from such sales or exchanges, no such sale or exchange shall be considered a sale or exchange1947 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 151">*156 of a capital asset.
Petitioner further cites the report of the Senate Finance Committee, S. Rept. No. 1631, 77th Cong., 2d sess. (
In the case of banks and life insurance companies, a distinction is to be made with respect to losses resulting from sales or exchanges of bonds, debentures, notes or certificates or other evidences of indebtedness which are in excess of gains from sales or exchanges of such assets. In that case the excess is to be considered as an ordinary loss and deductible in full against other income.
Based on the provisions of
We are unable to agree with petitioner's reasoning. The prohibition against loss deductions growing out of wash sales had its inception in the 1921 Revenue Act, and, after some amendments,
It is this Court's obligation to interpret both
1. Reversal on rehearing,