1. On December 15, 1950, there was sent to petitioner by registered mail a joint notice of deficiency and disallowance in respect of the taxable years 1941 to 1944, inclusive. In this combined notice, the Commissioner determined deficiencies in petitioner's income tax for each of the years 1941, 1942, 1943, and 1944, and he allowed petitioner
2. The Commissioner's combined notice of deficiency and disallowance determined that there was an overassessment in petitioner's excess profits tax for the year 1942 of $ 11,088.77. 1954 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 314">*315 Of this amount, $ 4,646.45 was due to standard issue adjustments and $ 6,442.32 represented relief granted under
21 T.C. 470">*471 Respondent made determinations with reference to petitioner's income and excess profits tax liabilities for the calendar years 1941 through 1944, as follows:
You are advised that the determination of your income tax liability for the taxable years ended December 31, 1941, 1942, 1943 and 1944 discloses deficiencies of $ 998.56, $ 8,385.06, $ 10,455.88 and $ 8,004.81, respectively; that the determination of your excess profits tax liability for the taxable years ended December 1954 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 314">*316 31, 1941 and 1942 discloses overassessments of $ 3,221.16 and $ 11,088.77, respectively, and that the determination of your excess profits tax liability for the taxable years ended December 31, 1943 and 1944 discloses deficiencies of $ 30,078.73 and $ 49,982.54, respectively, as shown in the statement attached.
In making this determination, your applications for relief under
Petitioner made the following assignments of error:
(a) In determining the constructive excess profit credit for the years involved 1954 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 314">*317 under Code (1) By assuming that sales for 1939 were normal. (2) By failure to make adjustment to constructive income for 1939, in denying credit for excess remnant losses. (3) By failure to make allowance for constructive decreased costs of operation.
Respondent, by motion filed January 26, 1953, moved to dismiss the petition insofar as it appeals from the determination of deficiencies in income taxes for 1941 to 1944, inclusive, on the ground that these taxes had been paid prior to the date of the deficiency notice and it was, therefore, error to determine deficiencies.
All the issues raised in this proceeding have been settled by stipulation except the issue raised by respondent's motion to dismiss for lack of jurisdiction, and one other. This other issue is: Does this Court have jurisdiction to permit petitioner to recover $ 4,646.45 of the $ 11,088.77 overassessment of excess profits tax for 1942?
21 T.C. 470">*472 FINDINGS OF FACT.
All of the facts have been stipulated and are found accordingly.
The petitioner is a corporation organized in 1931 under the name of Wohl Fabrics Company under the laws of the State of New Jersey. On or about January 10, 1946, the name of petitioner was changed 1954 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 314">*318 to Martin Weiner Corp.
On January 2, 1941, the board of directors of Wohl Fabrics Company, at a meeting regularly called, appointed the following as officers of the corporation:
Samuel Wohlman | President |
Martin Weiner | Secretary and Treasurer |
Jesse Weiner | Assistant Secretary |
These officers continued to serve to December 31, 1945.
In respect to the taxable year 1942, petitioner, under the name Wohl Fabrics Company, filed with the collector of internal revenue for the fifth district of New Jersey at Newark a document numbered Form 1120, entitled "Corporation Income and Declared Value Excess-Profits Tax Return" and a document numbered Form 1121 entitled "Corporation Excess Profits Tax Return." Each of these documents bears the sworn signature of only one corporate officer, to wit, that of Samuel Wohlman, president; they do not bear the signature or oath of any other corporate officer. The documents do not have affixed to them petitioner's corporate seal. The taxes reported on these documents filed for the taxable year 1942 were paid as follows:
Income Tax | Excess Profits Tax | ||
Date | Amount paid | Date | Amount paid |
May 15, 1943 | $ 10,035.00 | June 10, 1943 | $ 649.73 |
Aug. 2, 1943 | *1954 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 314">*319 (7,406.20) | Aug. 2, 1943 | ** 7,406.20 |
Aug. 10, 1943 | 2,628.79 | Aug. 10, 1943 | 8,055.93 |
Sept. 17, 1943 | 2,628.79 | Sept. 17, 1943 | 8,055.93 |
Jan. 1, 1944 | 2,628.81 | Jan. 1, 1944 | 8,055.95 |
Total | $ 10,515.19 | Total | $ 32,223.74 |
On September 4, 1943, petitioner, in respect of the year 1942, filed a claim for relief on Form 991 pursuant to
On January 8, 1946, the petitioner and the Commissioner of Internal 21 T.C. 470">*473 Revenue, pursuant to
that the amount of any income, excess profits, or war profits taxes due under any return (or returns) made by or on behalf of the above-named taxpayer (or taxpayers) for the taxable year ended December 31, 1942, under existing acts, or under prior revenue acts, may be assessed at any time on or before June 30, 1947, except that, if a notice of deficiency in tax is sent to said taxpayer 1954 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 314">*320 (or taxpayers) by registered mail on or before said date, then the time for making any assessment as aforesaid shall be extended beyond the said date by the number of days during which the Commissioner is prohibited from making an assessment and for sixty days thereafter.
By subsequent agreements the time for assessment of such taxes in respect of the year 1942 was extended to June 30, 1951.
A letter dated September 26, 1950, from the internal revenue agent in charge at Newark, New Jersey, was sent to and received by petitioner shortly thereafter. Enclosed with the letter was a statement and computation of petitioner's total tax liability as corrected for the taxable years 1941 to 1944, in the exact figures shown in the notice of deficiency and disallowance dated December 15, 1950.
On December 4, 1950, petitioner deposited with the collector of internal revenue at Newark, New Jersey, the following amounts with the request that these amounts be applied in payment of the imminent deficiencies in petitioner's income taxes for the taxable years 1941, 1942, 1943, and 1944, as set out in the computation which accompanied the letter of September 26, 1950:
Imminent deficiency | |
Year | in income tax |
1941 | $ 998.56 |
1942 | 8,385.06 |
1943 | 10,455.88 |
1944 | 8,004.81 |
These 1954 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 314">*321 amounts were held in the suspense account until the deficiencies in income taxes for the years 1941 to 1944 were assessed on April 29, 1951, as hereinafter set out.
On December 15, 1950, there was sent to petitioner by registered mail a notice of deficiency and disallowance in respect of the taxable years 1941 to 1944, inclusive, indicating a net total deficiency of $ 92,595.65, computed as follows:
Tax Liability for the Taxable Years Ended December 31, 1941, | ||||
1942, 1943, and 1944. | ||||
Year | Liability | Assessed | Deficiency | Overassessment |
Income Tax | ||||
1941 | $ 38,917.10 | $ 37,918.54 | $ 998.56 | |
1942 | 18,900.25 | 10,515.19 | 8,385.06 | |
1943 | 20,971.08 | 10,515.20 | 10,455.88 | |
1944 | 21,170.00 | 13,165.19 | 8,004.81 | |
Totals | $ 99,958.43 | $ 72,114.12 | $ 27,844.31 |
Tax Liability for the Taxable Years Ended December 31, 1941, | ||||
1942, 1943, and 1944. | ||||
Year | Liability | Assessed | Deficiency | Overassessment |
Excess Profits Tax | ||||
1941 | $ 31,152.96 | $ 34,374.12 | $ 3,221.16 | |
1942 | 21,134.97 | 32,223.74 | 11,088.77 | |
1943 | 117,078.33 | 86,999.60 | $ 30,078.73 | |
1944 | 155,260.13 | 106,277.59 | 48,982.54 | |
Totals | $ 324,626.39 | $ 259,875.05 | $ 79,061.27 | $ 14,309.93 |
Net total deficiency of taxes | $ 92,595.65 |
On February 23, 1951, petitioner filed the petition in the instant proceeding seeking relief only in respect of its excess profits 1954 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 314">*322 tax under
On April 29, 1951, no petition with this Court having been filed with respect to the income taxes determined in the notice of deficiency and disallowance dated December 15, 1950, and more than 90 days having expired after said date, the respondent assessed the income tax deficiencies determined in said notice, to which interest was added, as follows:
Income Tax Assessed -- April 29, 1951 | |
Year | Amount |
1941 | $ 998.56 |
1942 | 8,385.06 |
1943 | 10,455.88 |
1944 | 8,004.81 |
The deposits made by the petitioner on December 4, 1950, were applied in payment of the income taxes for the years 1941 to 1944, inclusive, assessed on April 29, 1951, as aforesaid. The amounts of interest assessed in respect of said deficiencies in income taxes for the years 1941 to 1944, inclusive, as aforesaid, were paid by petitioner on June 13, 1951.
The computation of petitioner's excess profits tax liability for the taxable year 1942, computed in accordance with the so-called "growth formula" pursuant to the provisions of
Year 1942 | ||
EXCESS PROFITS TAX | ||
1. Excess profits net income as determined in statutory | ||
notice of deficiency dated December 15, 1950 | $ 71,408.30 | |
2. Less: Specific exemption | $ 5,000.00 | |
Excess profits credit (shown below) | 35,766.87 | 40,766.87 |
3. Adjusted excess profits net income | $ 30,641.43 | |
4. 90% of item 3 | $ 27,577.29 | |
5. Surtax net income (without credit of Section 26 (e)) | 71,408.30 | |
6. 80% of item 5 | 57,126.64 | |
7. Income tax (computed above) | 15,106.44 | |
8. Excess of item 6 over item 7 | $ 42,020.20 | |
9. Item 4 or item 8, whichever is lesser | $ 27,577.29 | |
10. Excess profits tax liability | $ 27,577.29 | |
Less: Tax assessed | 32,223.74 | |
Overassessment of excess profits tax | $ 4,646.45 | |
POST-WAR REFUND OF EXCESS PROFITS TAX AND CREDIT FOR DEBT | ||
RETIREMENT | ||
Excess profits tax (item 10 above) | $ 27,577.29 | |
Credit allowable under section 780 and 781 | 2,757.73 | |
Net post-war refund | 2,757.73 | |
Excess Profits Credit: | ||
Excess profits credit as shown in Revenue Agent's Report dated | ||
April 23, 1945 | $ 34,166.87 | |
Add: | ||
Capital addition as shown in statutory notice (8% of $ 20,000.00) | 1,600.00 | |
Excess profits credit as above | $ 35,766.87 |
1954 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 314">*323 21 T.C. 470">*475 As so computed, the average base period net income is $ 35,965.13, the excess profits tax liability for the year 1942 is $ 27,577.29, and the overpayment in excess profits tax for the year 1942 is $ 4,646.45.
A constructive average base period net income for the year 1942 is $ 43,500.
A revenue agent's report dated April 23, 1945, made the following standard issue adjustments from the document filed by the petitioner on Form 1121 and entitled "Corporation Excess Profits Tax Return" for the taxable year 1942:
(a) It decreased officers' salaries reported by petitioner by $ 3,500.00. This is an adjustment in favor of the respondent.
(b) It increased petitioner's average base period net income from $ 28,530.68 reported on said Form 1121 to $ 35,965.13 by use of the so-called "growth formula" under
And a third adjustment
increased petitioner's excess profits credit by $ 1,600.00 to reflect an additional excess profits credit for net capital additions of $ 20,000.00, computed on the basis of 8% of the $ 20,000.00, pursuant to the provisions of
In addition to the aforementioned standard issue adjustments, the combined notice of deficiency and disallowance makes a
The petitioner does not contest the deficiencies in excess profits tax for the taxable years 1943 and 1944, and the amount of the overassessment for the taxable year 1941, as determined in the combined notice of deficiency and disallowance.
OPINION.
On January 26, 1953, respondent moved that this proceeding be dismissed insofar as it relates to income taxes for the taxable years 1941 to 1944, 1954 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 314">*325 inclusive. In support of his motion to dismiss for lack of jurisdiction respondent urges the following grounds:
1. THAT the parties have stipulated that the amounts set forth as deficiencies in income tax in a combined notice of deficiency and disallowance were actually paid prior to the mailing of said notice and were assessed on April 29, 1951.
2. THAT the Court, therefore, has no jurisdiction of the proceeding in so far as it relates to income taxes for the taxable years 1941 to 1944, inclusive.
We have no proceeding before us with reference to the deficiencies in petitioner's income tax for the years 1941 to 1944, inclusive. It is true, as shown in our Findings of Fact, that the Commissioner determined deficiencies in petitioner's income tax for each of the years 1941, 1942, 1943, and 1944. But the petition contains no assignments of error contesting the deficiencies in income tax. In fact, it has been stipulated that:
On February 23, 1951, petitioner filed the petition in the instant proceeding seeking relief only in respect of its excess profits tax [under
We have held in several cases that a deficiency in income tax is one thing and a deficiency in excess 1954 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 314">*326 profits tax is another. One can be appealed from by the taxpayer while, at the same time, he may accept the determination of the Commissioner as to the other. Cf.
In the instant case it is plain that the petitioner did not appeal from the deficiencies in income tax which the Commissioner had determined against it for the years 1941, 1942, 1943, and 1944. No appeal having been taken from them, there is, therefore, nothing to dismiss. The Commissioner's motion to dismiss for lack of jurisdiction is therefore without merit and is denied.
21 T.C. 470">*477 The only issue left before us, aside from the question of jurisdiction as to income tax which we have just disposed of, is whether a refund of $ 4,646.45 of the $ 11,088.77 overpayment in excess profits tax determined for 1942 is within the jurisdiction of the Tax Court and, if within the jurisdiction of the Court, is barred by the statute of limitations. With respect to the $ 4,646.45 aforesaid respondent, in his amended 1954 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 314">*327 answer, pleads:
13. That under the provisions of
The respondent does not dispute that the balance, or $ 6,442.32, of the overpayment, being solely attributable to
The 1954 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 314">*328 petitioner contends that the refund of $ 4,646.45 should be granted by the Tax Court for the following reasons: (1) The 3-year statute of limitations under section 275 (a) for the year 1942 was extended by agreements between the petitioner and the Commissioner until June 30, 1947, and then on to June 30, 1951, and (2) a valid claim for relief pursuant to
The Tax Court's jurisdiction to grant refunds because of overpayments is defined in
(d) Overpayment Found by Board. -- If the Board finds that there is no deficiency and further finds that the taxpayer has made an overpayment of tax in respect of the taxable 1954 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 314">*329 year in respect of which the Commissioner determined the deficiency, or finds that there is a deficiency but that the taxpayer has made 21 T.C. 470">*478 an overpayment of tax in respect of such taxable year, the Board shall have jurisdiction to determine the amount of such overpayment, and such amount shall, when the decision of the Board has become final, be credited or refunded to the taxpayer. No such credit or refund shall be made of any portion of the tax unless * * *
For each particular year there must be a deficiency determined initially for this Court to have jurisdiction to grant a refund under
An exception to the general rule above is the Tax Court's special jurisdiction under section 732 (a) to grant refunds for excess profits taxes pursuant to
(a) It decreased officers' salaries reported by petitioner by $ 3,500.00. This is an adjustment in favor of the respondent.
(b) It increased petitioner's average base period net income from $ 28,530.68 reported on said Form 1121 to $ 35,965.13 by use of the so-called "growth formula" under
And a third adjustment
increased petitioner's excess profits credit by $ 1,600.00 to reflect an additional excess profits credit for net capital additions of $ 20,000.00, computed on the basis of 8% of the $ 20,000.00 pursuant to the provisions of
These adjustments are so-called standard issue adjustments, that is, they are made under sections of the Code other than
Respondent 1954 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 314">*331 denies, however, that we have jurisdiction to give judgment for a refund of the $ 4,646.45 overassessment of petitioner's excess profits tax for 1942 due to standard issue adjustments. Among other cases which he cited in support of this contention is
The jurisdiction of this Court to consider and decide cases involving the alleged application of
See also
There having been no determination of any deficiencies as to income tax or excess profits tax, jurisdiction is lacking to 1954 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 314">*333 deal with the question whether such relief as is being granted would entitle petitioner to a larger deduction for its manager's bonus which consists of a percentage of profit after taxes. The proceeding in these respects must be dismissed.
In
21 T.C. 470">*480 In the instant case, the Commissioner has not determined a deficiency in petitioner's excess profits tax for 1942, but, on the contrary, has determined an overassessment in petitioner's excess profits tax for that year of $ 11,088.77, of which $ 4,646.45 is due to standard issue adjustments. In his joint notice the Commissioner has also given notice of disallowance of petitioner's claim under
For reasons we have already explained, we think we must hold that we have no jurisdiction to enter a judgment for refund of the $ 4,646.45 due to standard issue adjustments. As already pointed out, the Commissioner concedes that the $ 6,442.32 heretofore mentioned should be refunded as
For the reason that we have decided that we have no jurisdiction to enter judgment 1954 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 314">*336 of refund for the $ 4,646.45 in question, it is unnecessary to decide respondent's contention that refund of the $ 4,646.45 is barred by the statute of limitations anyway.
Kern,
Opper,
Furthermore, the present facts convincingly demonstrate the necessity of considering "standard issues" in connection with the rejection of claims for refund under
*. Credited against assessment of excess profits tax for the year 1942.
**. Transferred from income tax for the year 1942.↩
1. In the last two cases, the Commissioner appears to have conceded error. See P-H 1952, par. 72,499, 52-2 USTC, par. 9429. In fairness to him, it must be said that he apparently does the same now.↩