1965 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 31">*31
Petitioner is a citizen of Belgium. He is a professional writer who earns his living by writing fiction and granting various rights to others in his literary works in return for royalties. He entered the United States under a permanent visa in 1947 and maintained a residence here thereafter. He carried on a business in the United States as an author. He went to Europe with his family on March 19, 1955; he lived in France until June 20, 1956, and then lived in Switzerland thereafter. He received author's royalties from U.S. sources in 1955 after March 20, which he claims were exempt from the U.S. income tax under article 7 of the tax convention with France.
44 T.C. 820">*821 The respondent determined a deficiency in income tax for the taxable year 1955 in the amount of $ 22,895.57. The main question is whether petitioner had a "permanent establishment" in the United States until March 19, 1955, within the meaning of the income tax convention between the United States and France and respondent's regulations adopted thereunder, with the consequence that author's royalties from U.S. sources received while he was in France are not tax exempt.
FINDINGS OF FACT
The stipulated facts are so found and are incorporated herein by reference.
Petitioner is now a resident of Switzerland. He was an alien resident of the United States from January 1 through March 19, 1955, and before 1955. He filed a return, Form 1040, which is an individual income tax return, sec. 6013(a)(1), 1954 Code. On the return, petitioner stated1965 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 31">*36 that it was for a short period (other than the calendar year 1955) beginning January 1, 1955, and ending March 19, 1955. The return was filed with the director of international operations of the Internal Revenue Service in Paris, France (office of the Treasury representative for taxation), on April 30, 1957. Although the return was delinquent, reasonable cause was established and the respondent did not assert a delinquency penalty.
Beginning March 28, 1955, through November 29, 1955, concerns in the United States (U.S. sources) paid petitioner royalties, as consideration for the right to use copyrights and analogous rights with respect to literary works of the petitioner, in the total sum of $ 25,291.95, as follows, none of which was included in gross income in the return for 1955 filed by petitioner:
Date paid in 1955 | Payor | Amount |
Mar. 28 | Doubleday & Co | $ 5,000.00 |
May 4 | New American Library | 113.75 |
July 5 | 20th Century Fox | 20,000.00 |
Nov. 29 | Appleton | 178.20 |
25,291.95 |
44 T.C. 820">*822 The respondent determined that all of the above income from royalties is includable in petitioner's gross income for 1955 and taxable. In the statutory notice of deficiency, he gave the 1965 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 31">*37 following reason: "Royalty income received from sources within the United States for the period March 28, 1955 to December 31, 1955 is taxable since you engaged in trade or business through a permanent establishment in the United States during part of the year."
Petitioner's return for 1955 was prepared on a cash basis.
Petitioner, as an alien resident of the United States, filed income tax returns for the calendar years 1951, 1952, 1953, and 1954, at least.
Petitioner reports income on the basis of a calendar year. There is no evidence to the contrary.
Petitioner is, and at all times has been, a citizen of Belgium where he was born. His wife, Denyse (also known as Denise), is a citizen of Belgium. Petitioner's family consists of his wife and three children.
Petitioner is a professional writer of fiction, an eminent author. He writes in French. He is by experience and practice a European novelist. He writes psychological and mystery novels and stories. In his mystery stories, the principal character is Inspector Maigret. All of his literary works, except six, have a European background. His literary works have been published in various countries, including the United States, 1965 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 31">*38 Canada, and Great Britain, and many have been translated into the English language.
Prior to 1946, petitioner lived in several countries in Europe and in England for varying periods of time. In 1946, he lived in Canada until September, and in the United States during September through December, under a visitor's visa. He entered the United States from Cuba under a permanent visa in February 1947, and thereafter he continued living in the United States as an alien resident through March 19, 1955, except for occasional trips of short duration to European countries.
Beginning on July 27, 1950, petitioner rented residential property, called Shadow Rock Farm, in Lakeville, Conn., where he lived with his family until March 19, 1955. On November 1, 1950, he purchased this property. The purchase price plus improvements was $ 55,000.
While residing in the United States, petitioner wrote 46 books, novels, and short stories, all of which were written in French and have French titles. All have European backgrounds and are based on experiences and knowledge which petitioner had acquired in Europe, except six books of novels and stories in which petitioner made use of knowledge acquired in1965 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 31">*39 the United States. Prior to 1955, petitioner's main publishers in the United States were Prentice-Hall, Inc., and Doubleday & Co. During 1955, Doubleday was his exclusive publisher.
44 T.C. 820">*823 In about 1955, petitioner decided to go to Europe. He believed that he could carry on his creative writing better in a European background. He departed from the United States, with his family, on March 19, 1955, and went directly to France, where he remained until June 20, 1956. He then went to Switzerland where he and his family have lived continuously ever since. He has not returned to the United States at any time.
Prior to March 19, 1955, petitioner instructed his lawyer and real estate agent in Connecticut to offer the property called Shadow Rock Farm for sale. All of the furniture in the house was sold at an auction in the summer of 1955. The property apparently was unoccupied until December 1957, when it was rented, and thereafter it continued to be rented until it was sold on July 15, 1963.
Upon his arrival in France in March 1955, after a short stop in Paris, petitioner and his family went to the southern part of France where they lived in rented quarters from March 30, 1955, 1965 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 31">*40 until June 20, 1956, in or near Cannes. They lived at the Miramar Hotel in Cannes until April 8; in a furnished house (villa) in Mougins until October 5; and in a furnished house in Cannes until June 20, 1956. The house in Cannes was rented under a lease from October 1, 1955, to September 30, 1956, which provided that petitioner could vacate the premises before the end of the lease on the condition that he paid the full amount of the rent.
As of June 20, 1956, petitioner and his family moved to Lausanne, Switzerland, where he lived until June 1957. He lived in Echandens, Canton of Vaud, Switzerland, from June 1957 to December 18, 1963. In February 1962, petitioner purchased a piece of land in Epalinges, Canton of Vaud, Switzerland, on which he built a house, to which he and his family moved on December 18, 1963, where they have lived up to the present time.
Petitioner's first publisher in the United States was Prentice-Hall. Through Prentice-Hall (which had control for a time over rights to publish paperbound editions of the works of Simenon in the English language), the New American Library of World Literature, Inc., was granted the first option for 5 years, under an agreement1965 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 31">*41 dated August 17, 1951, for the exclusive English language publication of paperbound books in the United States, Canada, and the Philippines of all the works of Simenon under royalty arrangements. It published some of petitioner's books.
In 1952, petitioner and Prentice-Hall terminated their agreement by mutual consent, and on November 25, 1952, petitioner and New American Library entered into a separate agreement under which petitioner granted New American Library a first option for the exclusive English language publication, in paperbound volume form, of all of petitioner's works, in the United States, Canada, and the 44 T.C. 820">*824 Philippines, in consideration for the payment of royalties to petitioner on such publications. The new agreement was for a period ending August 17, 1956.
The first agreement between petitioner and Doubleday was dated March 17, 1953. Under this agreement, petitioner granted Doubleday the exclusive right to print, publish, and vend in the United States, Canada, and the Philippines 20 novels written by petitioner, with a first option to negotiate for petitioner's next full-length book. Under this agreement, Doubleday was granted additional rights, to be exercised1965 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 31">*42 after obtaining petitioner's "consent," relating to selling a book club edition of a work to the Literary Guild of America, the Book-of-the-Month Club, and others, and other rights relating to reprints, serial publication in magazines and newspapers, and other matters. Doubleday agreed to pay royalties at varying rates and to make an advance payment of royalties of several thousand dollars.
The above agreement was superseded by a new agreement with Doubleday dated March 14, 1955, which was executed by petitioner before he left the United States on March 19, 1955. Under the new agreement, petitioner granted Doubleday an exclusive right to print, publish, and vend four books, consisting of six individual novels, in addition to the works covered by the 1953 agreement, and other rights in the same territories. Doubleday agreed to pay petitioner royalties on all copies sold, and also agreed to pay petitioner, on demand, $ 5,000 as an advance payment of royalties. Petitioner requested that payment of $ 5,000 be made upon and right after the execution of the contract. Petitioner granted Doubleday several, various, additional exclusive rights, some of which could be exercised by Doubleday1965 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 31">*43 only after "consultation" with petitioner. For these additional rights, Doubleday agreed to pay petitioner a substantial percentage of the proceeds of sales, such as 50 percent. The additional rights granted by petitioner included radio and television rights in connection with the literary works covered by the agreement, and the right to sell the literary works to book clubs, magazines, and newspapers.
During the period 1952 to 1955, other publishers in the United States were occasional publishers of petitioner's novels and stories (some of which were published for use in schools and were reprinted) as follows: Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, Jonathan Press, Mercury Publications, Harcourt Brace, and Appleton-Century-Crofts, Inc. The agreement with Appleton-Century is dated September 30, 1952.
Illustrative of the total amount of royalties in a year which petitioner received from publishers in the United States during the years 1952 through 1955, are the following: Petitioner received royalties from U.S. sources in each of the years in this period in annual total sums of around $ 6,000, $ 30,000, $ 21,000, and $ 14,000.
44 T.C. 820">*825 Petitioner also received income from the sales of1965 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 31">*44 motion-picture rights to some of his novels and stories from U.S. sources in each of the years 1952 through 1955, chiefly from Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corp. having offices in New York City. He received from $ 10,000 to $ 20,000 for motion-picture rights to a particular story.
Some of the royalties involved here, paid and received in 1955, were paid under petitioner's agreements with New American Library, Appleton-Century, and the new agreement with Doubleday dated March 14, 1955.
Petitioner entered into an agreement with Twentieth Century-Fox dated May 23, 1955, which he executed in Nice, France, on that date, under which he granted Twentieth Century-Fox the exclusive motion-picture rights in his literary property entitled "The Bottom of the Bottle," for which Twentieth Century-Fox paid him $ 20,000 on July 5, 1955, which he received about July 19, 1955. This story was originally published in France in 1949 in the French language under a French title. The English translation of this story was copyrighted in the name of petitioner in the United States in February 1954, and was published by Doubleday in 1954 in a book, with other stories by petitioner, entitled "Tidal Wave."
Under1965 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 31">*45 both contracts with Doubleday, some of the novels to be published in the English language had already been written and others were to be written. The contracts did not specify any particular literary work; they referred only to the types of novels and stories to be published, a certain number of psychological novels and a certain number of mystery novels. It was agreed that the publisher could not make editorial changes in any literary work without petitioner's consent. Petitioner retained complete control over the writing of his literary works, the idea, the subject matter, plot, and entire writing of each one. The Doubleday contract of March 17, 1953, was for a period of 2 years; the contract of March 14, 1955, was for 1 year.
All of the literary works of petitioner published in the United States were and are copyrighted in the name of petitioner. All royalties paid to him were royalties under petitioner's grants of licenses under the copyrights.
During the period in which petitioner lived at Shadow Rock Farm, he set aside part of the house as his office. He carried on his work as an author and his related business affairs in this office, which he maintained until March 19, 1965 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 31">*46 1955.
The standard length of a book by petitioner was between 60,000 and 70,000 words, which amounted to between 150 and 200 pages. Petitioner's general practice in writing a novel or story was to make notes and an outline prior to writing, and then to write the novel or story on his typewriter in his office at Shadow Rock. He never discussed 44 T.C. 820">*826 preliminarily with a publisher the idea or outline of a story or novel that he was going to write. When the completed manuscript was offered to a publisher, that was the publisher's first encounter with the product. The publisher had the right to decide whether to accept and publish or reject the manuscript after it was submitted. Petitioner also created the titles to his works and maintained a list of possible titles. He discussed with his publisher which title would be the most likely one to be successful in the U.S. market or other market covered by the publishing contract. The publisher and its sales department determined in the first instance the number of copies to be printed of each work on the basis of distribution outlets and the market. Petitioner had little control over the publication arrangements which were the 1965 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 31">*47 province of the publisher.
After the contract of March 17, 1953, with Doubleday was executed, Doubleday was the exclusive U.S. publisher of petitioner's works, except for past contracts still in operation. The following list shows the dates of publication by Doubleday of books written by petitioner that were published under the contract of March 17, 1953:
Title | Publication date |
No Vacation for Maigret | Oct. 8, 1953 |
Tidal Wave | Feb. 18, 1954 |
On Land and Sea | Mar. 8, 1954 |
Inspector Maigret and the Strangled Stripper | July 1, 1954 |
Strangers in the House | July 15, 1954 |
Inspector Maigret and the Killers | Nov. 18, 1954 |
The Magician and the Moon | Feb. 3, 1955 |
Maigret in New York's Underworld | Mar. 24, 1955 |
Destinations | Nov. 11, 1955 |
The Fugitive | Dec. 8, 1955 |
Petitioner reserved to himself certain rights in his literary properties, including motion-picture, radio, and television rights to the dramatization and production of his literary works through such media. His activities and interests in negotiating the sales of such rights were continuous, and such activities were carried on by him while he was a resident in the United States. Petitioner's wife acted as a business1965 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 31">*48 agent for petitioner. Her activities were carried on while they resided in the United States and thereafter. Under both agreements with Doubleday, it was necessary for petitioner to discuss various matters relating to his literary works frequently with the editor of Doubleday assigned to dealing with petitioner; and petitioner's wife, who worked on many details and the accounting of the royalties for him, had many discussions and much correspondence with the editor. This was true during the early part of 1955 while petitioner resided in the United States, and continued throughout 1955 after the Simenons left the United States. Under both agreements, 44 T.C. 820">*827 for example, the Doubleday editor was obliged to consult with petitioner about several types of productions of his books.
In his Form 1040 income tax return for the period January 1 to March 19, 1955, petitioner stated that his occupation is "author," and he included as part of the return Schedule C, "Profit (or Loss) From Business Or Profession." In Schedule C petitioner reported an amount as the net profit from his business after taking several business expense deductions. He included in his business deductions depreciation1965 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 31">*49 on his house on the basis of devoting 50 percent of his use thereof to his business; and also on that basis he took a depreciation deduction on furniture and fixtures. The amount of the entire depreciation deduction was computed on the basis of his use of the property, furniture, and fixtures for business purposes during 78 days in 1955, i.e., 31 days in January, 28 days in February, and 19 days in March. Petitioner took business expenses deductions totaling $ 9,355.46 (of which respondent disallowed a claimed traveling expense of $ 3,814.48, and allowed the net amount of deductions of $ 5,540.98), as follows:
Traveling expenses 1 | $ 5,054.25 |
Legal and accounting fees | 1,484.28 |
Entertainment | 773.97 |
Stationery and printing | 516.91 |
Auto expense | 858.77 |
Photographs, publicity | 186.45 |
Postage | 48.42 |
50 percent utilities | 230.11 |
50 percent building maintenance | 202.30 |
9,355.46 |
The total business deductions taken in the return was $ 12,717.57, which consisted of salaries and wages, $ 2,987.37; depreciation, $ 374.84; and other business expenses (
One of the items that respondent added to petitioner's taxable income for 1955 is $ 5,000 of advance royalties paid by Doubleday under the new contract dated March 14, 1955, which amount was payable on demand. Before the contract was executed, petitioner advised the Doubleday editor in charge of the contract that he elected to exercise his right to receive the above amount of advance royalties. Although petitioner executed the new contract before leaving the United States on March 19, and Doubleday agreed before that date to make immediate payment of the advance royalties, the office procedures 44 T.C. 820">*828 at Doubleday were such that the payment was not made until March 28, 1955.
ULTIMATE FINDINGS OF FACT
1. Petitioner failed to prove that he was a "resident" of France in 1955 within the meaning of that term as used in article 7 of the tax convention with France.
2. For several years prior to 1955, and during the period January 1 to March 19, 1955, petitioner was engaged in carrying on a business1965 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 31">*51 in the United States which included writing literary works and promoting the sale of rights therein to others for profit and as a means of earning his living, dealing with publishers and others, and negotiating contracts under which he granted various rights in his literary works in return for the receipt of royalties and fixed amounts.
3. For several years prior to 1955 and during the period January 1 to March 19, 1955, petitioner maintained an office at his home, Shadow Rock Farm. This office was his business headquarters and fixed place of business at and from which he carried on his business activities, and it constituted a "permanent establishment" of petitioner in the United States within the meaning of that term as used in article 7 of the tax convention with France. Petitioner had a permanent establishment in the United States during part of 1955 until March 19, 1955.
OPINION
Royalties from sources within the United States, in the amount of $ 25,291.95, were paid to petitioner in 1955 after he left the United States on March 19, 1955. Petitioner did not include these royalties in his gross income on his return for 1955. He took the position that they are exempt from the1965 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 31">*52 U.S. income tax under the provisions of article 7 of the income tax convention, or treaty, between the United States and France. The respondent made the following determinations: (1) That article 7 of the income tax treaty does not apply because petitioner had a "permanent establishment" in the United States at some time during 1955, i.e., during the period January 1 through March 19, 1955. (2) That since the treaty exemption does not apply, the royalties are subject to the U.S. income tax under
1965 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 31">*53 The issue for decision is whether the royalties in question, from U.S. sources, are exempt from the U.S. income tax under article 7 of the income tax treaty with France.
Royalties derived from within one of the contracting States
1965 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 31">*54 It is provided in the tax treaty in title II, Fiscal Assistance, art. 26, that each of the contracting States "may prescribe regulations necessary to interpret and carry out the provisions of this convention." Pursuant to this treaty provision and section 62 of the 1939 Code, the respondent promulgated regulations under the income tax treaty with France on February 27, 1946, in
To obviate withholding of tax at the source, the nonresident alien individual resident of France or the corporation or other entity organized under the laws of France, as the case may be, shall notify by letter the person paying such income that the income is exempt from taxation under the provisions of the applicable convention and protocol.
[Italics added.]
The parties agree that the U.S. source royalties, paid under petitioner's rights as an author under his copyrights of his literary properties, are royalties within the provisions of article 7 of the income tax convention. Their dispute relates to whether1965 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 31">*57 the other conditions in article 7 are satisfied, namely, (1) whether in 1955 petitioner was "a resident" of France within the meaning and for the purposes of article 7; and (2) whether in 1955 petitioner had a "permanent establishment" in the United States within the meaning of that term in article 7. Both questions are presented by the pleadings. Since all of the conditions prescribed in article 7 must be satisfied to obtain exemption from the U.S. income tax on the royalties, respondent's determination must be sustained if petitioner fails in establishing that either one of the above conditions was satisfied. The burden of proof was upon the petitioner under every question presented.
It is respondent's position that petitioner failed to prove that he was "a resident" of France under the meaning of that term in article 7 of the tax convention; and that the evidence establishes that petitioner did have a "permanent establishment" in the United States at some time during 1955. With respect to the latter, respondent makes two contentions. He contends that petitioner had at Shadow Rock Farm in Connecticut an "office" or "other fixed place of business" from January 1, 1955 (and before1965 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 31">*58 that date), until his departure on March 19, 1955, within the meaning of article III of the protocol, which is an integral part of the tax convention, in which the term "permanent establishment" is defined as including offices and other fixed places of business. 3 He also contends that
Petitioner contends that he was "a resident" 1965 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 31">*60 of France in 1955 and satisfied the residence requirement of article 7; and that he did not have a "permanent establishment" in the United States. He argues that
1965 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 31">*61
There are some minor questions which should be disposed of, whether petitioner became a nonresident in 1955, and whether he was entitled to report income on the basis of a short taxable period for 1955. Both questions involve petitioner's status in the calendar year 1955 with respect to the U.S. income tax.
(a) Petitioner was a resident alien in the United States for several years prior to 1955 and filed income tax returns. Whether or not his status changed in 1955 to that of a nonresident depends upon the facts in a particular case. Section 1.871-5 of the regulations provides that "An alien who has acquired residence in the United States retains his status as a resident until he abandons the same and actually departs from the United States." Departure plus intention to abandon U.S. residence are necessary to terminate an alien's status for tax purposes as a resident.
(b)
For tax purposes an alien may be a resident for part of a taxable year and a nonresident for the balance of the same year,
The U.S. income tax law comprises two independent concepts of jurisdiction, the status of the taxpayer and the source of income; and with respect to the individual income tax, the United States asserts tax jurisdiction over the entire worldwide income of its citizens and alien residents. On the other hand, nonresident aliens are taxed only on income derived from sources in the United States, the contact of the U.S. tax jurisdiction being the source of the income rather than the recipient-person.
If petitioner was a nonresident alien during the period March 20 through December 31, 1955, he is taxable on the U.S. source royalties, paid while he was a nonresident, under the source rule set forth in
In this case the royalty income was derived within the United States and for the purposes of article 7 of the tax convention, France is "the other contracting State." The question in this instance whether the petitioner-recipient was "a resident * * * of the other contracting State" relates to the meaning of the statutory condition in article 7 that the recipient must be a resident of France. This question is one of statutory construction. There is no definition in the convention and protocol of "resident" as that term relates to an alien in France.
In general, the courts will look primarily to the legislative purpose as well as the context of a statute in the construction thereof. "Resident" and "residence," as used in law, have various degrees of meaning from temporary physical presence to permanent abode, and the meaning of these words in a statute depends upon the context and the purpose of the statute in 1965 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 31">*69 which they occur.
The meaning of "resident" of France within the context and for the purpose of article 7 of the tax convention with France is a question of law as well as fact. We believe that obviously the question is 44 T.C. 820">*835 a question under particular laws of France, French tax law. 51965 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 31">*72 The rule relating to establishing a matter of foreign law is that judicial notice by a court cannot be taken of foreign law, as opposed to local law, the laws of the United States and general matters of domestic law, to which the concept of judicial notice extends. Under
The question with respect to whether petitioner was "a resident" of France in 1955 is whether he was
The only evidence relating to this question is about petitioner's presence in France. There is no evidence about the following: His intentions of either being a sojourner or of becoming a resident of France for French tax purposes; the French tax law requirements about being an alien resident of France for French tax purposes; what facts must be shown to establish being an alien resident for French tax purposes; what regulations have been adopted by France under article 26 of the tax convention. There is no proof of the "resident" question under French tax law. We do not have proof of the French legal standards to apply to the facts here about petitioner's presence in France.
Petitioner did not attempt to meet his burden of proof under the question of the resident-of-France qualification and requirement. Rather, he has argued that the answer is to be found in the provisions of
An alien actually present in the United States who is not a mere transient or sojourner is a resident of the United States for purposes of the income tax.
44 T.C. 820">*837 Since the convention with France does not contain a definition of "resident" with respect to each of the contracting States (as, for example, does the income tax convention with Luxembourg in art. II(1)(h)), the
Petitioner failed to prove that he was qualified for the claimed tax relief under article 7 of the convention on the basis that in 1955 he was "a resident" of France for French tax purposes. This element of failure of proof is sufficient to disqualify petitioner for the tax relief in dispute. However, because of the novelty of the question, we also give consideration to whether petitioner had a "permanent establishment" in the United States during part of 1955, from January 1 to March 19.
Respondent determined that petitioner had a "permanent establishment" in the United States during part of 1955 where he carried on a trade or business. He contends that petitioner maintained an office in his home at Shadow Rock Farm which constituted a permanent establishment within the meaning1965 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 31">*77 of article 7. His contention is limited to the period January 1 to March 19, and to the office at petitioner's home. Respondent's regulation in conjunction with article 7 44 T.C. 820">*838 states that royalties derived from U.S. sources by a nonresident individual, who is a resident of France, are exempt from the U.S. Federal income tax, provided that such individual has no permanent establishment within the United States "at any time" during the taxable year in which such income is so derived.
Petitioner disagrees with all of respondent's contentions. Although he admits that he worked on his writings at his home, and that in connection therewith he deducted various business expenses and allowances for depreciation on his return for 1955, petitioner argues that those facts are not material. Petitioner contends that he did not have a "permanent establishment" in the United States from January 1 to March 19, 1955, within the meaning of that term as it is used in article 7 of the convention. If it is held that the place at his home where he worked constituted a permanent establishment during the above period, petitioner then contends in the alternative that respondent erred in not treating the royalties as exempt from U.S. income tax because he did not have such permanent establishment1965 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 31">*79 in the United States in 1955 after March 19, since the disputed royalties were derived from U.S. sources after March 19. It is petitioner's view that the royalties are exempt from our income tax if he did not have a permanent establishment in the United States during the period in 1955 (Mar. 20 to Dec. 31) in which they were paid, i.e., "derived"; and that the "at any time" rule in the respondent's regulation under article 7, adopted in conjunction with the tax convention, is invalid because it constitutes a restriction of the provisions of article 7. Petitioner argues that
In
First, nothing in this case, in principle, serves to distinguish it from
We noted in
"The basic aim of treaty interpretation is to ascertain the intent of the parties who have entered into the agreement, in order to construe the document in a manner consistent with that intent."
Article 3 of the tax convention with France expressly distinguishes six categories of income, namely, the general class of income, "industrial and commercial profits," and the specific types of income
"Permanent establishment" is almost a treaty word of art. * * * and nearly all of them [tax treaties] use the term. Furthermore, in each instance the phrase has been qualified by a Treasury regulation conforming it to the "at any 44 T.C. 820">*842 time" rule -- the current 1965 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 31">*88 usage instead of the negative "at no time". None of the illustrative treaties contains within itself any pertinently corresponding phrase. These agreements all antedate 1951 and their translation by the Treasury in this manner and to this extent has continued uninterruptedly ever since their inception. A regulation of such constancy is staunchly endowed with a presumption of validity.
The respondent's regulation under article 7 of the convention,
The significant analogue in our revenue statutes and Treasury regulations of "permanent establishment" is the category of "not engaged in a trade or business within the United States." The above 44 T.C. 820">*843 terms have been interpreted regularly in the U.S. tax law as the respondent contends here, and also contended in
We conclude, therefore, that the interpretation taken by the respondent in
At this point, reference is again made to petitioner's alternative argument that his taxable year 1955 should be split and that he should be liable for tax by the United States on royalty income only with respect to the period January 1 through March 19, 1955. We have already dealt with this argument,
We turn now to the final question whether petitioner had a "permanent establishment" in the United States during the period January 1 44 T.C. 820">*844 through March 19, 1955. Article III(a) of the protocol to the convention with France and the regulations of the respondent thereunder, sec. 514.104, define "permanent establishment" as including a workshop, an office, or other fixed place of business, and imply the active conduct of a trade or business at such "permanent establishment." Cf.
It scarcely needs to be said that the income in issue is that of U.S. source royalties for the use of copyrighted literary works under article 7 and that article 10 of the convention is not involved directly or indirectly, which is set forth below. 7 Although the royalties were for the use of copyrights covering petitioner's literary works, which he first produced through his creative writing, the income which respondent has determined is taxable is not per se compensation paid to petitioner for his personal services in performing the writing and composing tasks; the income in question is not in the same class as wages, salaries, or fees for services. Section 514.111(b),
44 T.C. 820">*845 Article 10 provides a special rule of taxation with respect to professional fees constituting income derived from sources within the United States by a resident of France who is a nonresident alien. * * * Under such rule, such nonresident alien rendering professional services, such as medical, legal, 1965 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 31">*96 engineering, and scientific services, is not subject to United States tax with respect to such compensation unless he has an office or other fixed place situated in the United States during the taxable year.
Petitioner is not helped by his references to article 10 which is inapplicable either directly or by analogy.
Also, the issue does not involve "industrial and commercial profits." Article 3 of the convention specifies that the above class of income does not include royalties for the use of, or for the privilege of using, patents, copyrights, and other like property. In the respondent's general regulations under the convention, section 514.104(v)(4) states, in part:
(4) The term "industrial and commercial profits" means1965 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 31">*97 the profits arising from the industrial, mercantile, manufacturing, or like activities of a French enterprise as defined in this section. Such term does not include income from * * * royalties, * * * or compensation for labor or personal services.
Petitioner argues that "an author is not taxable on his royalty income unless he also has a commercial establishment in this country [the United States]." Our consideration of this argument follows, but the above reference to article 3 of the convention is made now so that it will be clear that petitioner's use of the term "commercial establishment" will not be confused with the term in article 3 "industrial and commercial profits."
The dispute here would appear to require resorting to the definition of "permanent establishment" in article III(a) of the protocol to the convention where the definition includes "workshops," "other offices," and "other fixed places of business," which are the only relevant categories. (See fn. 3 for the treaty definition of permanent establishment.) The narrow question is whether the part of petitioner's home at Shadow Rock Farm, which he treated for tax purposes on his 1955 return, in Schedule C-1, as 1965 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 31">*98 the place where he conducted his business (the business of being an author), constituted a "permanent establishment"; was it a workshop, office, or fixed place of business within the treaty definition? We direct our attention first to this specific question. Under this question, the petitioner had the burden of proving that he did not have a workshop, office, or other fixed place of business in the United States during the period January 1 through March 19, 1955, within the meaning of the definition of permanent establishment in article III(a) of the protocol. Our conclusion is that the evidence shows that he had an office and fixed place of business here during part of 1955, and that petitioner has failed to establish that such office was not a permanent establishment within the meaning of that term in article 7.
44 T.C. 820">*846 Petitioner converted part of his house at Shadow Rock Farm to the use of an office. He reported on his 1955 return that 50 percent of this property was used for his business and took depreciation on that basis; and that furniture and fixtures acquired in 1954 were devoted 100 percent to business use, and he took depreciation on that basis. Respondent has not1965 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 31">*99 questioned those deductions and petitioner still adheres to them. He purchased the Shadow Rock Farm property in November 1950. According to Schedule C-1 in his 1955 return, he had taken depreciation deductions on part of his house for 4 years prior to 1955 in the total sum of $ 10,765.41, which indicates that he began in 1951, for income tax purposes, to treat the use of part of his house as a conversion to business uses. Lacking evidence to the contrary, the inference and conclusion are that petitioner used part of his house for business purposes, hence as an office, for 4 years prior to 1955 and that such use continued in 1955 to March 19. Other evidence from which such inference may be drawn consists of business correspondence and contracts with his publishers in which his address is both Shadow Rock Farm and Lakeville, Conn. The fact that petitioner regarded 50 percent of the use of his house as devoted to his business is significant. He did not introduce evidence to explain the meaning of his classification of 50 percent of his residence as devoted to business use, or to negate the inference that such use constituted maintaining an office and fixed place of business. It1965 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 31">*100 is well settled that where a taxpayer uses property partly for personal use and partly for business use, he is entitled to deduct the depreciation that is properly allocable to the part devoted to business use. Persons in various kinds of business endeavors often maintain offices at their residences and it has been the respondent's practice to allow deductions related thereto, provided there has been a bona fide use of such facilities in the taxpayer's trade or business. Even where such an office has served both a personal and business use it has been customary to make an allocation so that deduction is allowable for the portion properly attributable to business use. See dissenting opinion of Judge Raum in
The treaty definition of "permanent establishment" is a fairly broad and inclusive one in which there is the catchall term "and other fixed 44 T.C. 820">*847 place of business." The term "business" has a broad meaning, which has been defined as including "that which occupies the time, attention, and labor of men for the purpose of livelihood or profit."
In view of the evidence in this case, it seems unnecessary to set forth the above observations about certain general principles. In fact, petitioner took the position in his 1955 return that he was engaged in a business during part of 1955, in the United States, as an author. 1965 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 31">*104 He reported on Schedule C, income from his business in excess of $ 40,000, and he took "business deductions" in excess of $ 12,000 for wages, depreciation, legal and accounting fees ($ 1,484), business entertainment, publicity photographs, auto expenses, 50 percent of the utilities at his 44 T.C. 820">*848 house, 50 percent of building maintenance, stationery and printing, and postage; and he also included a U.S. self-employment tax of $ 126. The evidence indicates that petitioner's general occupation and business activities as a professional author had been carried on in the United States for several years before 1955, and that what he did in the period January 1 to March 19, 1955, was a continuation of the same activities which previously had been carried on with regularity and continuity for the purpose of producing a livelihood, income, and profits. Although petitioner's testimony is rather limited, having been taken in deposition form in Paris, France, in response to written interrogatories and cross-interrogatories, his testimony shows that he wrote stories and novels for publication, for the purpose of obtaining income and profits, and that his income from royalties received from1965 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 31">*105 U.S. publishers and from the sale of motion-picture rights in his literary works was substantial in each of the years 1952 through 1954. Moreover, there are in evidence items of business correspondence with Doubleday and contracts with publishers which indicate that petitioner did much more than just think out plots and write stories in the whole process of earning royalties through granting publication and reproduction rights. Petitioner was concerned about proper translations of his works into English, the skill of translators engaged by the publisher and their charges, condensations of his stories for magazine publication, and innumerable tasks to be performed by himself in connection with his publisher's procedures in handling and preparing his "manuscripts" for publication. Petitioner's contracts with his publishers, which are detailed and long, contain reservations, and requirements that the publisher must consult the author about various matters. Petitioner retained various rights relating to other media of reproduction of his stories than publication, such as cinema rights, and television and dramatic rights. In other words, petitioner promoted the sale of his various1965 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 31">*106 rights in addition to his work as a writer. His literary properties were, like merchandise (however commercial the comparison is), for sale in all forms, and the market in which his interests in his literary works was sold was a wide one, which included many more prospective buyers than just the publishers of books, such as Doubleday, Appleton, and Prentice-Hall. The evidence indicates that petitioner was concerned with and participated in publicity about himself, as a successful author, and about his works, and the promotion aspects of selling to others his various rights in the products of his highly skilled and talented efforts. All of these facets of petitioner's activities as an author represented his carrying on of a business. It is understood that petitioner's literary works are widely recognized as having a high degree of literary value. But the whole activity of marketing them was nevertheless a commercial activity. Petitioner has not established 44 T.C. 820">*849 the negative proposition that he did no more than seclude himself in the ivory tower of his house in Connecticut writing out plots and typing manuscripts, completely detached and disassociated from the crass and practical1965 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 31">*107 activities of dealing in the business matters incident to the circulation, purchase, and production of his stories; and the evidence establishes that he engaged in carrying on business activities. As for the period in issue, January 1 to March 19, 1955, the evidence shows that petitioner negotiated and entered into a new contract, with Doubleday, before departing from the United States. We are unable to accept as reasonable or realistic petitioner's argument that his activities as an author were confined and limited to making up an outline of a story and then retiring to his office in his home to typewrite his story, and were restricted to "the act of creativity which produces masterpieces of literature"; and that petitioner's "workshop is wherever he happens to be."
How, then, is all of this related to the issue of whether petitioner had a "permanent establishment" in the United States with respect to article 7 of the tax convention with France? The issue is whether U.S. source royalties derived from contracts executed by petitioner with others are taxable by the United States or exempt from our income tax. Royalties do not spring, full-fledged, from a pen or typewriter, like1965 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 31">*108 Athena from the brow of Zeus (although many writers wish that they would). Royalties grow out of contracts; the contracts result from negotiations and are business and commercial agreements; the amount of the royalties results from sales. The royalties in issue are, therefore, a type of commercial profits. Article 3(d) of the convention with France provides that royalties are a kind of income that is dealt with separately in article 7, and "shall be taxed separately or together with industrial and commercial profits." In article 7, "permanent establishment" is defined broadly to include several kinds of "fixed places of business." In the United States, petitioner had an office and he engaged in a business, both, for several years up to March 19 or 20, 1955. Upon the record in this case, we are not able to conclude that petitioner's office in his house was not his fixed place of business, prior to 1955 and up to March 19 or 20, 1955, when he departed. Petitioner may have been able to, and probably did, develop plots for his stories while sitting out in a park or driving through the country, all of which is immaterial under the particular question. And he probably did part of 1965 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 31">*109 his business negotiations in the office of a prospective publisher or producer. On the other hand, it appears that it was ordinary, necessary, and appropriate in relation to his author-business for him to have a fixed place of business, in view of the regularity, continuity, and extent of his business activities as an author who wrote for profit, undertook to sell rights in his literary 44 T.C. 820">*850 products, and maintained more or less continuous contacts with his publisher, publishers, and others with whom he transacted his author-business. See and compare
It is held that petitioner had a "permanent establishment" in the United States during the period January 1 through March 19, 1955. Petitioner's U.S. source royalties received during the whole calendar and taxable year of 1955 are subject to the U.S. income tax, and no part thereof is exempt from our tax under article 7 of the convention. Respondent's determination is sustained.
In respondent's regulations under the convention, in
1965 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 31">*112
1. $ 3,814.48 disallowed; $ 1,239.77 allowed.↩
1.
(c) United States Business. -- A nonresident alien individual engaged in trade or business within the United States shall be taxable without regard to subsection (a). For purposes of part I, this section,
2. The income tax convention and protocol between the United States and France signed July 25, 1939, effective Jan. 1, 1945, is included in
3. Art. III: As used in this convention:
(a) the term "permanent establishment" includes branches, mines and oil wells, plantations, factories, workshops, stores, purchasing and selling and other offices, agencies, warehouses, and other fixed places of business but does not include a subsidiary corporation.
When an enterprise of one of the contracting States carries on business in the other State through an employee or agent, established there, who has general authority to negotiate and conclude contracts or has a stock of merchandise from which he regularly fills orders which he receives, this enterprise shall be deemed to have a permanent establishment in the latter State. But the fact that an enterprise of one of the contracting States has business dealings in the other State through a bona fide commission agent or broker shall not be held to mean that such enterprise has a permanent establishment in the latter State.↩
4. Petitioner's return for 1955 was filed on Apr. 30, 1957, with the director of the international operations division of the Internal Revenue Service, which division, as of May 1, 1956, was and now is in the national office in Washington, D.C., rather than in the Baltimore district. Under sec. 7482(b)(1) of the Code (except as provided in par. (2) thereof), the decision in this case may be reviewed by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia (rather than the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit), which is the judicial circuit in which is located the office of the respondent to which petitioner's 1955 return was made. See
5. See World Tax Series, Harvard Law School International Program in Taxation, Taxation in the United States, sec. 11/5.2d, p. 1154, Interpretation of Treaties, where the following is stated: "Many of the important concepts used in the treaties are defined in the treaties. Generally, the classes of qualifying recipients are also defined. Any term not defined in the treaty is to be interpreted according to the laws of the country imposing the tax in question. * * * In addition, the context of the treaties requires that for some terms, such as a 'resident' of the foreign country, the United States must look to the law of the foreign country."↩
6. The term "resident," with respect to a contracting State other than the United States, is defined only in the tax conventions with Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Pakistan, and the United Kingdom. Art. II (1) (i) of the convention with Pakistan defines the term "resident of Pakistan" as "any person (other than a citizen of the United States or a United States corporation) who is resident in Pakistan for the purposes of Pakistan tax and not resident in the United States for the purposes of the United States tax." Art. II(1)(g) of the convention with the United Kingdom defines "resident of the United Kingdom" as "any person (other than a citizen of the United States or a United States corporation) who is a resident in the United Kingdom for the purposes of United Kingdom tax and not resident in the United States for the purposes of United States tax."↩
7. Art. 10: Income from the exercise of a liberal profession shall be taxable only in the State in which the professional activity is exercised.
There is the exercise of a liberal profession in one of the two contracting States only when the professional activity has a fixed center in that country.↩
8. * * * Thus, a nonresident alien who is a resident of France, rendering personal services within the United States, is not subject to tax with respect to such royalties even though he is engaged in trade or business in the United States by reason of rendition of such services