1977 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 35">*35
69 T.C. 81">*82 OPINION
On December 3, 1976, a petition entitled as above was filed in this case seeking a redetermination of deficiencies and additions to tax for the calendar years 1970 through 1973. Attached to the petition was a copy of a notice of deficiency mailed to petitioners on September 3, 1976, determining the following deficiencies and additions to tax:
Additions to tax | |||
Sec. 6651(a) | Sec. 6653 (a) | ||
TYE Dec. 31 -- | Deficiency | I.R.C. 1954 | I.R.C. 1954 |
1970 | $ 33,484.83 | $ 8,745.42 | $ 1,749.08 |
1971 | 16,776.25 | 6,249.82 | $ 1,249.96 |
1972 | 12,656.18 | 3,164.04 | 632.80 |
1973 | 11,208.39 | 0 | 560.42 |
1977 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 35">*39 On February 22, 1977, respondent filed a motion to dismiss the above-entitled case as to James E. Tatum for lack of jurisdiction and to change caption.
The issues here are (1) whether this Court under the provisions of
On April 6, 1977, petitioners filed objections to respondent's motion on the ground that there had been no approval of the petition filed by James E. Tatum for an arrangement under chapter XI of the Bankruptcy Act. Petitioners contend that the provisions of chapter XI require approval of the arrangement proposed in the petition, and therefore since the petition in 1977 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 35">*40 this case was filed prior to approval of the proposed arrangement under chapter XI of the Bankruptcy Act,
At the hearing on this motion held in Houston, Tex., on May 9, 69 T.C. 81">*83 1977, the parties agreed to the facts relevant to respondent's motion. These agreed facts show that petitioners are husband and wife who filed joint Federal income tax returns for the calendar years 1970 through 1973. At the time their petition in this case was filed, they resided in Houston, Tex.
Respondent in the statutory notice of deficiency mailed to petitioners on September 3, 1976, determined deficiencies and additions to tax as above set forth. On October 4, 1976, petitioner James E. Tatum filed a petition under chapter XI of the Bankruptcy Act with the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, and on December 3, 1976, the petition with this Court seeking a redetermination of the deficiencies and additions to tax was filed. On January 13, 1977, respondent sent a letter (Form L-296) to James E. Tatum as debtor in possession1977 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 35">*41 notifying him that deficiencies in income tax and additions to tax were being assessed against him under the provisions of
Kind of tax and period | Amount due |
Income Tax 1970 | $ 33,484.83 |
Interest to 10/4/76 | 11,793.61 |
Income tax 1971 | 16,776.25 |
Interest to 10/4/76 | 4,902.15 |
Income tax 1972 | 12,656.18 |
Interest to 10/4/76 | 2,938.86 |
Income Tax 1973 | 11,208.39 |
Interest to 10/4/76 | 1,930.17 |
No claim was made in the proof of claim filed February 2, 1977, for any additions1977 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 35">*42 to tax and no other claim for these taxes 69 T.C. 81">*84 has been made by respondent in the proceedings under chapter XI of the Bankruptcy Act.
1977 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 35">*44 It is respondent's position that this Court lacks jurisdiction of a case where after the mailing of the notice of deficiency, but prior to the date of the filing of the petition in this Court, a taxpayer to whom the notice is issued files a petition under chapter XI of the Bankruptcy Act. In
Chapter XI of the Bankruptcy Act (
69 T.C. 81">*86 Chapter XI further provides for notice to creditors of a creditors' meeting, accompanied1977 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 35">*47 by a copy of the proposed arrangement, and the actions to be taken by the court after acceptance of the arrangement by creditors. Subchapter IX of chapter XI of the Bankruptcy Act (
enter an order, upon hearing after notice to the debtor, the creditors, and such other persons as the court may direct, either adjudging the debtor a bankrupt and directing that bankruptcy be proceeded with pursuant to the provisions of this title or dismissing the proceeding under this chapter, whichever in the opinion of the court may be in the interest of the creditors:
1977 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 35">*50 Petitioners argue that since the bankruptcy court has the authority, if an arrangement is not approved, to dismiss the proceeding, the filing of a petition under chapter XI is a situation "where approval is required by the Bankruptcy Act." In our view the provisions of the Bankruptcy Act are clear that approval of a petition is not required under chapter XI, but rather the confirmation of the arrangement proposed in the petition or thereafter is required.
"Confirmation" by the court of the arrangement might substantively be equivalent to the "approval" by the court of the arrangement. However, there is no requirement of any form of confirmation or approval of the petition under chapter XI. We 69 T.C. 81">*88 might be more impressed by petitioners' argument that if an arrangement is not accepted or confirmed by the bankruptcy court and that court dismisses the proceeding, Mr. Tatum would be left with no forum for hearing of the merits of his tax liability prior to payment if the identical provision did not appear in the section dealing with authority of the bankruptcy court after confirmation of an arrangement where the court retains jurisdiction after such confirmation. Certainly under1977 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 35">*51 various other provisions of chapter XI of the Bankruptcy Act, such as the provision for the conduct and business of creditors' meetings (
1977 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 35">*53 69 T.C. 81">*89
Upon the adjudication of bankruptcy of any taxpayer in any liquidating proceeding, [or] the approval of a petition of, or against, any taxpayer in any other bankruptcy proceeding, * * *
and
after the adjudication of bankruptcy, [or] approval of the petition * * *
In explaining the change made by the Technical Amendments Act of 1958 to substitute the provisions now appearing in
The Senate Report with respect to the Technical Amendments Act of 1958, S. Rept. 1983, 85th Cong., 2d Sess. (1958),
We conclude that since James E. Tatum filed a petition for an arrangement under chapter XI of the Bankruptcy Act prior to the filing of his petition in this case, we lack jurisdiction over the deficiencies determined by the Commissioner against Mr. Tatum under the provisions of
It is, however, necessary for us to determine whether we do 69 T.C. 81">*90 have jurisdiction over the additions to tax determined by the Commissioner against Mr. Tatum under
69 T.C. 81">*91 Hear and determine, or cause to be1977 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 35">*57 heard and determined, any question arising as to the amount or legality of any unpaid tax, whether or not previously assessed, which has not prior to bankruptcy been contested before and adjudicated by a judicial or administrative tribunal of competent jurisdiction, and in respect to any tax, whether or not paid, when any such question has been contested and adjudicated by a judicial or administrative tribunal of competent jurisdiction and the time for appeal or review has not expired, to authorize the receiver or the trustee to prosecute such appeal or review;
Subsequent to our decisions in
1977 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 35">*59 In
In
1977 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 35">*61 In
In our view it is now clear from the holdings of the Ninth Circuit in
Since under present bankruptcy law the bankrupt taxpayer has an unquestionable right to have his tax liability adjudicated in the bankruptcy proceeding even though the Commissioner has filed no proof of claim for the tax, the basis for our holding in the
It should be noted that even though we stated in the
1977 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 35">*66 That an addition to tax under
1977 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 35">*67 We conclude that the bankruptcy court has jurisdiction to determine Mr. Tatum's liability for the additions to tax determined against him whether or not the respondent files a proof of claim for these additions to tax. Since the proceeding here is under chapter XI, the jurisdiction of the bankruptcy court is sufficiently broad to encompass passing on the merits of the additions to tax under the authority to confirm or refuse to confirm the arrangement. Also, under
Sterrett,
Simpson,
By adopting both of these opinions, the Court has added to the confusion in this area. As I understand Judge Dawson's opinion 69 T.C. 81">*97 in
1. All Code references are to the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended.↩
2.
(a) Immediate Assessment. -- Upon the adjudication of bankruptcy of any taxpayer in any liquidating proceeding, the filing or (where approval is required by the Bankruptcy Act) the approval of a petition of, or the approval of a petition against, any taxpayer in any other bankruptcy proceeding, or the appointment of a receiver for any taxpayer in any receivership proceeding before any court of the United States or of any State or Territory or of the District of Columbia, any deficiency (together with all interest, additional amounts, or additions to the tax provided by law) determined by the Secretary or his delegate in respect of a tax imposed by subtitle A or B upon such taxpayer shall, despite the restrictions imposed by
(b) Claim Filed Despite Pendency of Tax Court Proceedings. -- In the case of a tax imposed by subtitle A or B claims for the deficiency and such interest, additional amounts, and additions to the tax may be presented, for adjudication in accordance with law, to the court before which the bankruptcy or receivership proceeding is pending, despite the pendency of proceedings for the redetermination of the deficiency in pursuance of a petition to the Tax Court; but no petition for any such redetermination shall be filed with the Tax Court after the adjudication of bankruptcy, the filing or (where approval is required by the Bankruptcy Act) the approval of a petition of, or the approval of a petition against, any taxpayer in any other bankruptcy proceeding, or the appointment of the receiver.↩
3. The parties apparently agree that James E. Tatum in his petition stated that he proposed to file an arrangement and that an arrangement filed subsequent to the filing of his petition on Oct. 4, 1976, had not been confirmed by the bankruptcy court at the time of the hearing on respondent's motion partially because of the objection to the proposed arrangement by the Commissioner of Internal Revenue.↩
4.
SUBCHAPTER X. -- DISMISSAL AND ADJUDICATION
If the statement of the executory contracts and the schedules and statement of affairs, as provided by paragraph (1) of section 724 of this title, are not duly filed, or if an arrangement is not proposed in the manner and within the time fixed by the court or if an arrangement is withdrawn or abandoned prior to its acceptance, or is not accepted at the meeting of creditors or within such further time as the court may fix, or if the money or other consideration required to be deposited is not deposited or the application for confirmation is not filed within the time fixed by the court, or if confirmation of the arrangement is refused, the court shall --
(1) where the petition was filed under
(2) where the petition was filed under
Where the court has retained jurisdiction after the confirmation of an arrangement and the debtor defaults in any of the terms thereof or the arrangement terminates by reason of the happening of a condition specified in the arrangement, the court upon hearing after notice to the debtor, the creditors, and such other persons as the court may direct shall --
(1) where the petition has been filed under
(2) where the petition has been filed under
5.
At such meeting, or at any adjournment thereof, the judge or referee --
(1) shall preside;
(2) may receive proofs of claim and allow or disallow them;
(3) shall examine the debtor or cause him to be examined and hear witnesses on any matter relevant to the proceeding; and
(4) shall receive and determine the written acceptances of creditors on the proposed arrangement, if a copy thereof shall have accompanied the notice of such meeting or adjourned meeting. Such acceptances may be obtained by the debtor before or after the filing of a petition under this chapter.↩
6. The provisions of ch. XI of the Bankruptcy Act are to be contrasted with the provision of ch. X dealing with corporate reorganizations of large corporations. Subch. IV of ch. X (
We do not here have a question of whether the provision of
7. It should be noted that at the time of our opinion in
8.
(c)(1) The bankrupt or any creditor may file an application with the court for the determination of the dischargeability of any debt.
* * * *
(3) After hearing upon notice, the court shall determine the dischargeability of any debt for which an application for such determination has been filed, shall make such orders as are necessary to protect or effectuate a determination that any debt is dischargeable and, if any debt is determined to be nondischargeable, shall determine the remaining issues, render judgment, and make all orders necessary for the enforcement thereof. A creditor who files such application does not submit himself to the jurisdiction of the court for any purposes other than those specified in this subdivision.↩
9. In
"Jurisdiction is established by 1966 and 1970 amendments to the bankruptcy laws.
'We hold that the Bankruptcy Court has jurisdiction under
10.
(j) Debts owing to the United States or to any State or any subdivision thereof as a penalty or forfeiture shall not be allowed, except for the amount of the pecuniary loss sustained by the act, transaction, or proceeding out of which the penalty or forfeiture arose, with reasonable and actual costs occasioned thereby and such interest as may have accrued on the amount of such loss according to law.↩
11.
(a) Debts not affected by discharge.
A discharge in bankruptcy shall release a bankrupt from all of his provable debts, whether allowable in full or in part, except such as
(1) are taxes which became legally due and owing by the bankrupt to the United States or to any State or any subdivision thereof within three years preceding bankruptcy:
Obviously, under this section, to determine whether a tax for a year more than 3 years prior to the adjudication in bankruptcy is dischargeable in bankruptcy, the question of fraud or timely filing of a return would have to be determined.
12.
(a) Additions Treated as Tax. -- Except as otherwise provided in this title -- (1) The additions to the tax, additional amounts, and penalties provided by this chapter shall be paid upon notice and demand and shall be assessed, collected, and paid in the same manner as taxes; (2) Any reference in this title to "tax" imposed by this title shall be deemed also to refer to the additions to the tax, additional amounts, and penalties provided by this chapter.↩
13.
(a) The debts to have priority, in advance of the payment of dividends to creditors, and to be paid in full out of bankrupt estates, and the order of payment, shall be * * * (4) taxes which became legally due and owing by the bankrupt to the United States or to any State or any subdivision thereof which are not released by a discharge in bankruptcy:
14. The words "any such redetermination" used in the latter portion of