1987 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 67">*67
Petitioners purchased a large quantity of Government surplus bandage packages and donated them in 1979 to the American Red Cross. Petitioners calculated the value of the donated bandages, and thus their charitable contribution deduction, as $ 45,600; they claimed a deduction with respect to such contribution in the amount of $ 27,650 in 1979 and $ 17,950 in 1980. In
Petitioners contend that respondent conducted an unauthorized second inspection of their books of account in violation of
88 T.C. 1192">*1192 Respondent determined a deficiency in petitioners' Federal income tax for 1980 in the amount of $ 17,897 and an addition to tax for negligence pursuant to section 6653(a) 11987 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 67">*69 of $ 894.85. In his amended answer, respondent claimed an increased deficiency of $ 3,537 (for a total of $ 21,434), and an increased addition to tax of $ 327.50 (for a 88 T.C. 1192">*1193 total addition of $ 1,222.35). 2 Respondent subsequently asserted the increased rate of interest pursuant to
After concessions by petitioners, the issues remaining for decision are: (1) Whether petitioners are entitled to a charitable contribution deduction carryover in the amount of $ 17,950 resulting from the donation of surplus medical bandages to the American Red Cross in 1979, (2) whether respondent is precluded by
OPINION
This case was submitted under Rule 122, with all facts fully stipulated; they are so found. The stipulation of facts and related exhibits are incorporated herein by this reference. 3 For convenience, we shall combine our findings of fact and opinion.
1987 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 67">*70 Petitioners Joseph J. Tallal, Jr., and Peggy P. Tallal, husband and wife, resided in Dallas, Texas, at the time the petition in this case was filed.
The primary issue for consideration in this case, i.e., the value of bandages donated to the American Red Cross, was the subject of our decision in
1987 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 67">*71 In
Petitioners next contend that respondent conducted an unauthorized second inspection of their books of account for their 1980 tax year in violation of
Respondent's agent conducted an examination of petitioners' 1980 tax return. As a result of the examination, the agent recommended certain adjustments to petitioners' 1980 return, but no adjustment was made to petitioners' claimed charitable contribution carryover deduction with respect to the donated bandages. Petitioners agreed to only some of the adjustments; 61987 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 67">*72 therefore, a notice of deficiency was issued on March 21, 1984, with respect to those adjustments for which there was no agreement. 7
In January 1985, counsel for respondent requested additional information and documents in preparation for litigation involving the claimed charitable contribution for 1979 (i.e., in connection with docket Nos. 28975-82 and 28976-82). The requested information and documents were ultimately obtained as a result of a subpoena duces tecum served on petitioners. 8 Thereafter, respondent asserted (by amended answer) an increase in the amount of the deficiency and 88 T.C. 1192">*1195 addition to tax asserted for 1980, to reflect the disallowance of the $ 6,500 charitable contribution carryover from 1979. 9
1987 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 67">*73 Petitioners contend that respondent's utilization of information obtained in the course of discovery with respect to the 1979 tax year constituted an improper second inspection under
No taxpayer shall be subjected to unnecessary examination or investigations, and only one inspection of a taxpayer's books of account shall be made for each taxable year unless the taxpayer requests otherwise or unless the Secretary, after investigation, notifies the taxpayer in writing that an additional inspection is necessary.
Petitioners have not produced any evidence that the increased deficiency for 1980 resulted from respondent's inspection of any of the subpoenaed documents. Indeed, nothing in the documents requested in connection with the 1979 tax year would have led respondent to assert such increase. Rather, it is the 1979 return which indicates that not all of the claimed charitable contribution deduction was used in 1979 and that a carryover was available for 1980. It is well settled that respondent's examination of returns already in his possession does not constitute a second inspection within
Moreover, the statutory language and legislative history of
The discovery with respect to docket Nos. 28975-821987 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 67">*75 and 28976-82 was proper. Such discovery did not constitute an unauthorized second inspection of petitioners' books of account for their 1980 tax year within the purview of
Respondent seeks an increased rate of interest under
To reflect the foregoing, and based on petitioners' concessions of all other issues,
1. Unless otherwise indicated, all section references are to the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 as amended and in effect during the year in issue, and all Rule references are to the Tax Court Rules of Practice and Procedure.↩
2. Petitioners have conceded that they are liable for the addition to tax under sec. 6653(a).↩
3. The parties have agreed to make the record previously submitted in docket Nos. 28975-82 and 28976-82 a part of the record in this case. Those dockets were the subject of our opinion in
4. The amount claimed in 1979 resulted from the 30 percent of adjusted gross income limitation imposed by sec. 170(b)(1)(C)(i).↩
5. Petitioners originally claimed $ 6,550 in 1980 as a carryover of the contribution deduction from 1979. By their amended petition, petitioners increased the claimed carryover deduction to $ 17,950.↩
6. With respect to those adjustments agreed upon, petitioners executed a Form 870 on Dec. 22, 1983, consenting to an assessment of income tax in the amount of $ 8,700 for 1980. The computational base for the $ 8,700 did not include any adjustment to petitioners' claimed charitable contribution carryover of $ 6,500 from 1979 to 1980.↩
7. The notice of deficiency made no adjustment to petitioners' claimed charitable contribution carryover of $ 6,500 from 1979 to 1980.↩
8. The requested documents pertained to the donated property, such as a description of the bandages, their appraised value, and the dates of acquisition and donation. Respondent did not request any information pertaining to petitioners' treatment of the donation for tax purposes.↩
9. Petitioners claimed a charitable contribution deduction in the amount of $ 28,050 on their 1979 tax return. The deduction consisted of the following items and amounts:
Cash | $ 400 |
Non-cash contribution to the American Red Cross | 27,650 |
Total | 28,050 |
The non-cash contribution deduction of $ 27,650 consisted entirely of the donated bandages. Petitioners' 1979 tax return reflected that (1) petitioners assigned a value of $ 45,600 to the donated bandages, (2) only $ 27,650 of the $ 45,600 was being claimed as a deduction in 1979, and (3) $ 17,950 was available for carryforward. On their 1980 return, petitioners claimed a charitable contribution deduction of $ 6,875, of which $ 6,550 was listed as a "carryover from prior years."↩
10. See note 2