1988 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 95">*95
91 T.C. 88">*89 OPINION
This case was assigned to Special Trial Judge Pate pursuant to the provisions of section 7456(d) (redesignated as section 7443A(b) by the Tax Reform Act of 1986, Pub. L. 99-514, 100 Stat. 2755) and Rules 180 and 181. 1 The Court agrees with and adopts her opinion which is set forth below.
1988 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 95">*96 OPINION OF THE SPECIAL TRIAL JUDGE
Pate,
William A. Woods II (petitioner) was single during 1983, the year in issue. He did not file a Federal income tax return despite receiving $ 32,844 in wages and $ 53 in interest income during that year. On September 13, 1985, respondent determined a deficiency in petitioner's Federal income tax in the amount of $ 7,152 and additions to tax under
In the petition and the various objections filed thereafter, petitioner raised numerous "tax protester" type arguments. He maintains that his wages do not constitute gross income; that reporting and paying income taxes is strictly voluntary and, therefore, the filing of an income tax return was not required; that the
All of these arguments have been rejected repeatedly by the courts. There is no doubt that petitioner was required to file an income tax return for the year 1983 and that he was required to pay taxes on his wages and interest income. See secs. 1, 61, 6011, 6012(a)(1)(A), 7701(a)(1);
Petitioner also contends that the
Petitioner complains further that he was wrongfully denied a jury trial. However, the
Since no other issues were raised by petitioner with regard to his income tax for 1983, and petitioner bears the burden of proving that respondent's determinations are incorrect, we find that petitioner is liable for the amount of income tax shown on the notice of deficiency.
We now turn our attention to the various additions to tax as determined by respondent. The first,
Petitioner also questions whether he is liable for the addition to tax under
Finally, we consider respondent's determination under
1988 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 95">*104
We now must decide whether respondent1988 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 95">*105 correctly computed the increased addition to tax by applying 25 percent to the entire deficiency of $ 7,152. He maintains that because petitioner did not file any return for 1983, the percentage is properly applied to the total amount of the income tax determined in the notice of deficiency. On the other hand, petitioner maintains that the percentage applies only to the difference between the deficiency and the amount of Federal taxes withheld from his wages. 9
If there is a substantial
Since the statute provides that the 25-percent rate shall be applied to "the amount of any underpayment," our determination turns on the meaning of the term "underpayment" in the context of
To put our discussion into perspective, we must first consider the meaning of some of the other terms used in that section. The term "understatement" is expressly defined by
The term "substantial understatement" 1988 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 95">*108 is defined in
However,
91 T.C. 88">*96 If there is a
In justifying his position, respondent first argues that we should use the definition of the term "underpayment" that is contained in
(3) Coordination with penalty imposed by
In turn,
There is no real merit to this argument. Upon close examination, we find that the reason
91 T.C. 88">*97 Generally, to glean the meaning of the words used by Congress in a statute, we first look to the ordinary or settled meaning of the words used to convey its intent.
1988 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 95">*113 Congress modified the ordinary and regular meaning of the term "underpayment" for purposes of
Finally, we observe that, if we would construe the terms "understatement" and "underpayment" as basically synonymous, the phrase "of the amount of any underpayment attributable to" in
However, it is a cardinal rule of statutory construction that "effect shall be given to every clause and part of statutes."
1988 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 95">*115 To summarize, we do not accept respondent's position (or the regulation) because (1) it would render part of the statutory language of
We have held that petitioner's position on
We are mindful of the fact that our holding invalidates a portion of the regulations under
1. Unless otherwise specified all section references are to the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 as in effect for the year in issue, and all Rule references are to the Tax Court Rules of Practice and Procedure.↩
2. Redesignated as
3. Redesignated as
4. Petitioner was a resident of Bremerton, Washington, at the time he filed his petition.↩
5. Petitioner also protested an addition to tax under sec. 6654. Although such addition apparently was proposed (as it is discussed in one of the schedules attached to the notice of deficiency) it does not appear on the face of the notice of deficiency and respondent has not mentioned it in his motion for judgment on the pleadings. Consequently, no addition to tax under sec. 6654 is at issue in this case.↩
6. In his petition, petitioner alleged that $ 3,813.77 was withheld from his wages. This amount was not contested by respondent during the course of these proceedings.↩
7.
(a) Addition to Tax. -- If there is a substantial understatement of income tax for any taxable year, there shall be added to the tax an amount equal to 25 percent of the amount of any underpayment attributable to such understatement.
(b) Definition and Special Rule. -- (1) Substantial understatement. -- (A) In general. -- For purposes of this section, there is a substantial understatement of income tax for any taxable year if the amount of the understatement for the taxable year exceeds the greater of -- (i) 10 percent of the tax required to be shown on the return for the taxable year, or (ii) $ 5,000. (B) Special rule for corporations. -- In the case of a corporation other than an S corporation or a personal holding company (as defined in section 542), paragraph (1) shall be applied by substituting "$ 10,000" for "$ 5,000." (2) Understatement. -- (A) In general. -- For purposes of paragraph (1), the term "understatement" means the excess of -- (i) the amount of the tax required to be shown on the return for the taxable year, over (ii) the amount of the tax imposed which is shown on the return, reduced by any rebate (within the meaning of section 6211(b)(2)). (B) Reduction for understatement due to position of taxpayer or disclosed item. -- The amount of the understatement under subparagraph (A) shall be reduced by that portion of the understatement which is attributable to -- (i) the tax treatment of any item by the taxpayer if there is or was substantial authority for such treatment, or (ii) any item with respect to which the relevant facts affecting the item's tax treatment are adequately disclosed in the return or in a statement attached to the return. (C) Special rules in cases involving tax shelters. -- (i) In general. -- In the case of any item attributable to a tax shelter -- (I) subparagraph (B)(ii) shall not apply, and (II) subparagraph (B)(i) shall not apply unless (in addition to meeting the requirements of such subparagraph) the taxpayer reasonably believed that the tax treatment of such item by the taxpayer was more likely than not the proper treatment. (ii) Tax shelter. -- For purposes of clause (i), the term "tax shelter" means -- (I) a partnership or other entity, (II) any investment plan or arrangement, or (III) any other plan or arrangement, if the principal purpose of such partnership, entity, plan, or arrangement is the avoidance or evasion of Federal income tax. (3) Coordination with penalty imposed by
(c) Authority to Waive. -- The Secretary may waive all or any part of the addition to tax provided by this section on a showing by the taxpayer that there was reasonable cause for the understatement (or part thereof) and that the taxpayer acted in good faith.↩
8. Petitioner argues that since he was assessed on Sept. 13, 1985, and the 25-percent rate is only applicable to
9. Respondent asserts that in
10. The various exceptions provided for in the balance of
11. Petitioner argues that
12. We note that the regulations rightfully disregard withheld taxes in determining "the amount of tax shown on the return" and "the amount of tax required to be shown on the return" in computing the "understatement."
13.
14. (1) Underpayment. -- The term "underpayment" has the meaning given to such term by
15. The term "underpayment" in
16. Webster's Third New World International Dictionary (1981). In determining the ordinary usage of words, it is appropriate to consult dictionaries.
17. This interpretation of "underpayment" conforms to the meaning given that term in secs. 6654, 6655, and 6656. See secs. 6654(b), 6655(b), and 6656(a).↩
18. Wage earners who file proper W-4 Forms frequently overpay their tax by their withholding, yet many fail to file income tax returns to claim rightful refunds. See Hearings on S. 2198 before the Subcomm. on Oversight of the Internal Revenue Service of the Senate Comm. on Finance, 97th Cong., 2d Sess. 99 (1982). Respondent's interpretation would subject these wage earners to an addition to tax equal to 25 percent of their entire tax even though it all had been paid. We believe Congress did not intend this result when it enacted
19. Where, as here, a statute is clear on its face, we require unequivocal evidence of legislative purpose before construing the statute so as to override the plain meaning of the words used therein.
Interestingly, on Mar. 11, 1982, a comparable provision was included in S. 2198 (Taxpayer Compliance Improvement Act of 1982), a bill introduced by Senator Dole, then chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. See 128 Cong. Rec. S 8793 and S 8810 (1982) (Senate floor debate of TEFRA, statements of Senators Dole and Grassley, respectively). Sec. 125 of this bill contained the forerunner of