2000 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 385">*385 Appropriate orders will be issued.
MEMORANDUM OPINION
ARMEN, SPECIAL TRIAL JUDGE: These cases are before the Court on respondent's Motions to Dismiss for Lack of Jurisdiction and to Strike. Respondent contends that the Court lacks jurisdiction in these corporate level proceedings to consider allegations contained in the petitions regarding: (1) The impact (if any) of the underlying adjustments on shareholder basis and (2) the accuracy-related penalty under
2000 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 385">*386 BACKGROUND
Allen's Hatchery, Inc. (Hatchery), an S corporation organized under the laws of Delaware, is in the business of hatching and raising live broiler chickens for resale to chicken processors. Allen Family Foods, Inc. (Foods), an S corporation also organized under the laws of Delaware, is in the business of processing broiler chickens for sale to food retailers. Hatchery and Foods are considered brother-sister corporations insofar as they have the same controlling shareholders.
Respondent issued notices of final S corporation administrative adjustment (FSAA's) with respect to Hatchery and Foods setting forth various adjustments to their corporate income tax returns for their taxable years ending in 1994, 1995, and 1996. Respondent determined, inter alia, that Hatchery sold its broiler chickens to Foods at prices below the arm's-length price mandated by section 482. As a consequence, respondent adjusted Hatchery's returns by increasing the gross income that Hatchery earned on its sale of broiler chickens to Foods during the years in issue and, concomitantly, adjusted Foods' returns by increasing Foods' costs of goods sold for the years in issue.
The FSAA issued with respect2000 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 385">*387 to Hatchery included as an attachment an International Examiner's Report that stated that accuracy-related penalties under
The tax matters persons for Hatchery and Foods, referred to collectively as petitioners, filed timely petitions for readjustment contesting the FSAA's. Paragraphs 6(h) through (m) of those petitions allege as follows:
Paragraphs 6(h) of both the Hatchery and Foods petitions allege that the Commissioner erred in failing to determine that the additional income allocated to Hatchery for each of the years in issue should be treated as a constructive distribution to Hatchery's shareholders in amounts proportionate to their shareholdings and as capital contributions by those same shareholders to Foods.
Paragraphs 6(i) of both the Hatchery and Foods petitions allege that the Commissioner erred in failing to determine an increase in Foods' shareholders' bases in their stock equal to the amount of the constructive contributions that they are deemed to have made to Foods as a consequence of respondent's section 482 adjustments for each of the years in issue.
Paragraphs 6(j) of both the Hatchery and Foods2000 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 385">*388 petitions allege that the Commissioner erred in failing to determine that, as a consequence of the constructive corporate distributions and shareholder contributions described in paragraphs 6(h) and (i), Foods shareholders had adequate bases in their Foods stock to deduct their proportionate shares of the annual losses attributed to Foods pursuant to respondent's section 482 adjustments and that the adjustments produced a wash for tax purposes at the individual shareholder level.
Paragraphs 6(k), (1), and (m) of the Hatchery petition contain allegations contesting the accuracy-related penalties under
As indicated, respondent filed Motions to Dismiss for Lack of Jurisdiction and to Strike the allegations in the petitions relating to shareholder basis and the accuracy-related penalty. 2 Petitioners filed objections to respondent's motions.
2000 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 385">*389 These cases were called for hearing at the Court's motions session in Washington, D.C. Counsel for both parties appeared at the hearing and offered argument in support of their respective positions. Following the hearing, both parties filed memoranda with the Court.
DISCUSSION
The Tax Court is a court of limited jurisdiction, and we may exercise our jurisdiction only to the extent authorized by Congress. See sec. 7442;
These cases are before the Court pursuant to the unified subchapter S corporation audit and litigation procedures set forth in subchapter D of chapter 63 of subtitle F. 3The governing statutory provisions, set forth in sections 6241-6245, generally provide that the proper tax treatment of S corporation items shall be determined in a single, unified proceeding at the corporate (as opposed to individual shareholder) level. See
2000 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 385">*390
an S corporation to the extent regulations prescribed by the
Secretary provide that, for purposes of this subtitle, such item
is more appropriately determined at the corporate level than at
the shareholder level.
It is well settled that items requiring factual determinations at the individual shareholder level; i.e., so called affected items, are beyond the scope of the Court's jurisdiction in a corporate level proceeding. See
(5) Items relating to the following transactions, to the
extent that a determination of such items can be made from
determinations that the corporation is required to make with
respect to an amount, the character of an amount, or the
percentage of stock ownership of a shareholder in the
corporation, for purposes of the corporation's books and records
or for purposes of furnishing information to a shareholder:
(i) Contributions to the corporation; and
(ii) Distributions from the corporation.
In sum,
(c) ILLUSTRATIONS -- (1) IN GENERAL. This paragraph (c)
illustrates the provisions of paragraph (a)(5) of this section.
The determinations illustrated in this paragraph (c) that the
corporation is required to make are not exhaustive; there may be
additional determinations that the corporation is required to
make which relate to a determination listed in paragraph (a)(5)
of this section. The critical element is that the corporation is
required to make a determination with respect to a matter for
the purposes stated; failure by the corporation actually to make
a determination (for example, because it does not maintain
proper books and records) does not prevent an item from being a
subchapter S item.
(2) CONTRIBUTIONS. For purposes of its books and records,
or for purposes of furnishing information to a shareholder, the
S corporation2000 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 385">*393 must determine:
(i) The character of the amount received by the
corporation (for example, whether it is a contribution,
loan, or repayment of a loan);
* * * * * * *
To the extent that a determination of an item relating to a
contribution can be made from these and similar determinations
that the corporation is required to make, that item is a
subchapter S item. To the extent that the determination requires
other information, however, that item is not a subchapter S
item. Such other information would include those factors used in
determining whether there is recapture under section 47 by the
contributing shareholder of the general business credit because
of the contribution of property in circumstances in which that
determination is irrelevant to the corporation.
(3) DISTRIBUTIONS. For purposes of its books and records,
or for purposes of furnishing information to a shareholder, the
S corporation must determine:
(i) The character of the2000 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 385">*394 amount transferred to a
shareholder (for example, whether it is a dividend,
compensation, loan, or repayment of a loan);
(ii) The amount of money distributed to a shareholder;
* * * * * * *
To the extent that a determination of an item relating to a
distribution can be made from these and similar determinations
that the corporation is required to make, that item is a
subchapter S item. To the extent that the determination requires
other information, however, that item is not a subchapter S
item. Such other information would include the determination of
a shareholder's basis in the shareholder's stock or in the
indebtedness of the S corporation to the shareholder.
In sum,
The parties agree that if the Court should sustain the section 482 adjustments set forth in the FSAA's, then the Court would have jurisdiction to decide whether those adjustments resulted in constructive corporate distributions and/or shareholder contributions in these corporate level proceedings. In other words, the parties agree that constructive corporate distributions and/or shareholder contributions in this context constitute subchapter S items pursuant to
On the other hand, the parties disagree whether the above- quoted regulations expand the scope of the term "subchapter S item" to encompass the determinations regarding shareholder basis that petitioners seek to place in dispute in these cases. Petitioners contend that, inasmuch as constructive corporate distributions and/or shareholder contributions are considered subchapter S items, the Court's jurisdiction encompasses the legal question whether such constructive corporate distributions and/or shareholder2000 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 385">*396 contributions will result in adjustments to the shareholders' bases in their stockholdings. Petitioners rely on the flush language of
Our review of the allegations in the petitions that respondent finds objectionable reveals that petitioners in fact make two arguments relating to shareholder basis. First, petitioners allege that if the Court should sustain respondent's section 482 adjustments and conclude that such adjustments result in constructive corporate distributions and/or shareholder contributions, then the Court should address the legal question whether such constructive corporate distributions and/or shareholder contributions generally will result in adjustments to the shareholders' bases2000 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 385">*397 in their stockholdings. Second, petitioners allege that if the Court should sustain respondent's section 482 adjustments and conclude that such adjustments result in constructive corporate distributions and/or shareholder contributions, then the resulting constructive shareholder contributions to Foods would give Foods' shareholders sufficient bases in their stock to allow them to recognize their pro rata shares of Foods' losses, thereby offsetting the taxable gains associated with the section 482 adjustments to Hatchery's gross sales. 4
In
In
Consistent with
The more difficult question is whether we have jurisdiction in these corporate level proceedings to consider the legal2000 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 385">*400 question whether constructive corporate distributions and/or shareholder contributions generally will result in adjustments to the individual shareholders' bases in their S corporation stock. Significantly, the Court in
As noted earlier, the parties agree that if the Court should sustain respondent's section 482 adjustments, then the Court would have jurisdiction to decide whether such adjustments result in constructive corporate distributions and/or shareholder contributions in these corporate level proceedings. The parties agree that, in this context, constructive corporate distributions and/or shareholder contributions qualify as subchapter S items. As such, the corporation must either record these items on its books and records or provide information regarding these items to its shareholders.
Under the circumstances, we agree with petitioners that the legal question whether such constructive corporate distributions and/or shareholder contributions2000 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 385">*401 generally will result in adjustments to the bases of the individual shareholders in their S corporation stock constitutes a subchapter S item within the meaning of the flush language of
To the extent that a determination of an item relating to a
contribution can be made from these and similar determinations
that the corporation is required to make, that item is a
subchapter S item. To the extent that the determination requires
other information, however, that item is not a subchapter S
item.
In short, we conclude that the legal question concerning the proper basis treatment in respect of a constructive corporate distribution and/or shareholder contribution qualifies as an item relating to a contribution or distribution that can be determined (and to a large extent follows) from the determination that the corporation is required to make regarding the character and amount of a corporate distribution or shareholder contribution. 2000 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 385">*402 See
As a final matter, we observe that our holding on this point is consonant with the basic policy underlying the unified subchapter S corporation audit and litigation procedures; namely, the consistent treatment of subchapter S items among S corporation shareholders. See S. Rept. 97-640, at 25 (1982),
Respondent has also moved to dismiss for lack of jurisdiction and to strike all allegations in the Hatchery petition that pertain to the accuracy-related penalties. Petitioner contends that the accuracy-related penalties constitute subchapter S items inasmuch as many of the elements necessary to sustain the penalties require the development of facts that are within the exclusive knowledge of the corporations and their officers.
In the partnership context, there is a well-settled distinction between partnership items and affected items. An affected item is one that is dependent2000 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 385">*404 on factual determinations to be made at the individual partner level. See
In
The Court agreed with the Commissioner that the additions to tax in question were affected items that could not be raised in the partnership level proceeding. With regard to additions to tax for negligence, the Court stated in pertinent part:
a partner will be liable for the addition to tax for negligence
pursuant to
some part of which is due to negligence. The existence of an
underpayment of tax at the partner level cannot be made until
the partner's share of distributable items of income, loss,
deduction, and credit is determined in the partnership level
proceeding. Once the partnership level proceeding ends, however,
the factual question2000 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 385">*406 of whether any part of the underpayment was
due to the partner's negligence must be answered at the partner
level.
In the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1989, Pub. L. 101-239, sec. 7721, 103 Stat. 2106, 2395-2397, Congress consolidated the additions to tax for negligence and substantial understatement under new
In
Consistent with the preceding discussion, it follows that the Court lacks jurisdiction to review the applicability of the accuracy-related penalties for Hatchery's taxable years ending in 1994, 1995, and 1996. These penalties may only be contested at the individual shareholder level following the completion of Hatchery's corporate level proceeding. Accordingly, we shall grant respondent's Motion to Dismiss for Lack of Jurisdiction and to Strike insofar as respondent moves to dismiss and strike allegations in the Hatchery petition pertaining to the accuracy-related penalties.
In view of the foregoing,
Appropriate orders will be issued.
1. Unless otherwise indicated, all section references are to sections of the Internal Revenue Code, as amended, and all Rule references are to the Tax Court Rules of Practice and Procedure.↩
2. Insofar as the paragraphs of the petitions described above are concerned, we regard respondent as moving to strike paragraphs 6(i) and (j) of both the Hatchery and Foods petitions, as well as paragraphs 6(k), (1), and (m) of the Hatchery petition.↩
3. Subchapter D of chapter 63 of subtitle F, consisting of secs. 6241-6245, was codified pursuant to the Subchapter S Revision Act of 1982, Pub. L. 97-354, sec. 4(a), 96 Stat. 1691-1692. This subchapter was repealed applicable to tax years beginning after Dec. 31, 1996, by the Small Business Job Protection Act of 1996, Pub. L. 104-188, sec. 1307(c)(1), 110 Stat. 1781.↩
4.