2001 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 312">*312 An appropriate order will be issued granting respondent's motion for partial summary judgment.
MEMORANDUM OPINION
VASQUEZ, JUDGE: These cases are before the Court on respondent's motion for partial summary judgment under
The sole issue is whether petitioner properly elected to opt out of depreciating its rental game equipment under the modified accelerated cost recovery system (MACRS) pursuant to
BACKGROUND
At the time of the filing of the petitions, 2 petitioner was a corporation that maintained its legal residence in Sacramento, California. For the periods in issue, petitioner had fiscal years ending March 31, 1994, 1995, and 1996 (the 1994, 1995, and 1996 tax2001 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 312">*313 years, respectively).
Petitioner rented electronic gaming equipment to establishments in California. In each of the tax years in issue, petitioner placed gaming equipment in service.
On its 1994 tax return, petitioner reported on Form 4562, Depreciation and Amortization, amounts on the lines for "GDS and ADS deductions for assets placed in service in tax years beginning before 1993" and "ACRS and other depreciation". Petitioner did not report any amount on the line for "Property subject to
On its 1995 and 1996 tax returns, petitioner again reported amounts on Form 4562 on the lines for "GDS and ADS deductions for assets placed in service in tax years beginning before 1994" (and "GDS and ADS deductions for assets placed in service in2001 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 312">*314 tax years beginning before 1995", respectively) and "ACRS and other depreciation", but not on the line for "Property subject to
On July 2, 1999, petitioner filed Forms 1120X, Amended U.S. Corporation Income Tax Return, amending its returns for the 1994, 1995, and 1996 tax years. In each amended return, petitioner included the following statement:
As per
and is instead depreciating its gaming equipment under an
alternate method of depreciation based upon obsolescence due to
a combination of changes in technology, changes in law, market
2001 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 312">*315 competition, income generation from leasing the equipment, and
the average term of the Taxpayer's leases for such equipment.
In the notices of deficiency, 3 respondent determined petitioner's depreciation deductions by using the straight-line method over a 7-year recovery period with a half-year convention.
DISCUSSION
Respondent moved for partial summary judgment on the issue of whether petitioner must use MACRS to calculate its depreciation deductions on the gaming equipment. Respondent argues that petitioner cannot use a 2-year straight-line method to compute its depreciation deductions because petitioner failed to: (1) Make proper, timely elections to exclude property from MACRS under
Petitioner argues that there is a genuine issue of material fact as to how petitioner determined its method of depreciation. Petitioner contends that it did not base its depreciation deductions upon the wear and tear or physical exhaustion of the equipment, but upon outside factors that influenced the equipment's income-producing ability, including the uncertainty of whether California would change its gaming laws with respect to this type of equipment, changes in public taste because of advancements in technology, and petitioner's experience with similar equipment.
We conclude that there is no genuine issue as to any of the material facts2001 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 312">*317 regarding the method petitioner used to depreciate its equipment. As reflected on petitioner's tax returns, petitioner depreciated its equipment using a straight-line method over a 2-year period.
Deductions are a matter of legislative grace; petitioner has the burden of showing that it is entitled to any deduction claimed.
The Internal Revenue Code provides taxpayers with a depreciation deduction for the exhaustion, wear and tear, or obsolescence of property used in a trade or business.
(A) the taxpayer elects to exclude such property from the
application of this section, and
(B) for the 1st taxable year for which a depreciation deduction
would be allowable with respect to such property in the hands of
the taxpayer, the property is properly depreciated under the
unit-of-production method or any method of depreciation not
expressed in a term of years * * *.
Respondent claims that petitioner failed to elect out of MACRS on its original returns pursuant to
Petitioner argues that it did make a proper election out of MACRS pursuant to
The temporary regulations provide the time and manner of making elections pursuant to
Form 4562 provides a line specifically for taxpayers to report the amount of depreciation taken for "Property subject to
Report property that you elect, under
depreciate under the unit-of-production method or any other
method not based on a term of years (other than the retirement-
replacement-betterment method). Attach a separate sheet showing
(a) a description of the property and the depreciation2001 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 312">*321 method
you elect that excludes the property from ACRS or MACRS; and (b)
the depreciable basis.
Instructions for Form 4562, Line 17.
If all of the requirements have not been met, an election may still be valid if the taxpayer substantially complied with these requirements.
For a different taxable year (year 2), another taxpayer in
For the 1994 tax year, we hold that petitioner did not make a valid election under
For the 1995 and 1996 tax years, petitioner contends that it substantially complied with the
Despite what its tax returns show, petitioner argues that it did not use a depreciation method defined by a "term of years". Petitioner does not deny that it used a 2-year straight-line depreciation method. 2001 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 312">*325 Petitioner argues that "Although petitioner's Form 4562 depreciates the gaming equipment as 2-year straight-line depreciation, the factors relied upon by petitioner in determining that useful life were other factors that had nothing to do with the wear and tear on the machines". Petitioner further argues that it relied on the income forecast method as well as a combination of other methods to determine the depreciation deduction. Petitioner noted that, on October 1, 1998, it provided a schedule to the Internal Revenue Service Appeals officer that tracked the income of its machines and that demonstrated how income dropped off after the fourth or fifth quarters of operation.
Petitioner's argument is unpersuasive. The material fact is that petitioner depreciated its equipment ratably over a 2-year period. This fact is undisputed. The tax returns for the years in issue and the record show that petitioner used a method that was defined by a "term of years" and that petitioner did not use the income forecast method. The income forecast method requires the application of a fraction, the numerator of which is the income from the gaming equipment for the taxable year, and the denominator is2001 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 312">*326 the forecasted or estimated total income to be derived from the gaming equipment during its useful life. See
The tax returns show that petitioner calculated the depreciation deduction using the straight-line method over 2 years, taking 50 percent in the year the equipment was placed in service, then 50 percent the following year. In order to use the income forecast method, income must be forecasted. Petitioner prepared the income schedules submitted to the Appeals Office long after it filed its tax returns; therefore, we conclude that the income of the equipment was not forecasted in order to calculate the depreciation deduction. Petitioner's president stated that revenue generated by the equipment dropped off after the fourth or fifth quarter. Thus, under the income forecast method of depreciation, petitioner would not have depreciated the machines2001 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 312">*327 evenly over 2 years. We conclude that petitioner did not use the income forecast method to depreciate its equipment, but, rather, a term of 2 years.
In reaching all of our holdings herein, we have considered all arguments made by the parties, and to the extent not herein discussed, we find them to be irrelevant or without merit.
To reflect the foregoing,
An appropriate order will be issued granting respondent's motion for partial summary judgment.
1. Unless otherwise indicated, all Rule references are to the Tax Court Rules of Practice and Procedure, and all section references are to the Internal Revenue Code in effect for the years in issue.↩
2. Respondent sent separate notices of deficiency to petitioner, and petitioner filed separate petitions for: (1) The 1994 tax year and (2) the 1995 and 1996 tax years. We issued an order consolidating the two cases for trial, briefing, and opinion.↩
3. Respondent issued the notices of deficiency on Apr. 2, 1999 (for the 1994 tax year), and Sept. 17, 1999 (for the 1995 and 1996 tax years). Petitioner filed its petitions at the Tax Court on June 28, 1999 (for the 1994 tax year), and Dec. 20, 1999 (for the 1995 and 1996 tax years).↩
4. As a preliminary matter, petitioner's amended return was untimely for
5. Petitioner used a half-year convention on its 1995 tax return for the equipment placed in service after the midpoint of that year.↩