2004 Tax Ct. Summary LEXIS 23">*23 PURSUANT TO INTERNAL REVENUE CODE SECTION 7463(b), THIS OPINION MAY NOT BE TREATED AS PRECEDENT FOR ANY OTHER CASE.
CHABOT, Judge: This case was heard pursuant to section 7463 in effect for the time the petition was filed.1 The decision to be entered is not reviewable by any other court, and this opinion should not be cited as authority. Sec. 7463(b).
Respondent determined a deficiency in Federal individual income tax against petitioner for 1999 in the amount of $ 523.
The issue for decision is whether petitioner's net loss from her trade or business of providing cleaning and lawn mowing services must be subtracted from her Form W-2 income in determining her "earned income" under
The instant case was submitted fully stipulated; the stipulations, stipulated exhibits, and other exhibits received at the hearing are incorporated herein by this reference.
Background
[5] When the petition in the instant case was filed, petitioner resided in Washington, Missouri; she also resided there during 1999, the year in issue.
On her timely filed 1999 income tax return --
(1) petitioner claimed a tax filing status of single;
(2) petitioner did not claim a personal exemption
deduction, instead that deduction was claimed on her parents'
tax return (see
(3) petitioner claimed a standard deduction of $ 4,300.
On that tax return, petitioner showed the income items set forth in table 1.
Table 1
Tax return
(Form 1040)
line Item Amount
___________ ____ ______
7 Wages 2004 Tax Ct. Summary LEXIS 23">*25 $ 4,275
8a Taxable interest 7,922
12 Business income or (loss) (3,703)
13 Capital gain or (loss) (2,858)
22 Total income 5,636
=====
[7] The "Business income or (loss)" item listed in table 1 was the loss from a Schedule C, Profit or Loss From Business, sole proprietorship, which consisted of petitioner's providing cleaning and lawn mowing services.
Respondent does not dispute the correctness of any item shown on petitioner's tax return, except the amount of the standard deduction and consequential items -- taxable income and tax liability.
Discussion
The Statute
In general,
Parties' Contentions
Both sides appear to claim adherence to the 1999 1040 Forms and Instructions, which provide at page 30 the following relevant worksheet:
Standard Deduction Worksheet for
Dependents -- Line 36 Keep for your Records
Use this worksheet only if someone can claim you (or your spouse
if married filing jointly) as a dependent.
1. Add $ 250 to your earned income*. Enter the total 1. ______
2. Minimum standard deduction 2. 700.00
3. Enter the larger of line 1 or 2 3. ______
4. Enter the amount shown below for your filing status
o Single -- $ 4,300
o Married filing separately -- $ 3,600
o Married filing jointly or qualifying
widow(er) -- $ 7,200 2004 Tax Ct. Summary LEXIS 23">*28 4. ______
o Head of household -- $ 6,350
5. Standard deduction.
a. Enter the smaller of line 3 or line 4. If under 65 and
not blind, stop here and enter this amount on Form 1040, line 36.
Otherwise, go to line 5b 5a. _____
b. If 65 or older or blind, multiply the number on Form 1040, line
35a, by: $ 1,050 if single or head of household; $ 850 if married filing
jointly or separately or qualifying widow(er) 5b. _____
c. Add lines 5a and 5b. Enter the total here and on Form
1040, line 36 5c. _____
* Earned income includes wages, salaries, tips, professional
fees, and other compensation received for personal services you
performed. It also includes any amount received as a scholarship
that you must include in your income. Generally, your earned
income is the total of the amount(s) you reported on Form 1040,
lines 7, 12, and 18, minus the amount, if any, on line 27.
[11] In the notice of deficiency, respondent calculates as follows:
2004 Tax Ct. Summary LEXIS 23">*29 7a. STANDARD DEDUCTION
It is determined that since you are claimed by someone else
as a dependent for the year 1999, your basic standard deduction
may not exceed the greater of $ 700.00 or the sum of $ 250.00 plus
your earned income, up to the applicable standard deduction
amount for that year. Therefore, your standard deduction is
$ 822.00 ($ 250.00 plus wages of $ 4,275.00 [Form 1040, line 7]
plus Schedule C loss of $ 3,703.00 [Form 1040, line 12]) rather
than $ 4,300.00 as shown on your 1999 return and your taxable
income for 1999 is increased $ 3,478.00.
[12] Petitioner contends "that earned income is only the positive amount"; she contrasts this to "net earnings from self-employment", which could be (and was for petitioner for 1999), a loss.
Respondent draws our attention to legislative history language to the effect that the Congress intended that the standard deduction could be used "only to offset earned income" (H. Conf. Rept. 99-841 (Vol. II) at II-9 (1986); 1986-3 C.B. (Vol. 4) 9), and argues that petitioner's contention must be incorrect because it would allow petitioner2004 Tax Ct. Summary LEXIS 23">*30 to use the standard deduction to offset income that was not earned income.5
Respondent urges us to follow the approach2004 Tax Ct. Summary LEXIS 23">*31 of
* * * * * * *
(c) Definitions and Special Rules. -- For purposes of this
section --
* * * * * * *
(2) Earned income.
(A) The term "earned income" means --
(i) wages, salaries, tips, and other
employee compensation, but only if such amounts
are includible in gross income for the taxable
year, plus
(ii) the amount of the taxpayer's net
earnings from self-employment for the taxable
year (within the meaning of
such net earnings shall be determined with regard
to the deduction allowed to the taxpayer by
section 164(f).
[15] Petitioner correctly points out that "earned2004 Tax Ct. Summary LEXIS 23">*32 income" in
We agree with petitioner's conclusion.
The Table Is Set; The Tax Reform Act of 1969
Section 802 of the Tax Reform Act of 1969 (TRA 1969), Pub. L. 91-172, 83 Stat. 487, 676, significantly increased the standard deduction available to taxpayers who did not itemize deductions.
Section 804 of TRA 1969 (83 Stat. at 685) added
* * * * * * *
(b) Definitions. -- For purposes of this section --
(1) Earned income. -- The term "earned income"
means any income which is earned income within the meaning
of section 401(c)(2)(C) or
term does not include any distribution to which section
2004 Tax Ct. Summary LEXIS 23">*33 72(m)(5), 72(n), 402(a)(2), or 403(a)(2)(A) applies or any
deferred compensation within the meaning of section 404.
* * * * * * *
(b) Definition of Earned Income. -- For purposes of this
section, the term "earned income" means wages, salaries,
or professional fees, and other amounts received as compensation
for personal services actually rendered, but does not include
that part of the compensation derived by the taxpayer for
personal services rendered by him to a corporation which
represents a distribution of earnings or profits rather than a
reasonable allowance as compensation for the personal services
actually rendered. In the case of a taxpayer engaged in a trade
or business in which both personal services and capital are
material income-producing factors, under regulations prescribed
by the Secretary or his delegate, a reasonable allowance as
compensation for2004 Tax Ct. Summary LEXIS 23">*34 the personal services rendered by the taxpayer,
not in excess of 30 percent of his share of the net profits of
such trade or business, shall be considered as earned income.
The Revenue Act of 1971
In 1971, the Congress became concerned that
The increases in the standard deduction * * * have enhanced the
desirability of diverting income * * * from the high tax bracket
of a donor with substantial income to a minor with little or no
other income.
S. Rept. 92-437 at 62 (1971),
SEC. 301. UNEARNED INCOME OF TAXPAYERS WHO ARE DEPENDENTS OF
OTHER TAXPAYERS.
(a) Limitation of Standard Deduction. --
(relating to the standard deduction) is amended by adding at the
end2004 Tax Ct. Summary LEXIS 23">*35 thereof the following new subsection:
"(e) Limitations in Case of Certain Dependent
Taxpayers. -- In the case of a taxpayer with respect to whom a
deduction under
for the taxable year --
"(1) the percentage standard deduction shall be
computed only with reference to so much of his adjusted
gross income as is attributable to his earned income (as
defined in
"(2) the low income allowance shall not exceed his
earned income for the taxable year."
The Tax Reduction and Simplification Act of 1977
Section 102(a) of the Tax Reduction and Simplification Act of 1977, Pub. L. 95-30, 91 Stat. 126, 135, revised the definition of taxable income by introducing the concept of a zero bracket amount, hereinafter sometimes referred to as ZBA. The standard deduction limitation as to dependent taxpayers was moved from
The Tax Reform Act of 1986
The Tax Reform Act of 1986 (TRA 1986), Pub. L. 99-514, 100 Stat. 2085, eliminated the ZBA. Section 102(a), TRA 1986, 100 Stat. at 2099, revised
Respondent urges us to follow the approach of
Analysis
From its 1971 origin through its 1977 revision, until TRA 1986, the earned income limitation on the standard deduction was statutorily defined by reference to
2004 Tax Ct. Summary LEXIS 23">*39 Thus, the Congress (1) in TRA 1986 departed from the previous
In RA 1971 the Congress responded to what was perceived to be an abuse situation involving attempts to "game" the tax system. The legislative language went beyond the intrafamily transfers complained of, but even then the Congress decided that a dependent who received such an intrafamily transfer but also earned some income from his or her own efforts should not be hit so hard by the new anti-abuse rule.
We note that respondent does not suggest that petitioner divided a unitary activity into an employment and a self-employment in order to "game the system". We note that respondent does not suggest that any part of petitioner's $ 4,275 W-2, Wage and Tax Statement, income was really a gift, or for any other reason was not properly part of petitioner's "earned income" under
We hold that petitioner's self-employment loss does not reduce her earned income for purposes of
Decision will be entered for petitioner.
1. Unless indicated otherwise, all section references, other than to sec. 7463, are to sections of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 as in effect for the year in issue.↩
2. The "additional standard deduction" relates to aged or blind taxpayers, and does not apply in the instant case.↩
3.
* * * * * * *
(c) Standard Deduction. -- For purposes of this subtitle --
* * * * * * *
(5) Limitation on basic standard deduction in the case
of certain dependents. -- In the case of an individual with
respect to whom a deduction under
to another taxpayer for a taxable year beginning in the
calendar year in which the individual's taxable year
begins, the basic standard deduction applicable to such
individual for such individual's taxable year shall not
exceed the greater of --
(A) $ 500 [adjusted to $ 700 for 1999, on account
of
(B) the sum of $ 250 and such individual's earned
income.↩
4. The parties evidently assume, and we do also, that petitioner's parents' claim to petitioner's personal exemption deduction was allowable, and so the limitation of
5. However, this expression of congressional intent supports respondent's statutory interpretation only by circular reasoning, or "begging the question". That is, respondent assumes that "earned income" in the conference report includes the concept of net earnings from self-employment, and then asks us to conclude that "earned income" in
6.
7.
8. Respondent implicitly recognized that the