DocketNumber: Docket No. 27818-81.
Citation Numbers: 49 T.C.M. 151, 1984 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 62, 1984 T.C. Memo. 612
Filed Date: 11/21/1984
Status: Non-Precedential
Modified Date: 11/21/2020
MEMORANDUM OPINION
DAWSON,
Year | Deficiency |
1977 | $76,590 |
1978 | 5,051 |
After concessions by petitioners, the issue remaining for decision is what amount, if any, is petitioner, as a limited partner, entitled to deduct as his distributive share of the loss claimed by Vanderpoole Associates, Ltd., a limited partnership. Resolution of this issue is dependent upon whether the partnership is entitled to a deduction in 1977 or 1978 for (1) advanced minimum royalties, (2) amounts paid 1 to the general partner, or (3) other miscellaneous business expenses.
*64 This case was submitted fully stipulated pursuant to Rule 122. 2 The stipulation of facts and joint exhibits are incorporated herein by this reference.
Patrick N. and R. A. Chidnese 3 (petitioners), husband and wife, were legal residents of Plantation, Florida at the time they filed their petition in this case. Petitioners filed timely joint Federal income tax returns for 1977 and 1978 with the Internal Revenue Service Center in Chamblee, Georgia.
Petitioner held a 8.2 percent interest in Vanderpoole Associates Ltd. (Vanderpoole or the partnership) as a limited partner. Vanderpoole was formed under the laws of the state of Florida on December 28, 1977. Vanderpoole filed its tax returns according to the accrual method of accounting. The partnership was formed ostensibly to invest in coal mining in Laurel County, Kentucky. Richard D. Kaplan was the general partner of Vanderpoole.
*65 Vanderpoole leased some mining property from Williamsburg Associates (Williamsburg), a Florida general partnership, for twenty years with an option to renew. Vanderpoole was to pay a nonrefundable royalty to Williamsburg of $120,000 per year. Vanderpoole paid Williamsburg an advance for the first 15 years of annual royalties of $1,800,000, $410,000 of which was in cash. The remainder of $1,390,000 was due on December 31, 1989, and was represented by a nonrecourse promissory note with payments due only if coal was mined and sold by Vanderpoole. Vanderpoole also entered into a sales contract with London Brokerage Company, which agreed to buy all the coal that Vanderpoole had to sell for $20.75 per ton.
The partnership never acquired a mining permit or entered into a mining contract to remove coal from the leased property. No coal was ever mined on the premises of the leased property.
Vanderpoole reported no income from the sale of coal during 1978. But it reported losses of $1,838,214.56 in 1977 and $92,707.49 in 1978 on its partnership returns.The loss in 1977 included the $1,800,000 payment for advanced royalties, $10,000 in guaranteed payments to partners of*66 Vanderpoole, and $38,214.56 of miscellanous business expenses. Vanderpoole's loss in 1978 included an $83,400 payment of interest and $10,307.49 of miscellaneous business expenses.
Petitioner claimed a deduction on his Federal income tax returns in 1977 of $150,733.63 and in 1978 of $7,602.01 for his distributive share of Vanderpoole's losses. Respondent disallowed these deductions. 4
In disallowing the claimed deductions, respondent relies upon
*68 Petitioner's sole contention is that respondent's determination that the royalty payment is not deductible is incorrect because
On October 29, 1976, the Internal Revenue Service issued News Release IR-1687 announcing that proposed regulations under section 612, 6 which would modify the treatment of advanced royalties under mineral leases entered into as of that date, would be published in the Federal Register. A copy of the proposed regulations accompanied*69 the release. The supposed effect of the amendment was that lump-sum advanced royalties could now be deducted only in the year of sale of the mineral product with respect to which the royalty was paid. In the event that coal was sold before production, a taxpayer would have to wait until the coal was actually mined before deducting advanced royalties. In two earlier revenue rulings, the Service had concluded that lump-sum royalties were deductible when paid or accrued.
*70 The final version of the regulation was filed on December 14, 1977 and published on December 19, 1977, in
This Court has on several prior occasions confronted all of petitioner's arguments and rejected them.In
After an examination of the facts before us, we conclude that opinions in the cases cited above are controlling. Moreover, the partnership was formed on December 28, 1977, nine days after the final version of
Based upon our determination that
For purposes of this paragraph, a minimum royalty provision
In the instant case the lease agreement provided for a nonrefundable minimum royalty for each year of the lease. Minimum royalties for the first fifteen years in the amount of $1,800,000 were paid upon execution of the lease, $410,000 in cash and $1,390,000 by a nonrecourse promissory note. However, the note was not due in full until December 31, 1989, and payments were required
In
In accordance with this Court's opinion in
Petitioner has the burden of proof in regard to the final two deductions in this case for amounts paid to the general partner and for miscellaneous business expenses.
1. The use of the terms "paid" or "payment" herein is for convenience only and is not intended to represent any conclusion concerning the true nature of the transaction at issue.↩
2. All rule references are to the Tax Court Rules of Practice and Procedure.↩
3. With respect to the items at issue herein, R. A. Chidnese is a petitioner only because shd filed a joint return with her husband. References to petitioner are intended to refer to Patrick N. Chidnese.↩
4. Respondent made some additional adjustments in petitioner's Federal income tax returns for 1977 and 1978. These include a $33,228 overstatement of a claimed loss of $60,444 in Forest Run Limited, a real estate partnership. Respondent also made adjustments in petitioner's deductions for the following: (1) home office expenses in 1977 of $800 and in 1978 of $800; (2) entertainment expenses in 1977 of $100 and in 1978 of $350; and (3) automobile expenses in 1977 for $1,300 and in 1978 for $1,350. Petitioner concedes all of these adjustments.↩
5.
(b) ADVANCED ROYALTIES. * * *
* * *
(3) The payor shall treat the advanced royalties paid or accrued in connection with mineral property as deductions from gross income for the year the mineral product, in respect of which the advanced royalties were paid or accrued, is sold. For purposes of the preceding sentence, in the case of mineral sold before production the mineral product is considered to be sold when the mineral is produced (i.e., when a mineral product first exists). However, in the case of advanced mineral royalties paid or accrued in connection with mineral property as a result of a minimum royalty provision, the payor, at his option, may instead treat the advanced royalties as deductions from gross income for the year in which the advanced royalties are paid or accrued. See section 446 (relating to general rule for methods of accounting) and the regulations thereunder. For purposes of this paragraph, a minimum royalty provision requires that a substantially uniform amount of royalties be paid at least annually either over the life of the lease or for a period of at least 20 years, in the absence of mineral production requiring payment of aggregate royalties in a greater amount. For purposes of the preceding sentence, in the case of a lease which is subject to renewal or extension, the period for which it can be renewed or extended shall be treated as part of the term of the original lease. * * * The provisions of this subparagraph do not allow as deductions from gross income amounts disallowed as deductions under other provisions of the Code, such as section 461 (relating to general rule for taxable year of deduction), section 465 (relating to deductions limited to amount at risk in case of certain activities), or section 704(d) (relating to deductions limited to amount at risk in case of certain activities), or section 704(d) (relating to limitation on allowance to partners of partnership losses).
In its prior form,
(3) The payor, at his option, may treat the advanced royalties so paid or accrued in connection with mineral property as follows:
(i) As deductions from gross income for the year the advanced royalties are paid or accrued, or
(ii) As deductions from gross income for the year the mineral product, in respect of which the advanced royalties were paid, is sold.↩
6. All section references are to the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended and in effect during the year in question.↩
robert-p-wendland-donna-c-wendland-irwin-m-adler-helene-e-adler , 739 F.2d 580 ( 1984 )
Frank J. Hradesky v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue , 540 F.2d 821 ( 1976 )
Russell Redhouse, Jr. v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue , 728 F.2d 1249 ( 1984 )