DocketNumber: Docket Nos. 11056-79, 11057-79.
Filed Date: 11/25/1981
Status: Non-Precedential
Modified Date: 11/20/2020
MEMORANDUM FINDINGS OF FACT AND OPINION
FAY,
Petitioner(s) | Taxable Year | Deficiency |
Joseph C. Mann | 1974 | $ 26,923.52 |
Joseph C. Mann and | 1975 | 197.67 |
Shirley V. Mann |
These cases have been consolidated for purposes of trial, briefing, and opinion.
Some of the facts have been stipulated and are found accordingly. Petitioners' address at the time of filing the petitions herein was Collierville, Tenn.
After concessions, the following issues remain for our determination: (1) the correct amount of gross receipts from Joseph C. Mann's (hereinafter petitioner) business for 1974, (2) whether petitioner incurred a short-term capital loss or an ordinary loss in 1974 with respect to a $ 10,200 payment made to start a grocery store business, (3) the extent to which certain Master Charge expenses are deductible in 1974 and 1975, (4) the extent to which two automobiles were used in petitioner's business, and (5) whether petitioners are entitled to a deduction*66 for theft loss in 1975 due to embezzlement of business funds.
FINDINGS OF FACT
Petitioner started his own construction business in 1964 and has since built his business into a very profitable operation. By 1974 petitioner's business mainly involved contracting for the concrete work in the construction of new apartment buildings. Petitioner considered himself one of the largest concrete contractors in Shelby County, Tenn., which includes Memphis. In 1974, petitioner did the concrete work for several major projects which included anywhere from 15 to 40 buildings per project. The contract price per project ranged from $ 60,000 to $ 150,000. Petitioner, at various times during 1974, had 20 to 50 employees on his payroll. Petitioner's business also included the rental of heavy equipment.
The books of petitioner's business were kept by Fay Miller (Miller). A ledger of the business' income account, which was prepared by Miller, showed gross receipts from business operations of $ 656,535.64 in 1974. The ledger contained monthly credits which recorded business receipts for each month. At the end of the 12-month period ending December 31, 1974, four*67 adjustments in the ledger were recorded. Two of those yearend adjustments, nos. 16 and 18, reduced the business' gross receipts by debiting to the income account the amounts of $ 25,823.20 and $ 300.00, respectively. The two remaining yearend adjustments, nos. 4 and 5, increased the business' gross receipts by crediting to the income account the amounts of $ 3,650.00 and $ 54,146.53, respectively. Miller used a double entry system of accounting in preparing the ledger, which was kept in the normal course of her employment as petitioner's bookkeeper.
All records of petitioner's business were available for the audit of his 1974 and 1975 income tax returns. Those audit proceedings were completed prior to February 1979 when a fire destroyed many of those records, including all records with respect to the composition of the above adjustments.
Petitioner was represented by Robert W. Knapp (Knapp), a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), at those audit proceedings. Knapp personally inspected petitioner's books and examined the records substantiating adjustment no. 16. He concluded that petitioner's books were kept properly and that this yearend adjustment, reflecting non-income items, *68 was proper.
In his notice of deficiency, respondent determined that the yearend adjustment no. 16, which debited (decreased) the business' gross receipts by $ 25,823.20, represented unreported gross income in 1974.
OPINION
The issue is the propriety of an accounting entry which reduced 1974 gross receipts from petitioner's construction business.
The burden of proof is on petitioner to overcome the presumption of correctness that attaches to respondent's determination.
Respondent contends that adjustment no. 16 which reduced petitioner's business gross receipts by $ 25,823.20 represents a deliberate understatement of gross receipts by petitioner. As such respondent asserts that petitioner's 1974 gross income from his business was $ 682,358.84 rather than the $ 656,535.64 amount reported by petitioner. In the alternative, respondent contends that adjustment no. 16 represents an improper reclassification of unsubstantiated expense items by debiting such items to the income account. Petitioner asserts that this accounting*69 entry is a yearend adjustment which represents non-income items, and gross receipts were correctly reported as $ 656,535.64.
Petitioner's books were kept by Fay Miller in the normal course of her employment as petitioner's bookkeeper. Miller used a double entry system of accounting whereby each debit was balanced by a corresponding credit to a separate account. There is no indication whatsoever that the method of bookkeeping used by Miller was anything but proper. Indeed, Knapp, petitioner's CPA, who became familiar with petitioner's method of bookkeeping and who personally examined the records backing up adjustment no. 16, concluded petitioner's books were kept properly and that adjustment no. 16 was a proper adjustment.
During the year, petitioner's bookkeeper credited to income certain receipts of unknown character. Some of those receipts represented non-income items such as transfers between business and personal accounts, bank loans, reimbursed downpayments made on contract bids, and insurance repayments. At the end of the year, adjustment no. 16 to income was necessary to properly reflect the non-income nature of those receipts.
The adjusting entry in question did*70 not appear alone on petitioner's income ledger. Three other yearend adjustments were made on that same income ledger. Among those adjustments, two such entries increased petitioner's gross receipts by a total of $ 57,796.83. Those entries were not questioned by respondent.
Petitioner's CPA, Knapp, was a perfectly credible witness. He personally examined petitioner's books before their destruction and he concluded those books were in proper order. We are convinced that the adjusting entry of $ 25,823.20 represents neither unreported income nor a reclassification of unsubstantiated business expenses, as claimed by respondent. We find that that adjustment represents a proper bookkeeping entry reflecting non-income items which had previously been credited to the income account, and petitioner correctly reported 1974 gross receipts as $ 656,535.64.
FINDINGS OF FACT
In 1974 petitioner advanced $ 10,200 to Gerald Hendricks (Hendricks) to open and stock a small grocery store. The understanding between petitioner and Hendricks was that, after petitioner recovered his $ 10,200, they were to split the profits from the store equally. Petitioner advanced*71 all the money, and Hendricks operated the grocery store.
A small one room store was rented to operate the grocery business. After only a couple months of operation, Hendricks locked up the store and left town, taking all the remaining cash. Petitioner later received a post card from Hendricks who was enjoying himself in Reno, Nev.
Petitioner deducted the entire $ 10,200 as an ordinary loss on his 1974 Federal income tax return. In his notice of deficiency, respondent determined that the $ 10,200 loss deducted by petitioner in 1974 is short-term capital loss.
OPINION
The issue is whether petitioner recognized short-term capital loss or ordinary loss. Neither the fact that petitioner sustained a loss nor the amount of such loss is in dispute. Respondent maintains that petitioner sustained a capital loss under section 741 *72 We do agree with respondent that the understanding between petitioner and Hendricks created a partnership. For this reason we find petitioner's contention that he sustained a bad debt loss, without merit. There was no loan to Hendricks. Petitioner advanced the money as a contribution to partnership capital. No debtor-creditor relationship existed which would support a bad debt claim.
Respondent contends that the entire loss should be accorded capital treatment since such loss is the result of a disposition of a partnership interest. We cannot fully agree with respondent that the entire loss is capital in nature.
With regard to the remaining $ 5,200 contributed to partnership capital and never recovered by petitioner, we must accord capital loss treatment. There are a number of ways a partner can recognize capital loss through his ownership of a partnership interest. We know a partnership existed and operated for a period of time. However, we are given no account of any partnership operations, which may have included capital transactions. We are given no information regarding the disposition of the remaining*74 assets of the partnership. Furthermore, we lack information regarding any partnership liabilities outstanding at the termination of such partnership which may give rise to capital loss on liquidation of a partner's interest. See secs. 752(b), 731(a), 741.
The burden of proof is on petitioner to overcome the presumption of correctness which attaches to respondent's determination.
In summary, we hold that the $ 5,000, which fairly represents the amount embezzled by Hendricks, is recoverable by petitioner as ordinary loss. However, the remainder of petitioner's loss, $ 5,200, is capital loss.
FINDINGS OF FACT
The success of petitioner's large and prosperous construction business depended on securing contracts from builders of apartment complexes. Most of petitioner's clients were from out-of-state. Petitioner spent a good deal of time and money entertaining both current and prospective clients in connection with*75 maintaining and securing valuable construction contracts. In addition, petitioner spent time with clients reviewing construction plans and inspecting completed projects. Petitioner also travelled in connection with his business. Petitioner paid for most of his travel and entertainment expenses with a Master Charge credit card. Other expenses charged to Master Charge included expenditures for gasoline and auto repair, construction materials, office supplies, and personal items.
Petitioner kept no contemporaneous record such as an account book, diary, or similar record of any expense incurred in 1974 or 1975. Nor did petitioner make any statement at trial recalling the identity of any of his business guests or indicating the business purpose of any travel or entertainment.
The accounting procedure at petitioner's office was to make an allocation of all Master Charge expenses and to give the bookkeeper a breakdown of all such expenses into certain categories such as: automobile, travel and entertainment, construction materials, office supplies, and personal expenses. For 1974 petitioner claimed $ 5,599.36 in travel and entertainment expenses.
The same procedure was not followed*76 in 1975. Dur to a change in personnel, petitioner's CPA, Knapp, was retained to file the 1975 return. Unfamiliar with the existing procedure, Knapp mistakenly deducted, as "travel" expenses, all 1975 Master Charge expenses of $ 16,759.29 without a breakdown into separate categories. Subsequently, petitioner and Knapp reviewed the 1975 Master Charge statements and made the following expense allocations: