Rhett B. and Sandra L. Ross - Page 15

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          income tax return, is dedicated to the reporting of liability for           
          the additional tax under section 72(t).                                     
               Fifth, a useful analogy is furnished by section 1.6017-                
          1(b)(2), Income Tax Regs.  That section provides that, as a                 
          general rule, each spouse is jointly and severally liable for any           
          self-employment tax that is reported on a joint return.  As                 
          previously noted, the self-employment tax is imposed by chapter 2           
          of the Internal Revenue Code and is distinct from the regular               
          income tax imposed by section 1.                                            
               Petitioners rely heavily on In re Cassidy, 983 F.2d 161                
          (10th Cir. 1992), wherein the additional tax under section 72(t)            
          was viewed as a penalty.  That case, however, is not controlling            
          because the Court of Appeals' holding was based on the                      
          application of bankruptcy policy and was limited to determining             
          priority of claims in bankruptcy proceedings.                               
               In view of the foregoing, we hold that petitioners are                 
          liable for the 10-percent additional tax imposed by section                 
          72(t).  See Wittstadt v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 1995-492, and             
          cases cited therein.                                                        
          III. Conclusion                                                             
               In order to give effect to our disposition of the disputed             
          issues, as well as the parties' concessions,                                
                                        Decision will be entered                      
                                        under Rule 155.                               






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