Golden Gate Litho - Page 24

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          a net operating loss of $37,636 for the taxable year ending May             
          31, 1992.  Under the circumstances of this case, and given the              
          inadequacies of respondent's method, we think petitioner's use              
          of the cash method produces substantially the same results.                 
               Furthermore, respondent's method not only distorts                     
          petitioner's income but will subject petitioner to further                  
          adjustments, including adjustments under section 481, in                    
          subsequent taxable years if petitioner attempts to properly                 
          comply with regulations for accrual method accounting.  If, in              
          respondent's opinion, petitioner's accounting method did not                
          clearly reflect its income, the remedy was to require a                     
          computation on a basis that would correctly reflect income by               
          proper application of the accrual method of accounting.                     
               The fact that the Commissioner possesses broad authority               
          under section 446(b) does not mean that the Commissioner can                
          change a taxpayer's method of accounting with impunity.  See                
          Prabel v. Commissioner, 91 T.C. 1101, 1112-1113 (1988), affd.               
          882 F.2d 820 (3d Cir. 1989); Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. v.                       
          Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 1997-1.  The Commissioner cannot                   
          require a taxpayer to change his accounting method to one which             
          is unacceptable or wrong.  Harden v. Commissioner, 223 F.2d                 
          418, 421 (10th Cir. 1955), revg. and remanding 21 T.C. 781                  
          (1954); Rotolo v. Commissioner, 88 T.C. at 1514.  Courts will               
          not approve the Commissioner's change of a taxpayer's                       





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