Richard D. Smart - Page 7

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          the time limit imposed by law.                                              
               Since the distribution was funded by petitioner’s own                  
          contributions and matching contributions by his former employer,            
          petitioner argues that the additional tax should not be applied             
          to these funds even if it would have been applied to a                      
          distribution consisting of the earnings on the funds contributed.           
          Unfortunately, the tax laws make no distinction, see sec.                   
          61(a)(11), and the 10-percent additional tax applies equally to             
          both sources of funds.                                                      
               In closing, we think it appropriate to observe that we found           
          petitioner to be a very conscientious taxpayer who takes his                
          Federal tax responsibilities seriously.  The Tax Court, however,            
          is a court of limited jurisdiction and lacks general equitable              
          powers.  Commissioner v. McCoy, 484 U.S. 3, 7 (1987); Hays Corp.            
          v. Commissioner, 40 T.C. 436, 442-443 (1963), affd. 331 F.2d 422            
          (7th Cir. 1964).  Consequently, our jurisdiction to grant                   
          equitable relief is limited.  Woods v. Commissioner, 92 T.C. 776,           
          784-787 (1989); Estate of Rosenberg v. Commissioner, 73 T.C.                
          1014, 1017-1018 (1980).  This Court is limited by the exceptions            
          enumerated in section 72(t).  See, e.g., Arnold v. Commissioner,            
          111 T.C. 250, 255-256 (1998); Schoof v. Commissioner, 110 T.C. 1,           
          11 (1998).  Although we acknowledge that petitioner used his                
          distributions for entirely reasonable purposes, absent some                 
          constitutional defect we are constrained to apply the law as                






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