Clark's Estate v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue, 136

Decision Date16 March 1949
Docket NumberNo. 136,Docket 21153.,136
PartiesCLARK'S ESTATE v. COMMISSIONER OF INTERNAL REVENUE.
CourtU.S. Court of Appeals — Second Circuit

Frank E. Barnett, of New York City (Clark, Carr & Ellis, Paul A. Crouch and Arthur W. Bradley, all of New York City of counsel), for petitioner.

Theron Lamar Caudle, of Washington, D. C. (Ellis N. Slack, A. F. Prescott and Fred E. Youngman, all of Washington, D. C., of counsel), for respondent.

Before AUGUSTUS N. HAND, CHASE and FRANK, Circuit Judges.

FRANK, Circuit Judge.

The question here is whether the Commissioner's notice of deficiency, timely mailed by registered mail, was adequate notice given within the three-year period of limitation. 26 U.S.C.A. § 874. The taxpayer asserts that, despite the fact that the notice was mailed to the New York address of the Executrix as stated in her estate tax return, filed October 22, 1942, that address must be disregarded because she subsequently advised the Commissioner that she had moved to Boston, Massachusetts.

She relies on the following: (1) Her personal income tax returns for 1943, 1944 and 1945 stated her residence as 142 Chestnut Street, Boston, Mass. (2) In a letter of September 28, 1943, to the Commissioner, referring to a gift tax on a gift made by her as an individual, she explicitly asked him to note this new Boston address. (3) This Boston address appeared on the letter-head of a letter she sent on November 5, 1943, to an Internal Revenue Agent in New York with reference to this same personal gift tax. (4) In an affidavit filed by her on February 19, 1944, in connection with the estate tax, she stated that she resided at that Boston address. (5) A letter of July 23, 1945, from a firm of New York lawyers, representing her as Executrix, to the New York office of the Estate Tax Section of the Bureau of Internal Revenue, requested an extension of time to file a protest to an Internal Revenue Agent's report on the estate tax return; this letter stated that the request for extension was "occasioned by the fact that the preparation of the protest had been delayed" in part "because Miss Clark now resides in Boston, Massachusetts." (6) This protest, filed in August, 1945, stated that address, as did also a power of attorney of the same date to certain persons to represent her as Executrix in the estate tax proceedings.

We think none of the foregoing was sufficient to inform the Commissioner that a notice of deficiency to her as executrix...

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18 cases
  • Cohen v. United States
    • United States
    • U.S. Court of Appeals — Ninth Circuit
    • January 12, 1962
    ...Pfeffer v. Commissioner, 2 Cir., 1959, 272 F.2d 383; cf. Williams v. United States, 6 Cir., 1959, 264 F.2d 227; see Clark's Estate v. Commissioner, 2 Cir., 1949, 173 F.2d 13; Gregory v. United States, 1944, 102 Ct.Cl. 642, 57 F.Supp. 962. (Gregory is criticized in our decision in Maxfield v......
  • Alta Sierra Vista, Inc. v. Comm'r of Internal Revenue
    • United States
    • U.S. Tax Court
    • June 24, 1974
    ...informed as to his proper address. Cohen v. United States, 297 F.2d 760, 773 (C.A. 9), certiorari denied 369 U.S. 865; Clark's Estate v. Commissioner, 173 F.2d 13, 14 (C.A. 2), affirming 10 T.C. 1107; Gregory v. United States, 57 F.Supp. 962, 973 (Ct.Cl.); Culver M. Budlong, 58 T.C. 850, 85......
  • Lifter v. Comm'r of Internal Revenue
    • United States
    • U.S. Tax Court
    • March 12, 1973
    ...the respondent reasonably believes the taxpayer wishes to have the respondent use in sending mail to him. Clark's Estate v. Commissioner, 173 F.2d 13 (C.A. 2, 1949); see also Sorrentino v. Ross, 425, F.2d 213, 215 (C.A. 5, 1970). Because the petitioners used a variety of addresses, they cre......
  • Berger v. CIR
    • United States
    • U.S. Court of Appeals — Third Circuit
    • November 29, 1968
    ...address where the Commissioner reasonably believes the taxpayer wished to be reached". 384 F.2d 929, 932, citing Clark's Estate v. Commissioner, 173 F.2d 13 (2 Cir. 1949). In Delman we pointed out that the Service was faced with two "equally suitable" addresses. Cf., D'Andrea v. Commissione......
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