Answered step by step
Verified Expert Solution
Link Copied!

Question

1 Approved Answer

I am trying to find a way find the conclusion of the below tax scenario, and IRC code that talks about this scenario. Example attached.

I am trying to find a way find the conclusion of the below tax scenario, and IRC code that talks about this scenario. Example attached.

Josh contributes $5,000 toward the support of his widowed mother, aged 69, a U.S. citizen and resident. She earns gross income of $2,000 and spends it all for her own support. In addition, Medicare pays $3,200 of her medical expenses. she does not receive financial support from sources other than those described above. Must the Medicare payments be included in the support that Josh's mother is deemed to provide for herself?

image text in transcribedimage text in transcribed
Tax Research Memorandum Date: September 28, 201 1 To: Tax Files From: Johnny Appleseed Subject: Taxability of Gambling Gains/Losses and Business Expenses Summary of Facts Stephen Colbert is a part-time talk show host earning wages of $100,000 annually. Mr. Colbert is also a professional slot machine gambler, whose gambling activities rise to the level of a trade or business. In over 50 days of gambling in 2010, Mr. Colbert generated $102,000 in slot machine winnings and concurrently lost $1 16,000 at the slots. Mr. Colbert kept meticulous records of his gains, losses and expenses. Besides the $102,000 in gambling winnings and $1 16,000 in wagering losses, Mr. Colbert also incurred $3,000 in gambling business expenses that included supplies, travel and telephone costs. These expenses were ordinary and necessary expenses that directly related to his gambling business. Issue What is the tax treatment of Mr. Colbert's gambling business gains, losses and expenses? Law and Analysis IRC $162(a) generally allows a deduction for ..all the ordinary and necessary expenses paid or incurred during the tax year in carrying on any trade or business. However, IRC $165(d) applies to gambling losses more narrowly by specifically providing that losses from wagering transactions are only deductible to the extent of wagering gains. This serves to limit the applicability of $162(a) to the deductibility of gambling losses. In Offurt v. Commissioner, 16 TC 1214, the Tax Court held that a taxpayer's gambling losses cannot offset active wages or income from other non- gambling sources. Thus, under the limitations of $165 and Offutt, Stephen's gambling losses of $1 16,000 are deductibility only to the extent of his gambling gains of $102,000. In Mayo v. Commissioner, 136 TC No 4, the Tax Court concluded that although the gambler's losses may not offset other income, his business expenses incurred in the course of his trade were deductible under IRC $162(a). The court reasoned that while $165(d) limited gambling losses it did not define "losses from wagering transactions." The court in Mayo held that non-wagering expenses were not within the loss limitations established by $165 and reversed Offiat on this matter. In further support, the Tax Court in Mayo cited Boyd v. Commissioner, 56 AFTR 2d85- 5266, which found that the $165(d) restriction applied only to direct wagering expenses. In Boyd, the Ninth Circuit made a distinction between direct wagering losses and expenses accompanying the gambling business, making clear that peripheral expenses would not be held to the $165(d) limitation. Thus, while the losses incurred from directwagering would still be subject the limitation of gambling winnings, the expenses incurred in association with those bets would be subject to 162(a), making them deductible. Some professional gamblers have cited (iraerzinger v. Commissioner, 3% AFTR 3d 87- 532, claiming that the lmitation of 163(d) does not apply to professionals who gamble for a living, this assertion was rejected in Moo The Tax Court alluded to the Supreme Court's ruling in Groetzinger that the intent of 165(d) was to differentiate gambling losses from other business losses, even when those gambling losses were incurred as a \"means of making a lving. Conclusion Based on 165(d) of the IRC, gambling losses are lmited in deductibility to gambling winmings, Furthermore, the ruling in Mayo holds that the business expenses incurred in carrying on a gambling business are deductible separately and fully under 162(a). Thus, Mr. Colbert may deduct in full his $3 000 in gambling business expenses that were incurred in the ordinary and necessary course of business, However, the 51 16,000 mn wagering losses that Mr. Colbert suffered 15 subject to limited deductibility. Mr. Colbert miay only deduct 3102, 000 of his $116,000 of gambling losses

Step by Step Solution

There are 3 Steps involved in it

Step: 1

blur-text-image

Get Instant Access with AI-Powered Solutions

See step-by-step solutions with expert insights and AI powered tools for academic success

Step: 2

blur-text-image

Step: 3

blur-text-image

Ace Your Homework with AI

Get the answers you need in no time with our AI-driven, step-by-step assistance

Get Started

Recommended Textbook for

Principles of Economics

Authors: Robert Frank, Ben Bernanke

5th edition

73511404, 978-0073511405

Students also viewed these Law questions