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TREASURE TROVE INCLUDABLE IN INCOME WHEN FOUND.

JUL. 4, 1970

Cesarini, Ermenegildo, et ux. v. U.S.

DATED JUL. 4, 1970
DOCUMENT ATTRIBUTES
  • Case Name
    Ermenegildo CESARINI and Mary C. Cesarini, Plaintiffs-Appellants, v. UNITED STATES of America, Defendant-Appellee.
  • Court
    United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
  • Docket
    No. 19598
  • Judge
    Phillips, Chief Judge, McCree, Circuit Judge, and O'Sullivan, Senior
    Circuit Judge.
  • Cross-Reference
    Cesarini v. United States, 428 F.2d 812 (6th Cir. 1970)
  • Parallel Citation
    428 F.2d 812
    70-2 U.S. Tax Cas. (CCH) P9509
    26 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 70-5107
    1970 U.S. App. LEXIS 8177
  • Code Sections
  • Index Terms
    gross income
  • Jurisdictions
  • Language
    English
  • Tax Analysts Electronic Citation
    1995 TNT 38-65
    1970 LEX 95-523

Cesarini, Ermenegildo, et ux. v. U.S.

            UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE SIXTH CIRCUIT

 

 

                            July 14, 1970

 

 

     Affirmed.

 

 

     PER CURIAM

 

 

Plaintiffs appeal from a judgment of the District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Western Division, which denied their claim for the recovery of income tax paid in the year 1964. In that year the plaintiffs, husband and wife, paid the sum of $836.51 as the income tax due on currency in the amount of $4,467 found by them in a second -hand piano which they had purchased in the year 1957 for the sum of $15.00. Upon denial of their claim for refund, they began this suit. The facts were stipulated and are recited in the opinion of Honorable Don J. Young, reported as Cesarini v. United States, 296 F. Supp. 3 (N. D. Ohio, W.D., 1969), as follows:

"In 1957, the plaintiffs purchased a used piano at an auction sale for

 

approximately $15.00, and the piano was used by their daughter for

 

piano lessons. In 1964, while cleaning the piano, plaintiffs

 

discovered the sum of $4,467.00 in old currency, and since have

 

retained the piano instead of discarding it as previously planned.

 

Being unable to ascertain who put the money there, plaintiffs

 

exchanged the old currency for new at a bank, and reported the sum of

 

$4,467.00 on their 1964 joint income tax return as ordinary income

 

from other sources. On October 18, 1965, plaintiffs filed an amended

 

return with the District Director of Internal Revenue in Cleveland,

 

Ohio, this second return eliminating the sum of $4,467.00 from the

 

gross income computation, and requesting a refund in the amount of

 

$836.51, the amount allegedly overpaid as a result of the former

 

inclusion of $4,467.00 in the original return for the calendar year of

 

1964. On January 18, 1966, the Commissioner of Internal Revenue

 

rejected taxpayers' refund claim in its entirety, and plaintiffs filed

 

the instant action in March of 1967." 296 F. Supp. at 4.

 

 

We affirm.

Plaintiffs' contentions here, as in the District Court, are first, that the cash found in the piano was not taxable income; second, that if the cash was taxable income, it became such in the year 1957 when the piano was purchased and the statute of limitations foreclosed the assessment of tax in the year of its being found -- 1964; and third, that in all events the tax should be computed at capital gains rate.

The District Judge to whom the case was tried rejected all of these claims. We consider that his opinion, so reported at 296 F. Supp. 3, adequately discusses the facts and correctly applies relevant rules of law. We find no need to supplement it.

Judgment affirmed.

DOCUMENT ATTRIBUTES
  • Case Name
    Ermenegildo CESARINI and Mary C. Cesarini, Plaintiffs-Appellants, v. UNITED STATES of America, Defendant-Appellee.
  • Court
    United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
  • Docket
    No. 19598
  • Judge
    Phillips, Chief Judge, McCree, Circuit Judge, and O'Sullivan, Senior
    Circuit Judge.
  • Cross-Reference
    Cesarini v. United States, 428 F.2d 812 (6th Cir. 1970)
  • Parallel Citation
    428 F.2d 812
    70-2 U.S. Tax Cas. (CCH) P9509
    26 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 70-5107
    1970 U.S. App. LEXIS 8177
  • Code Sections
  • Index Terms
    gross income
  • Jurisdictions
  • Language
    English
  • Tax Analysts Electronic Citation
    1995 TNT 38-65
    1970 LEX 95-523
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