Richard E. Warner and Virginia A. Warner v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue

This case demonstrates that the bureaucratic way in which the Commissioner must gather revenue leaves little opportunity for ad hoc face-to-face adjustments that sometimes are made between individual debtors and creditors.

The appellants’ 1969 federal income tax return omitted certain items of income which, in fact, were reflected on proper W — 2 forms that were attached to the return. The return showed appellants entitled to a refund of $2,070.15. After a false start in which an “incorrect” refund check in the amount of $20.70 was returned by the appellants, the Commissioner, in June 1970, sent to the appellants the “proper” refund.

All remained quiet until appellants filed their 1970 income tax return. Accompanying this return was a registered letter informing the Commissioner that there “may have been” an error in the 1969 return and authorizing him to deduct any amount that may be owing from appellants’ 1970 refund. The Commissioner did not acknowledge this letter and, in due course, he sent to the appellants the full amount of their 1970 refund.

If this story could end here certainly there are some who would applaud the appellants’ Chaplinesque triumph. But it was…