97-1306

INCOME

Signed 11/10/97

 

 

BEFORE THE UTAH STATE TAX COMMISSION

____________________________________

 

PETITIONER, )

:

Petitioners, ) ORDER

:

v. ) Appeal No. 97-1306

:

AUDITING DIVISION OF THE ) Account No. #####

UTAH STATE TAX COMMISSION, :

)

Respondent. : Tax Type: Income

_____________________________________

 

 

STATEMENT OF CASE

This matter came before the Utah State Tax Commission for an Initial Hearing pursuant to the provisions of Utah Code Ann. '59-1-502.5, on October 7, 1997. Jane Phan, Administrative Law Judge, heard the matter for and on behalf of the Commission. Present and representing Petitioners was PETITIONERS REP.. Present and representing Respondent were Frank Hales and Brent Taylor. The matter had originally been scheduled for a Status Conference on October 7, 1997. However, upon the approval of the parties the Status Conference was converted to the Initial Hearing in this matter.


This appeal concerns Respondent's denial of Petitioners claim for the disabled exemption for the years 1994 and 1995. Respondent denied the exemption on the grounds that the person for whom it was claimed, PETITIONER, was the secondary taxpayer and not a dependent on the return. The representative for Petitioner argued that the forms TC-40 and TC-40D were inconsistent with the statute and appeared to allow the exemption for any adult with a qualifying disability.

APPLICABLE LAW

The Utah Legislature has provided for an additional exemption for dependents with disabilities. Utah Code Ann. '59-10-114 (2)(f) provides as follows:

75% of the amount of the personal exemption, as defined and calculated in the Internal Revenue Code, for each dependent child with a disability and adult with a disability who is claimed as a dependent on a taxpayer's return.

DECISION AND ORDER

The statute is clear that the exemption is allowed for adults with disabilities who are claimed as dependents on the return. The statutes have legal precedence over the forms. However, in this case the forms TC-40 and TC-40D are not inconsistent with the statute, the forms are merely silent on the issue of whether the disabled adult need be claimed as a dependent, which is clearly required when read in conjunction with the statute.

Based on the foregoing the audit assessment against Petitioners is sustained.


This decision does not limit a party's right to a Formal Hearing. However, this Decision and Order will become the Final Decision and Order of the Commission unless any party to this case files a written request within thirty (30) days of the date of this decision to proceed to a Formal Hearing. Such a request shall be mailed to the address listed below and must include the Petitioner's name, address, and appeal number:

Utah State Tax Commission

Appeals Division

210 North 1950 West

Salt Lake City, Utah 84134

Failure to request a Formal Hearing will preclude any further appeal rights in this matter.

DATED this 10 day of NOVEMBER, 1997.

BY ORDER OF THE UTAH STATE TAX COMMISSION.

 

_____________________

Jane Phan

Administrative Law Judge

 

The agency has reviewed this case and the undersigned concur in this decision.

DATED this 10 day of NOVEMBER, 1997.

BY ORDER OF THE UTAH STATE TAX COMMISSION.

W. Val Oveson Richard B. McKeown

Chairman Commissioner

 

Joe B. Pacheco Pam Hendrickson

Commissioner Commissioner

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