1967 (5) TMI 72 - DSC - Income Tax

Court rules author not liable for income tax on book rights gifted to father. Tax on actual receipts only.

Mason (Inspector of Taxes) Versus Innes

The court dismissed the Crown's appeal, ruling that the taxpayer, an author, was not liable for income tax on the value of rights in a book assigned to ... - Issues Involved:1. Taxability of profits not received.2. Applicability of Sharkey v. Wernher to professional activities.3. Appropriateness of 'cash basis' accounting for authors.4. Definition of 'stock-in-trade' in professional contexts.5. Impact of gifts on tax liability in the context of professional activities.Detailed Analysis:1. Taxability of Profits Not Received:The primary issue was whether the taxpayer, an author, could be taxed on the value of rights in a book ('The Doomed Oasis') he assigned to his father as a gift. The taxpayer argued that it was improper to assess him for income tax on profits he did not make, citing the principle that 'a man cannot be taxed on profits that he might have, but has not, made.' The court upheld this principle, emphasizing that the taxpayer did not receive any monetary gain from the assignment and thus should not be taxed on the market value of the rights.2. Applicability of Sharkey v. Wernher to Professional Activities:The Crown contended that the principle from Sharkey v. Wernher, which requires traders to account for the market value of stock-in-trade appropriated for personal use, should apply to the taxpayer's professional activities. The court disagreed, stating that Sharkey v. Wernher is confined to traders with stock-in-trade and does not extend to professional men like authors. The court noted that applying this principle to professional men would lead to absurd results, such as taxing an artist for the value of a painting given to a relative.3. Appropriateness of 'Cash Basis' Accounting for Authors:The taxpayer maintained his accounts on a 'cash basis,' recording actual receipts and expenditures without accounting for debts or work-in-progress. The court supported this method, noting that professional men typically use a cash basis due to the impracticality of valuing their work-in-progress or stock-in-trade. The court rejected the Crown's argument that tax liability should not depend on the accounting method used.4. Definition of 'Stock-in-Trade' in Professional Contexts:The court clarified that the rights in the book 'The Doomed Oasis' did not constitute stock-in-trade. The taxpayer's activities in producing the book were part of his professional work as an author, but the rights themselves were not stock-in-trade. The court emphasized that the principle from Sharkey v. Wernher, which applies to stock-in-trade, does not extend to professional assets like copyrights.5. Impact of Gifts on Tax Liability in the Context of Professional Activities:The court considered whether the assignment of the book's rights as a gift to the taxpayer's father should be treated as a taxable event. The court concluded that gifts made in the course of professional activities do not result in taxable receipts. The court highlighted that if the legislature intended to tax such gifts, it would have included provisions to that effect in the tax laws, as it did for other specific scenarios.Conclusion:The court dismissed the Crown's appeal, affirming that the taxpayer was not liable for income tax on the value of the rights in 'The Doomed Oasis' assigned to his father. The court upheld the principles that professional men are taxed on actual receipts, not potential profits, and that the rules for traders' stock-in-trade do not apply to professional assets. The judgment emphasized the distinction between professional activities and trading activities in the context of tax liability.