Combs v. Dep't of Revenue, 14 P.3d 584 (Or. 2000). · Go Syfert
Combs v. Dep't of Revenue, 14 P.3d 584 (Or. 2000). Cases Citing This Book View Copy Cite
“when considering whether funds received by a taxpayer constitute state taxable income, this court applies pertinent administrative and judicial interpretation of the federal income tax law.”
40 citation events (40 in the last 25 years) across 4 distinct courts.
Strongest positive: In re: Dennis Raybould (bap9, 2019-03-26)
Treatment trajectory · 2001 → 2026 · click a year to view as-of
2001 2013 2026
Top citers, strongest first. 10 distinct citers. How cited ↗
discussed Cited as authority (verbatim quote) In re: Dennis Raybould
9th Cir. BAP · 2019 · signal: see also · quote attribution · 1 verbatim quote · confidence high
when considering whether funds received by a taxpayer constitute state taxable income, this court applies pertinent administrative and judicial interpretation of the federal income tax law.
examined Cited as authority (verbatim quote) Holt v. New Mexico Department of Taxation & Revenue (4×) also: Cited as authority (rule), Cited "see, e.g."
N.M. · 2002 · quote attribution · 1 verbatim quote · confidence high
federal courts repeatedly have rejected, as frivolous and without basis in the code, the argument made here by taxpayer that wages are not taxable income.
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Hays v. Dept. of Rev.
Or. T.C. · 2017 · confidence medium
The penalty is imposed regardless of the sincerity of a taxpayer’s beliefs, because such a taxpayer has “wasted the time and resources of the department and the Tax Court by asserting his frivolous position.” Combs v. Dept. of Rev., 331 Or 245, 248 (2000) (upholding frivolous appeal penalty for taxpayer who sincerely believed wages were not taxable). /// FINAL DECISION TC-MD 160180C 9 As shown above, Plaintiff in this case had no objectively reasonable basis for his position.
discussed Cited "see" Hefflinger v. Dept. of Rev. (2×)
Or. T.C. · 2024 · signal: see · confidence high
See Combs v. Dept. of Rev., 331 Or 245, 248 , 14 P3d 584 (2000) (upholding penalty where taxpayer claimed wages and unemployment compensation were not taxable income); Yanez v. Dept. of Revenue, 18 OTR 276, 282 (2005) (imposing penalty in valuation case because “taxpayers submitted no evidence and have 1 The court’s references to the Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS) are to 2021.
discussed Cited "see" Glasgow v. Department of Revenue (2×)
Or. · 2014 · signal: see · confidence high
See Combs v. Dept. of Rev., 331 Or 245, 248 , 14 P3d 584 (2000) (taxpayer’s claim that wages were not “income” under the IRC was frivolous and groundless); Clark v. Dept. of Rev., 332 Or 236, 237 , 26 P3d 821 (2001) (“Taxpayer’s views concerning the voluntary nature of the income tax system and the nontaxability of wages paid by private employers for an individual’s labor, however honestly held, are so incorrect as to render legal arguments based on them frivolous.”).
examined Cited "see" Ryan v. Department of Revenue (3×) also: Cited "see, e.g."
Or. T.C. · 2012 · signal: see · confidence high
See Combs v. Dept. of Rev. [(Combs)], 15 OTR 60, 61 (1999) aff'd, 331 Or 245 , 14 P3d 584 (2000) (holding that such a claim was „unrealistic and uninformed‟ and that „wages are clearly taxable‟); Christenson v. Dept. of Rev., 18 OTR 269, 273 (2005) (holding that such a position „is without merit‟); Clark v. Dept. of Rev., 15 OTR 197, 200 (2000), aff'd, 332 Or 236 , 26 P3d 821 (2001) (stating that such a view is „patently distorted and removed from reality‟).
examined Cited "see" Dept. of Rev. v. Faris (3×)
Or. T.C. · 2007 · signal: see · confidence high
See Combs v. Dept. of Rev. , 15 OTR 60 , 61 (1999), aff'd , 331 Or 245 , 14 P3d 584 (2000) (holding that such a claim was "unrealistic and uninformed"); Christenson v. Dept. of Rev. , 18 OTR 269 , 273 (2005) (holding that such a position "is without merit"); Clark v. Dept. of Rev. , 15 OTR 197 , 200 (2000), aff'd , 332 Or 236 , 26 P3d 821 (2001) (stating that such a view is "patently distorted and removed from reality * * *"). 4.
examined Cited "see" Negrete v. Dept. of Rev. (3×) also: Cited "see, e.g."
Or. T.C. · 2006 · signal: see · confidence high
See Combs v. Dept. of Rev. , 15 OTR 60 , 61 (1999), aff'd , 331 Or 245 , 14 P3d 584 (2000) (holding that such a claim was "unrealistic and uninformed" and that "wages are clearly taxable"); Christenson v. Dept. of Rev. , 18 OTR 269 , 273 (2005) (holding that such a position "is without merit"); Clark v. Dept. of Rev. , 15 OTR 197 , 200 (2000), aff'd , 332 Or 236 , 26 P3d 821 (2001) (stating that such a view is "patently distorted and removed from reality").
discussed Cited "see" Clark v. Department of Revenue (2×)
Or. · 2001 · signal: see · confidence high
See Combs v. Dept. of Rev., 331 Or 245 , 14 P3d 584 (2000) (holding that wages are subject to Oregon’s personal income tax and that a taxpayer’s argument to the contrary was frivolous).
discussed Cited "see, e.g." Dept. of Rev. v. Croslin
Or. T.C. · 2006 · signal: see also · confidence medium
In the first instance, damages awarded under the statute serve to punish taxpayers who waste the resources of the court and of opposing parties whether through "[s]tubborn steadfastness," "ill will," or a "defiant attitude." Combs I, 15 OTR at 62 ; see also Combs II, 331 Or at 248 (holding that damages under ORS 305.437 were warranted where the "taxpayer had *Page 79 wasted the time and resources of the department and the Tax Court by asserting his frivolous position.").
Retrieving the full opinion text from the archive…
Robert R. COMBS, Appellant,
v.
DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE, Respondent
OTC 4398; SC S46958.
Oregon Supreme Court.
Nov 9, 2000.
14 P.3d 584
Robert R. Combs, appellant pro se, filed the brief., James C. Wallace, Assistant Attorney General, Salem, filed the brief for respondent. With him on the brief was Hardy Myers, Attorney General.
Durham.
Cited by 16 opinions  |  Published
[*247] DURHAM, J.

Taxpayer appeals from a judgment of the Oregon Tax Court granting summary judgment to the Department of Revenue (department). Taxpayer did not file an Oregon personal income tax return for the year 1996, although he received $28,019 in wages and $2,408 in unemployment compensation during that year. A magistrate upheld the department’s assessment of personal income taxes against taxpayer, and taxpayer appealed to the Tax Court. The Tax Court determined that taxpayer’s position on appeal was groundless and lacked any objective reasonable basis, and awarded the department $1,200 in damages. ORS 305.437. [1] Taxpayer appealed to this court.

Taxpayer does not dispute that he received wages and unemployment compensation in 1996. He contends, however, that his wages are not subject to Oregon’s personal income tax because only “gain or profit” is taxable as income under the Internal Revenue Code, and he did not gain or profit from his labor. Taxpayer explains that, because he exchanged his labor for compensation equal to the value of that labor, he had no gain or profit and, therefore, no taxable income.

Taxpayer’s argument is incorrect. Oregon income tax law incorporates the definition of “taxable income” stated in the federal Internal Revenue Code. See ORS 316.022(6) (“ ‘Taxable income’ means the taxable income as defined in * * * the Internal Revenue Code[.]”); ORS 316.012 (“Any term used in this chapter has the same meaning as when used in a comparable context in the laws of the United States relating to federal income taxesU”). When considering whether funds received by a taxpayer constitute state taxable income, this[*248] court applies pertinent administrative and judicial interpretation of the federal income tax law. Baisch v. Dept. of Rev., 316 Or 203, 209-10, 850 P2d 1109 (1993); see also ORS 316.007 (“It is the intent of the Legislative Assembly * * * to make the Oregon personal income tax law identical in effect to the provisions of the federal Internal Revenue Code relating to the measurement of taxable income[.]”); ORS 316.032(2) (“Insofar as is practicable * * *, the department shall apply and follow the administrative and judicial interpretations of the federal income tax law.”).

Section 61(a)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code defines “gross income” to include “[cjompensation for services.” 26 USC § 61(a)(1) (1994). Federal courts repeatedly have rejected, as frivolous and without basis in the Code, the argument made here by taxpayer that wages are not taxable income. See, e.g., Sullivan v. United States, 788 F2d 813, 815 (1st Cir 1986) (“Courts uniformly have rejected as frivolous the argument[ ] that money received in compensation for labor is not taxable income * * *.”); Olson v. United States, 760 F2d 1003, 1005 (9th Cir 1985) (making-similar statement); Connor v. C.I.R., 770 F2d 17, 20 (2d Cir 1985) (same). We have discovered no federal administrative or judicial authority to the contrary.

We conclude that taxpayer’s position has no objective reasonable basis in federal or state law. Therefore, his argument is frivolous, ORS 305.437(2), and groundless, see Detrick v. Dept. of Rev., 311 Or 152, 157, 806 P2d 682 (1991) (defining “groundless,” in the context of ORS 305.437, as “devoid of factual or legal support”).

The Tax Court found that taxpayer’s belief in his argument appeared to be sincere, but that, regardless of the sincerity of his beliefs, taxpayer had wasted the time and resources of the department and the Tax Court by asserting his frivolous position. Under the circumstances presented here, ORS 305.437(1) required the Tax Court to include an award of damages to the department in its judgment. Taxpayer does not contest the amount of damages that the Tax Court awarded. Consequently, we conclude that the Tax Court’s award of damages was correct.

The judgment of the Oregon Tax Court is affirmed.

1

ORS 305.437 provides, in part:

“(1) Whenever it appears to the Oregon Tax Court that proceedings before it have been instituted or maintained by a taxpayer primarily for delay or that the taxpayer’s position in such proceeding is frivolous or groundless, damages in an amount not to exceed $5,000 shall be awarded to the Department of Revenue by the Oregon Tax Court in its judgment. * * *”
“(2) As used in this section, a taxpayer’s position is ‘frivolous’ if there was no objective reasonable basis for asserting the position.”