In 1921, respondent filed its income tax return for 1920, disclosing tax liability of $52,481.97 which it paid in full. Thereafter, and prior to June 15, 1926, it executed a waiver extending until December 31, 1926, the time for audit and possible additional assessment of taxes. On July 26, 1926, respondent paid a deficiency assessment of $1,362.50. Almost three years later, on March 23, 1929, respondent filed a claim for refund of $53,844.47, the entire amount of taxes paid for 1920.
The Commissioner found that respondent had overpaid its 1920 taxes in the sum of $14,833.68. In October, 1929, he sent respondent a certificate of overassessment which noted that there had been an overpayment in that amount but that $13,471.18 was 'barred by statute of limitations'. Accompanying the certificate was a check for the difference, $1,362.50, which respondent apparently accepted. In thus computing the refund owing to respondent, the Commissioner assumed that subsections (b)(1), (b)(2), and (g) of § 284 of the Revenue Act of 1926, 44 Stat. 9, 66, 67, 26 U.S.C.A. Int.Rev.Acts, pages 220, 222, authorized him to remit only that part of the 1920 tax which was paid in 1926.
On March 7, 1932, respondent brought the present action in a United States District Court to recover the sum withheld. At the close of the trial, petitioner moved for judgment on the ground that the action was barred by § 1113(a) of the Revenue Act of 1926, 44 Stat. 9, 116, 26 U.S.C.A. Int.Rev.Acts, page 324. The District Court granted the motion and entered judgment for petitioner. 30 F.Supp. 722. The Circuit Court of Appeals reversed, one judge dissenting, holding that the general six-year limitation in § 24(20) of the Judicial Code, 28 U.S.C. § 41(20), 28 U.S.C.A. § 41(20) rather than the limitations in § 1113(a) determined the timeliness of respondent's action. 3 Cir., 97 F.2 387.
The cause was returned to the District Court. Over the renewed contention of petitioner that the action was barred by § 1113(a), the District Court proceeded to the merits. It held, in effect, that § 284(b)(2) did not limit the refund sanctioned by § 284(g) to the portion of the tax paid within four years of respondent's claim, and entered judgment as prayed in the complaint. 30 F.Supp. 724. The Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed, accepting as the law of the case its earlier decision that the action was timely, despite petitioner's argument to the contrary. 3 Cir., 117 F.2d 133. On April 14, 1941, we granted certiorari. 313 U.S. 552, 61 S.Ct. 843, 85 L.Ed. --.
Relying principally on Bonwit-Teller & Co. v. United States, 283 U.S. 258, 51 S.Ct. 395, 75 L.Ed. 1018, respondent maintains that its action was commenced well within the applicable period of limitation. Further, respondent contends that both courts below correctly refused to regard § 284(b)(2) as a limitation on the Commissioner's duty to make refunds under § 284(g). We find it unnecessary to examine the latter contention, for we are of opinion that respondent sued too late.
Insofar as material here, § 1113(a) provides: '* * * No (suit or proceeding for the recovery of any internal-revenue tax alleged to have been erroneously or illegally assessed or collected) shall be begun * * * after the expiration of five years from the date of the payment of such tax * * * unless such suit or proceeding is begun within two years after the disallowance of the part of such claim to which such suit or proceeding relates.'
Undoubtedly, respondent has failed to begin its action within either of the periods specified in § 1113(a). See A. S. Kreider Co. v. United States, 3 Cir., 97 F.2d 387, 388. The suit was not instituted until March 7, 1932, although the last tax payment was made on July 26, 1926, and the claim for refund was disallowed in October, 1929. But as already stated, the court below held that the action was not barred because the Tucker Act (24 Stat. 505), later incorporated in § 24(20) of the Judicial Code, rather than § 1113(a) prescribed the period within which respondent was bound to bring suit. We view the statutes differently.
Section 24(20) gives the district courts jurisdiction concurrent with the court of claims of certain suits against the United States. To equate the right thus conferred to the existing right to sue in the court of claims (see 28 U.S.C. § 262, 28 U.S.C.A. § 262), the statute provides: 'No suit against the Government of the United States shall be allowed under this paragraph unless the same shall have been brought within six years after the right accrued for which the claim is made.'