John Marshall Harlan II,
Automobile Club of Michigan v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue…
“ Under § 41 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1939, [4] the income of the taxpayer is to be determined 'in accordance with the method of accounting regularly employed in keeping the (taxpayer's) books,' unless 'the method employed does not clearly reflect' the taxpayer's income. Under § 42, [5] items of gross income need not be reported in the taxable year in which received by the taxpayer if, 'under methods of accounting permitted under section 41, any such amounts are to be properly accounted for as of a different period.' And it is clear that accrual methods of accounting may be employed. ”
