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Smith v. Commissioner, Tax Ct. Dkt. No. 27712-96 (1998)

Court: United States Tax Court Number: Tax Ct. Dkt. No. 27712-96 Visitors: 3
Judges: PARR
Attorneys: Thomas G. Schleier , for Respondent. Kern S. Smith and Soledad D. Smith, pro sese.
Filed: Mar. 03, 1998
Latest Update: Dec. 05, 2020
Summary: T.C. Memo. 1998-91 UNITED STATES TAX COURT KERN S. AND SOLEDAD D. SMITH, Petitioners v. COMMISSIONER OF INTERNAL REVENUE, Respondent Docket No. 27712-96. Filed March 3, 1998. Kern S. Smith and Soledad D. Smith, pro sese. Thomas G. Schleier, for Respondent. MEMORANDUM OPINION PARR, Judge: Respondent determined a deficiency in petitioners' Federal income tax for the taxable year 1993 in the amount of $60,448, an addition to tax of $15,113 under section 6651(a)(1), and a penalty of $12,090 under se
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KERN S. AND SOLEDAD D. SMITH, Petitioners v. COMMISSIONER OF INTERNAL REVENUE, Respondent
Smith v. Commissioner
Tax Ct. Dkt. No. 27712-96
United States Tax Court
T.C. Memo 1998-91; 1998 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 93; 75 T.C.M. 1921;
March 3, 1998, Filed

1998 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 93">*93 Decision will be entered under Rule 155.

Thomas G. Schleier, for Respondent.
Kern S. Smith and Soledad D. Smith, pro sese.
PARR, JUDGE.

PARR

MEMORANDUM OPINION

PARR, JUDGE: Respondent determined a deficiency in petitioners' Federal income tax for the taxable year 1993 in the amount of $60,448, an addition to tax of $15,113 under section 6651(a)(1), and a penalty of $12,090 under section 6662(a). All section references are to the Internal Revenue Code in effect for the taxable year in issue, and all Rule references are to the Tax Court Rules of Practice and Procedure, unless otherwise indicated.

After a concession, 1 the issues for decision are as follows:

(1) Whether petitioners are entitled to previously unclaimed Schedule C deductions in excess of the amount conceded by respondent. We find they are not.

(2) Whether petitioners are liable for an addition to tax pursuant to section 6651 for late filing. We hold they are.

(3) Whether petitioners are liable for a penalty pursuant to 1998 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 93">*94 d2section 6662 for negligence. We hold they are.

1998 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 93">*95 Certain automatic adjustments will be required in the calculation of self-employment tax and related items of a computational nature flowing from our findings.

Some of the facts have been stipulated and are so found. The stipulated facts and accompanying exhibits are incorporated into our findings by this reference. When they filed their petition herein, petitioners resided in Oakland, California.

Petitioners filed their individual Federal income tax return for 1993 on October 13, 1995. The return was due on April 15, 1994. Petitioners had neither sought nor been granted an extension of time in which to file.

Petitioners reported wages of $4,558 consisting of $950 paid to Mrs. Soledad Smith (Mrs. Smith) by Heritage Flamingo Apartments and $3,608.26 paid to Mr. Smith (petitioner) by Alameda Newspapers, Inc. On line 12 (business income) of Form 1040, petitioners reported $16,147. They did not attach a Schedule C as required, nor did they claim any deductions or cost of goods sold.

Petitioner also received nonemployee compensation from the Alameda Newspaper Group in the amount of $183,585 during 1993, which petitioners failed to report. Neither did they deduct1998 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 93">*96 any expenses connected with this sum.

A statutory notice of deficiency was sent to petitioners on October 1, 1996. On June 26, 1997, they attempted to file an amended income tax return, Form 1040X, on which they reported the $183,585 and claimed deductions totaling $178,636.

Although requested to do so, petitioners did not meet with respondent or present any substantiation for the claimed deductions until January 26, 1998, 6 days before the beginning of the trial session on which this case was scheduled. The Court's standing pre- trial order (which was served on petitioners by the Court on August 26, 1997, and a copy of which respondent had sent them when requesting an earlier meeting) stated: "Any documents or materials which a party expects to utilize in the event of trial * * *, but which are not stipulated, shall be identified in writing and exchanged by the parties at least 15 days before the first day of the trial session." No such documents were shown to respondent within the allotted time, and the Court ruled that they were inadmissible at trial. Nevertheless, in the interest of fairness respondent's agent did consider petitioners' documents and conceded deductions1998 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 93">*97 totaling $114,394, as follows:

Schedule COn 1040XAllowed
Advertising$ 4,271$ 5,579
Car and truck12,9729,040
Depreciation1,0880
Insurance283283
Legal & prof.3,4413,441
Office exp.1,2441,244
Other business prop.5,7500
Supplies5,7363,625
Taxes and license835835
Meals & ent.9191
Utilities811811
Answering service1,8900
Bank charges224224
Consulting1,5001,500
Demos/training8181
Dues/pubs.7575
Equinox16,0090
Management fees5,9700
Misc.310310
Newspaper10,8130
Postage471471
Printing781781
Sales promotion1,0111,011
Telephone6,2926,477
Carriers96,68778,515
Totals$ 178,636$ 114,394

Respondent's determinations in the statutory notice of deficiency are presumed correct, and petitioners bear the burden of proving otherwise. Rule 142(a); Welch v. Helvering, 290 U.S. 111">290 U.S. 111, 290 U.S. 111">115 (1933). Section 61(a) includes in gross income all income from whatever source derived, including gross income derived from business. Sec. 61(a)(2).

Petitioners have shown, and respondent has conceded, that they are entitled to deduct $114,394 in business expenses, and we1998 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 93">*98 so find.

Section 6651(a)(1) imposes an addition to tax for failure to file a timely return, unless the taxpayer establishes: (1) The failure did not result from willful neglect, and (2) the failure was due to reasonable cause. Petitioners did not offer any reason for the late filing of their return. Therefore, respondent's determination is sustained.

Next we consider whether petitioners are liable for a negligence penalty under section 6662(a). The penalty amounts to 20 percent of the portion of the underpayment attributable to negligence. Respondent determined that the entire underpayment is due to negligence. We agree.

"Negligence" includes any failure to make a reasonable attempt to comply with the Internal Revenue Code. Sec. 6662(c).

Petitioner failed to report $183,585 in income. In response to a question from the Court, he testified that he was trying to operate his business out of a trust in order to avoid taxes, but that he "did not do it correctly". He apparently believed that merely by designating his business income as "trust" income he would not have to report it. Petitioner did not file a trust return, nor did either petitioner consult an accountant or an attorney1998 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 93">*99 to determine whether the $183,585 should be reported. In short, petitioners did not do what a reasonable and ordinarily prudent person would do under the circumstances. Neely v. Commissioner, 85 T.C. 934">85 T.C. 934, 85 T.C. 934">947 (1985). Moreover, though instructed on line 12 of Form 1040 to do so, petitioners did not file a Schedule C, even as to the business income of $16,147 which they did report. We find that petitioners are liable for the negligence penalty.

To reflect the foregoing,

Decision will be entered under Rule 155.


Footnotes

  • 1. Petitioners conceded that Mr. Kern Smith (petitioner) received $183,585 as self-employment income which petitioners failed to report. Respondent conceded petitioners are entitled to deduct $114,394 in previously unclaimed deductions.

Source:  CourtListener

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