2000 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 90">*90 Decision will be entered under Rule 155 in docket No. 10398-98 and decision will be entered for respondent in docket No. 16155-98, and a penalty will be awarded to the United States under
MEMORANDUM OPINION
PAJAK, Special Trial Judge: Respondent determined deficiencies in petitioner's Federal income taxes, additions to taxes, and penalties in the following amounts:
Additions to tax Penalty
Year Deficiency
____ __________ _______________ _________ ____________
1994 $ 5,352 - - $ 1,070
1995 7,822 - $ 424 1,564
1996 12,497 $ 3,124 665 -
Unless otherwise indicated, section references are to the Internal Revenue Code in effect for the years in issue, and all Rule references are to the Tax Court Rules of Practice and Procedure.
After a concession by respondent, this Court must decide: (1) Whether wages, rental2000 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 90">*91 income, interest, and individual retirement account distributions received by petitioner are taxable; (2) whether petitioner is liable for the addition to tax under
For clarity and simplicity, we have combined the findings of fact and conclusions of law. Some of the facts in this case have been stipulated and are so found. Petitioner resided in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, at the time he filed his petitions in this consolidated case.
Petitioner was employed as an engineer during 1994 and 1995. He received wages as compensation for the services he provided as an engineer2000 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 90">*92 in the amounts of $ 34,775 and $ 42,106 in 1994 and 1995, respectively. Petitioner received rental income of $ 9,250 and $ 10,500 in 1994 and 1995, respectively. In 1994 and 1995, petitioner received interest income of $ 125 and $ 144, respectively. In 1996, petitioner received $ 284 of interest income from two different sources, $ 34,936 as a distribution from an individual retirement account (IRA) held by National Financial Services Co., and $ 8,933 as a distribution from an IRA held by Charles Schwab and Co., Inc. Petitioner had not reached the age of 59-1/2 as of December 31, 1996, nor was he disabled as of this date.
Petitioner timely filed his 1994 and 1995 tax returns. In an attachment to the 1994 return, petitioner stated: "The wages I earned as reflected on my W-2 form are nontaxable personal property." The attachment also contained other typical tax protester arguments. The 1995 return contained a similar attachment. In 1994, $ 4,777 in Federal income tax was withheld from petitioner's wages. There is no evidence that tax was withheld in 1995. Yet, on both returns, petitioner claimed refunds of $ 4,777. Petitioner did not file a 1996 tax return.
Respondent determined that2000 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 90">*93 petitioner had tax liabilities for all 3 years in the amounts of the deficiencies listed above, together with the additions to tax and penalties. Respondent's determinations in the statutory notices of deficiency are presumed correct, and petitioner bears the burden to disprove the determinations.
Petitioner first argues that the statutory notices of deficiency were not authentic. At trial, we found that all requirements of the notice of deficiency had been satisfied for all 3 years. Petitioner next argued: "when I read the statutes and the regulations, I do not find in them where there is a tax on the wages, that's payable by me. It's conceivable there could be a tax payable by somebody else, but it's not payable by me." Petitioner makes tax protester arguments that have been repeatedly rejected by this Court and others as inapplicable or without merit.
Suffice it to say that petitioner is not exempt from having to pay Federal income taxes.
We next consider whether petitioner is liable for the
We now decide whether petitioner is liable for an addition to tax pursuant to
Petitioner admitted that he did not file a tax return for 1996, and he did not provide any reason for his failure to file. Because petitioner presented no reasonable cause for his failure to file, we sustain respondent's determination of the addition to tax under
Because the 1995 tax return was timely filed, we do not have jurisdiction over the
We now consider whether petitioner is liable for the addition to tax under
Clearly, by purposely not paying his taxes, petitioner has not behaved as a reasonable and prudent person. Petitioner has shown an intentional disregard of the rules and regulations. We uphold the imposition of the accuracy-related penalties under
We grant respondent's motion for a penalty under
Petitioner has pursued a frivolous and groundless position throughout this proceeding. At the beginning of this trial, petitioner was clearly warned that if he proceeded with the arguments contained in2000 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 90">*98 his written submission, then he would be subject to penalties. Petitioner knew or should have known that his position was groundless and frivolous, yet he persisted in maintaining this proceeding primarily to impede the proper workings of our judicial system and to delay the payment of his Federal income tax liabilities. Accordingly, a penalty is awarded to the United States under
To the extent we have not addressed petitioner's arguments, we have considered them and find them to be without merit.
Decision will be entered under Rule 155 in docket No. 10398-98 and decision will be entered for respondent in docket No. 16155-98, and a penalty will be awarded to the United States under