2003 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 293">*293 Respondent's determination was sustained.
MEMORANDUM OPINION
POWELL, Special Trial Judge: Respondent determined a deficiency of $ 7,416 and an accuracy-related penalty under
2003 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 293">*294 Background
Petitioner was employed with Sparks-Piper Exhibits & Environments, Inc. (Sparks-Piper) until September of 1999 when he started employment with Czarnowski Display Services, Inc. (Czarnowski). Petitioner remained an employee of Czarnowski for the remainder of the 1999 taxable year. Petitioner purchased various business items for Czarnowski, and was reimbursed for those amounts. During 1999, Czarnowski issued 14 payments to petitioner: 10 payments of $ 1,500 each and the remaining four payments were in the amounts of $ 4,600, $ 2,500, $ 2,838.18, and $ 1,875.95.
Sparks-Piper reported petitioner's wages of $ 51,217 on Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement. Czarnowski reported nonemployee compensation paid to petitioner of $ 26,814 on Form 1099-MISC, Miscellaneous Income. Czarnowski submitted the Form 1099-MISC to respondent; petitioner, however, alleges that he did not receive the Form 1099-MISC. Petitioner, in preparing his 1999 Federal income tax return, reported the $ 51,217 of wages from Sparks-Piper, but he failed to report the $ 26,814 of compensation received from Czarnowski.
Discussion
2003 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 293">*295 Unreported Income
Petitioner asserts that he is not liable for the tax on the compensation received from Czarnowski because he did not receive the Form 1099-MISC.
Alternatively, petitioner argues that $ 4,403 of the compensation represents the sale of assets to Czarnowski. The amount received less the adjusted bases in the assets would still be income to petitioner. See
Accuracy-Related Penalty
A taxpayer is relieved of the accuracy-related penalty "if it is shown that there was a reasonable2003 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 293">*297 cause * * * and that the taxpayer acted in good faith".
Petitioner argues that he had reasonable cause for the failure to report the compensation from Czarnowski because he did not receive the Form 1099-MISC, the receipt of which would have "notified him of the believed inaccuracy and afforded him the opportunity to act in accordance with such." Petitioner held two jobs in 1999, but he reported only the wages he received from Sparks- Piper. Petitioner did not need to receive a Form 1099-MISC to be alerted to the fact2003 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 293">*298 that he received compensation from Czarnowski for his services.
Alternatively, petitioner claims there is substantial authority that he was an employee, and not an independent contractor, of Czarnowski.
To reflect the foregoing and the concessions of the parties,
Decision will be entered under
1. Unless otherwise indicated, section references are to the Internal Revenue Code in effect for the year in issue, and Rule references are to the Tax Court Rules of Practice and Procedure.↩
2. In the notice of deficiency, respondent asserts that petitioner received, but did not report, $ 26,814 of nonemployee compensation and $ 550 of unemployment compensation. Petitioner concedes that he is liable for the tax on $ 17,214 of compensation, and the parties concede that petitioner is liable for the tax on $ 100 of unemployment compensation. Respondent concedes that petitioner was an employee of Czarnowski, and of the $ 26,814 petitioner received, $ 5,197 represents reimbursement for employee business expenses. Thus, the amount of compensation in dispute is $ 4,403.↩
3.
4. It is unclear whether, after respondent's concessions, a substantial understatement of income remains. We leave this issue for resolution in the
5. Respondent has satisfied his burden of production under