Decision will be entered under
FOLEY,
Petitioner is a software engineer. He developed software and licensed it to NuParadigm Government Systems, Inc. (NPGS), and NPS Systems, Inc. (NPS), two information systems companies to which he provided technical advice and strategic direction. NPGS and NPS provided services to government clients and corporate clients. During the year in issue, petitioner, age 51, was the chief executive officer and owned 48.3% of NPGS. In addition, petitioner 2012 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 218">*219 owned 49.2% of NPS and was president, secretary, and sole member of its board of directors. NPGS and NPS had paid-in capital of $853,528 and $8,405,043 respectively. NPGS had more than 20 employees, who collectively received annual salaries in excess of $1.5 million. In 2005 and 2006 NPS paid petitioner $147,612 of compensation and NPGS paid petitioner no compensation. Petitioner, on his 2006 Federal income tax return, reported adjusted gross income of $271,028 and a tax liability of $58,493.
In late 2006 the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) entered into a contract (DHS contract) with Sandia Corp. (Sandia) 2 to assist with the development of national alert warning system software. 3 The DHS contract provided that Sandia could not begin any task before receiving authorization from DHS. In 2007 Sandia entered into a subcontract (Sandia subcontract) with NPGS to assist with the DHS contract. 4 The Sandia subcontract provided that NPGS could not begin any task before receiving authorization from Sandia.
To 2012 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 218">*220 prepare for a demonstration to DHS, NPGS and NPS (collectively, companies) incurred approximately $4 million of development costs. In 2007, to ameliorate cashflow problems, petitioner transferred $434,933 5 to the companies from his IRA (i.e., $120,000, $168,000, $100,000, and $46,933 on February 15, April 9, May 14, and July 6, respectively). 6 In addition, petitioner executed interest-bearing promissory notes relating to the $168,000, $100,000, and $46,933 transfers. Pursuant to the notes, the companies were required to repay petitioner upon demand. On April 30, 2007, the IRA trustee received and deposited into petitioner's account a $120,000 NPGS check dated and mailed on April 16, 2007. Petitioner solicited Tim Swank, a private investor, for additional funds. Mr. Swank required, and petitioner agreed, to subordinate his repayment rights. Thereafter, Mr. Swank lent $500,000 to NPGS (Swank loan). The Swank loan was documented by an interest-bearing promissory note dated October 5, 2007. This note provided for monthly interest payments and was payable in full upon demand. NPGS, on its Federal income tax return relating to the taxable year ending October 31, 2007, reported $814,933 2012 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 218">*221 7 of long-term notes payable.
In December 2007, Sandia, upon receiving notification that DHS would not authorize additional work, instructed NPGS to cease operations. In response, on December 13, 2007, petitioner by email demanded that the companies repay the funds transferred from his IRA. Mike Pourney, the president of NPGS and authorized representative of NPS, refused petitioner's demand and insisted that the companies could not repay. At the time of petitioner's demand, NPGS anticipated receipt of $180,000 for tasks that had been authorized and performed. NPGS also anticipated receipt of approximately $200,000 from an unrelated contract.
The companies' financial statements for the year ending December 31, 2007, delineated only one note payable (i.e., the Swank loan). After 2007 petitioner and Mr. Swank met regularly to review the financial records 2012 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 218">*222 and discuss the status of NPGS. During this time petitioner received no salary from the companies and NPGS repaid $40,000 to Mr. Swank.
In February 2010 respondent prepared a substitute for return (SFR) relating to petitioner's 2007 tax year and on May 10, 2010, sent petitioner a statutory notice of deficiency. Respondent determined that petitioner had a tax liability relating to: wage income of $149,216; a $434,964 early withdrawal from an IRA; and his failure to file a tax return, timely pay tax, and pay estimated income tax. On August 5, 2010, petitioner, while residing in St. Louis, Missouri, filed his petition with the Court.
In August 2010, after filing his petition, petitioner filed his Federal income tax return relating to 2007. On his return, which included a Schedule C, Profit or Loss From Business, petitioner reported a bad debt deduction of $413,156, wage income of $149,217, a retirement distribution of $434,964, and a 10% additional tax of $31,996.
Amounts distributed from an IRA are includible in gross income unless an exception applies.
We must also determine whether the $413,156 claimed on Schedule C is deductible as a bad debt related to petitioner's trade or business. Nonbusiness bad 2012 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 218">*224 debts are not deductible and are treated as short-term capital losses.
Petitioner's transfers from his IRA to the companies were bona fide loans arising from a debtor-creditor relationship. Each transfer was structured as, and intended to be, a loan.
We must next determine 2012 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 218">*225 whether and when the aforementioned loans became worthless.
Petitioner's investment in and management of the companies do not amount to a trade or business.
Respondent also determined that petitioner is liable for a
Respondent further determined that petitioner is liable for a
Contentions we have not addressed are irrelevant, moot, or meritless.
To reflect the foregoing,
1. Unless otherwise indicated, all section references are to the Internal Revenue Code in effect for the year in issue, and all Rule references are to the Tax Court Rules of Practice and Procedure.↩
2. Sandia was a federally funded research and development center operated by the U.S. Department of Energy.↩
3. NPGS was also a party to this contract.↩
4. NPS was a subcontractor to NPGS.↩
5. In 2007 petitioner withdrew a total of $434,964 from his IRA.↩
6. Petitioner previously transferred $107,506 to NPS on June 6, 2006, which was documented by an interest-bearing promissory note.↩
7. This amount included the $168,000 note from petitioner to NPS, the $100,000 and $46,933 notes from petitioner to NPGS, and the $500,000 Swank loan.↩
8. Pursuant to