1980 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 200">*200
2. In computing a home office expense deduction, petitioner must allocate the rental expense on the basis of time actually so used by comparing the days of business use with the time
3. Petitioner's expenses attributable to self-employment approximated.
4. Petitioner is not entitled to a trial by jury in the Tax Court.
73 T.C. 723">*723 Respondent determined a deficiency of $ 1,253 in petitioner's 1975 Federal income tax. Due to adjustments agreed to by the parties, the only issues presented are as follows:
(1) Whether expenses1980 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 200">*202 in the amount of $ 3,577 paid by petitioner during 1975 for an education in obtaining a bachelor's degree, with a major in accounting, are allowable deductions under section 162; 1
(2) Whether petitioner should be allowed to deduct under section 162 a portion of her rent as a home office expense in excess of the amount allowed by respondent;
(3) Whether a loss claimed from petitioner's business should 73 T.C. 723">*724 be decreased for failure to prove certain expenses were ordinary and necessary, for a lack of adequate records to substantiate other expenses, and for failure to include in gross income all of the gross receipts; and
(4) Whether petitioner was entitled to a trial by jury before this Court.
FINDINGS OF FACT
Some of the facts have been stipulated. These facts, together with the exhibit attached thereto, are incorporated herein by this reference.
Petitioner Alice Pauline1980 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 200">*203 Brown filed her Federal income tax return for the taxable year 1975 with the Internal Revenue Service Center, Chamblee, Ga. Petitioner resided in Miami, Fla., at the time she filed her petition with this Court.
Since 1937, petitioner has at various times been employed as a bookkeeper and tax return preparer. Petitioner began trying to get her college degree in accounting in 1955 in order to obtain a higher paying job. She attended night divisions at two universities, with her efforts culminating in the receipt of a bachelor's degree in business administration, with a major in accounting, from the University of Miami in December of 1975. On her return, petitioner claimed an educational expense deduction in the amount of $ 3,577 2 for expenses incurred in connection with the receipt of her bachelor's degree.
During 1975, petitioner was employed full time as a medical transcriber. Additionally, 1980 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 200">*204 petitioner was self-employed, rendering services related to craft work, painting, medical and legal transcribing, and tax return preparation.
During 1975, petitioner and her mother occupied a one-bedroom apartment. Of the total area of the apartment, the parties have stipulated that one-half of the space was used as an office by petitioner for business related to her self-employment status. She claimed a home office deduction attributable to rent 73 T.C. 723">*725 in the amount of $ 930. This amount represents one-half of the annual rent paid by petitioner for her one-bedroom apartment. 3
On Schedule C of her return, petitioner deducted, and respondent allowed, the following amounts attributable to medical and legal transcribing and tax return preparation. 4
Amount | Amount | |
claimed | allowed | |
Item | by petitioner | by respondent |
Cost of goods sold | $ 530 | $ 151 |
Advertising printing | 70 | 0 |
Postage | 125 | 0 |
Dues and subscriptions | 315 | 100 |
Freight | 50 | 0 |
Dictionaries | 100 | 12 |
Miscellaneous | 150 | 0 |
1,340 | 263 |
1980 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 200">*205 The taxpayer provided no documentation to the examining agent that the amounts claimed were actually paid.
In the notice of deficiency, respondent disallowed the $ 3,577 claimed for educational expenses on the ground that this expense was incurred to meet the minimal educational requirement of being employed as a certified public accountant or alternatively that such education was part of a course of study leading to qualification for a new trade or business. Respondent also denied $ 683 of the home office expense deducted by petitioner contending that an expense allocation on the basis of time of actual use of the space as an office is required. Respondent disallowed $ 1,077 of the amount claimed by petitioner on Schedule C because she 1980 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 200">*206 failed to furnish any receipts or other documentation in support of the claimed deductions and did not prove that the expenses were ordinary and necessary for carrying on petitioner's business. Finally, based on a notebook entry by petitioner, respondent asserted that petitioner received $ 70 more in gross receipts from her trade or business in 1975 than was reported on her 1975 Federal income tax return.
73 T.C. 723">*726 OPINION
The first issue is whether the petitioner may deduct, under section 162(a), educational expenses in pursuit of a bachelor's degree with a major in accounting.
(a)
(1) Maintains or improves skills required by the individual in his employment or other trade or business.
However, this general rule does not apply if the expenditures fall within either of two specified categories. Educational expenses which 1980 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 200">*207 are incurred to meet the minimum educational requirement for qualification in a taxpayer's trade or business or which qualify the taxpayer for a new trade or business are nondeductible expenditures.
The State of Florida, which was petitioner's State of residence when she attended the University of Miami, required a bachelor's degree with a major in accounting before one could qualify to take the examination leading to a license in certified public accounting.
In applying
Petitioner's main contention is that she undertook course work 73 T.C. 723">*727 at college principally to increase her salary as an accountant and improve her skills. She argues that she may take the C.P.A. examination at some future date, but this was not her main goal in acquiring her degree. Yet, the regulations specify that educational expenditures which lead the taxpayer to qualification in a new trade or business are not deductible even though the education may maintain or improve skills required in his employment.
Accordingly, petitioner's expenditures were for education which led to her qualification in a new trade or business and are therefore nondeductible personal expenses under section 262. However, even assuming that the education did not lead to qualification in a new trade or business as a C.P.A., the educational expenditures are nondeductible because they were incurred to enable petitioner to meet the minimum educational requirements for qualification as an accountant.
During 1975 petitioner, in addition to her full-time employment as a medical transcriber, was self-employed as a tax return preparer. In prior years, she held various bookkeeping positions. Petitioner contends that she has been a self-employed accountant for many years.
We hold that a degree in accounting is a minimal educational requirement in becoming an accountant. Petitioner, herself, points to numerous employment advertisements which emphasize the significant difference between an accountant's and a bookkeeper's salary. She readily admits that she needed an 73 T.C. 723">*728 accounting degree to qualify for a higher paying job. It therefore appears that potential employers generally view a bachelor's degree in accounting as a minimal requirement for an accountant's position.
The second issue presented in this case concerns the portion of petitioner's rent which may be properly deducted as a home office expense. Petitioner argues that since one-half of the space in her apartment was used as a home office, one-half of the rent is deductible. Respondent, relying on
We believe, as respondent urges, that petitioner must prove not only what part of the residence was used for business purposes but also the portion of time it was so used.
In the instant case, petitioner was employed outside her home 40 hours a week during 1975. Additionally, petitioner 1980 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 200">*213 was a night student at the University of Miami during 1975. Considering these and other facts, we hold that one-half of the time that the apartment was in use should be allocated to the business uses of the petitioner. The parties stipulated that one-half of the space in petitioner's apartment was used as an office 6 and accordingly, one-fourth of petitioner's rental expenditure is deductible as a home office expense.
The next issue concerns the loss claimed by petitioner attributable to self-employment. 7 Respondent disallowed $ 1,077 of claimed expenses relating to cost of goods sold, advertising, postage, and other expenditures on the grounds1980 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 200">*214 that petitioner did not properly substantiate these costs, and that petitioner failed to prove that certain expenses were ordinary and necessary in carrying on her trade or business.
Petitioner presented no documentation indicating the exact nature and amount of claimed expenditures. It appears from the record that certain expenses were nondeductible personal expenses. However, based on petitioner's own testimony, we are persuaded that she did incur deductible expenses for the items noted above. Accordingly, we must decide the amount which petitioner is entitled to deduct. Bearing heavily upon the taxpayer whose inexactitude is of her own making (
Respondent determined, based on a notebook maintained by1980 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 200">*215 petitioner, that petitioner received $ 70 more in gross receipts from her trade or business during 1975 than was reported on her 1975 Federal income tax return. The taxpayer must rebut a presumption that the respondent's determination is correct.
The last issue in this case involves petitioner's contention that she was entitled, under the
Hall,
The opinion of the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit reversing us in
1. Unless otherwise indicated, all statutory references are to the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as in effect during the taxable year in issue.↩
2. This $ 3,577 was determined as follows:
Tuition | $ 2,700 |
Books and supplies | 563 |
Transportation | 314 |
3,577 |
3. Petitioner's annual rent for 1975 was $ 1,980. No reason appears in the record as to why petitioner deducted $ 930 in lieu of $ 990.↩
4. Petitioner's rental expense deducted on Schedule C has been addressed separately. Petitioner also deducted $ 841 in travel expenses which the parties, after accounting for a $ 30 reimbursement, have agreed should be allowed as a charitable contribution to the extent of $ 811.↩
5. It is noteworthy that the respondent has acquiesced in
6. The parties have apparently erred in stipulating that one-half of the area was used
7. Petitioner's claimed rental expense has been dealt with as a separate issue. The parties have reached an agreement as to travel expenses claimed by petitioner.↩