GUSTAVO A. GELPI, District Judge.
This case involves an attempt to collect unpaid federal income taxes assessed between December 2006, and July 2011. (Docket No. 1 at 1-2). The United States of America ("Plaintiff" or "Government"), commenced this action under 26 U.S.C. § 7402(a), to reduce to judgment the tax assessments made against GZ Construction ST, Inc. ("Defendant" or "GZ Construction").
The Court states the facts in the light most favorable to Defendant.
GZ Construction is a corporation with its principal offices in Puerto Rico. (Docket No. 1 ¶ 2). A delegate of the Secretary of Treasury properly and timely assessed GZ Construction's federal tax liabilities on nine different occasions between 2006 and 2012.
The individual assessments occurred as follows:
On December 4, 2006, the Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") assessed against GZ Construction $20,827 for unpaid employment taxes for the period ending September 30, 2006. (Docket Nos. 44-1 at 2; 44-20 ¶ 3). As of June 12, 2017, the balance due on the employment tax assessment for that period was $29,897. (Docket Nos. 44-10 at 1; 44-20 ¶ 12).
On March 12, 2007, the IRS assessed against GZ Construction $27,209 for unpaid employment taxes for the period ending December 31, 2006. (Docket Nos. 44-2 at 2; 44-20 ¶ 4). As of June 12, 2017, the balance due on the employment tax assessment for that period was $38,106. (Docket Nos. 44-11 at 1; 44-20 ¶ 13).
On June 25, 2007, the IRS assessed against GZ Construction $23,256 for unpaid employment taxes for the period ending March 31, 2007. (Docket Nos. 44-3 at 2; 44-20 ¶ 5). As of June 12, 2017, the balance due on the employment tax assessment for that period was $32,357. (Docket Nos. 44-12 at 1; 44-20 ¶ 14).
On September 10, 2007, the IRS assessed against GZ Construction $21,737 for unpaid employment taxes for the period ending June 30, 2007. (Docket Nos. 44-4 at 2; 44-20 ¶ 6). As of June 12, 2017, the balance due on the employment tax assessment for that period was $29,464. (Docket Nos. 44-13 at 1; 44-20 ¶ 15).
On March 30, 2009, the IRS assessed against GZ Construction $4,701 for unpaid employment taxes for the period ending December 31, 2007. (Docket Nos. 44-5 at 2; 44-20 ¶ 7). As of June 12, 2017, the balance due on the employment tax assessment for that period was $7,157. (Docket Nos. 44-14 at 1; 44-20 ¶ 16).
On March 7, 2011, the IRS assessed against GZ Construction $3,730 for unpaid employment taxes for the period ending March 31, 2010. (Docket Nos. 44-6 at 2; 44-20 ¶ 8). As of June 12, 2017, the balance due on the employment tax assessment for that period was $7,575. (Docket Nos. 44-15 at 1; 44-20 ¶ 17).
On March 6, 2006, the IRS assessed against GZ Construction $2,005 for unpaid unemployment taxes for the 2005 tax year. (Docket Nos. 44-7 at 2; 44-20 ¶ 9). As of June 12, 2017, the balance due on the unemployment tax assessment for that tax year was $1,265. (Docket Nos. 44-16 at 1; 44-20 ¶ 18).
On March 22, 2010, the IRS assessed against GZ Construction $1,677 for unpaid unemployment taxes for the 2009 tax year. (Docket Nos. 44-8 at 2; 44-20 ¶ 10). On April 2, 2012, the IRS made an additional tax assessment of $11,318 for unpaid unemployment taxes for the 2009 tax year.
On July 11, 2011, the IRS assessed against GZ Construction $1,511 for unpaid unemployment taxes for the 2010 tax year. (Docket Nos. 44-9 at 2; 44-20 ¶ 11). As of June 12, 2017, the balance due on the unemployment tax assessment for that tax year was $318. (Docket Nos. 44-18 at 1; 44-20 ¶ 20).
In sum, as of June 12, 2017, GZ Construction's total liability was $165,461, plus statutory interest, penalties, and fees for collection costs that still continue to accrue to this day. Based on GZ Construction's failure to remit full payment, the Government initiated suit on January 14, 2015, and moved for summary judgment on June 5, 2017. (Docket Nos. 1; 44). For its part, GZ Construction did not respond to the Government's motion for summary judgment and has explicitly stated that it does not contest the assessment of any outstanding tax liability. (Docket Nos. 38 at 1; 44-19 ¶ 4).
Summary judgment is appropriate when "the pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories, and admissions on file, together with the affidavits, if any, show that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and that the moving party is entitled to a judgment as a matter of law."
The moving party bears the initial burden of demonstrating the lack of evidence to support the non-moving party's case.
When considering a motion for summary judgment, the Court must view the evidence in the light most favorable to the nonmoving party and give that party the benefit of any and all reasonable inferences.
A defendant's failure to respond to a motion for summary judgment means that the Court may consider the motion to be unopposed.
It is well established that IRS tax assessments are presumptively correct.
The Government argues that because its timely assessments against GZ Construction are presumptively correct and GZ Construction has not disproved its liability for the assessed taxes, summary judgment should be granted and the assessments reduced to judgment. (Docket No. 44-24 at 3). GZ Construction does not contest its liability and states that it "consents to the entry of judgment against it for the outstanding tax liability alleged in the complaint." (Docket No. 38 at 1).
For each claimed tax assessment, the Government provided a Form 4340 with a Form 23C date as evidence that the tax assessment was, in fact, made. (Docket Nos. 44-1-44-9). These certificates are "presumptive proof of a valid assessment," and GZ Construction has not offered any evidence to show — or indeed, even argued — that they are not liable.
For the reasons stated above, the Government's motion for summary judgment at Docket No. 44 is hereby