1980 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 107">*107
74 T.C. 651">*651 OPINION
Petitioner Jorj Judd (Jorj) is a cosmetologist. On March 29, 1979, respondent mailed a statutory notice asserting a deficiency in petitioners' 1976 joint tax return of $ 1,317. Part of the deficiency related to $ 2,300 in unreported tips allegedly received by Jorj during the course of her 1976 employment. None of the $ 1,317 deficiency was attributable to the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) tax owing on the alleged unreported tip income. 1 Respondent separately calculated the FICA tax resulting from the underreported tip income using Form 885-T (Adjustment of Employment Tax on Unreported Tip Income). Also reflect on that form was the 50-percent penalty assessable under
1980 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 107">*111 On April 23, 1979, respondent mailed a "Statement of Adjustment" to petitioners indicating that they owed $ 173.49 for the FICA tax, the
On June 25, 1979, petitioners filed a petition with the Court in which they disputed each of respondent's adjustments giving rise to the $ 1,317 alleged income tax deficiency. 3 As part of their petition, petitioners also claimed respondent erred in (1) using the "exorbitant amount of $ 2,300.00 of tip income" in computing the penalty assessed under
Petitioners failed to file a timely objection to respondent's motion, and on February 22, 1980, an order granting the motion was entered. 4 Subsequently, on March 21, 1980, petitioners filed 74 T.C. 651">*653 a "Motion to Vacate Order of Dismissal." On April 22, 1980, petitioners presented their argument at a hearing held in Phoenix, Ariz.
1980 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 107">*113 The main thrust of petitioners' argument is best conveyed by a question they posed to the Court: "How can there be a
The United States Tax Court has limited jurisdiction. See sec. 7442. Under this jurisdictional umbrella fall generally income, estate, gift, and miscellaneous excise taxes which are subject to the deficiency notice requirements of sections 6212(a) and 6213(a). 5 Here we are dealing with a penalty imposed by
To reflect the foregoing,
1. Jorj had previously reported tip income of $ 480 for purposes of the FICA tax; however, she did not include the $ 480 or any other amount of tip income on the 1976 joint income tax return. Respondent determined her correct tip income for 1976 was $ 2,300.↩
2. All statutory references are to the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 as in effect during the year in issue.
(c) Failure To Report Tips. -- In the case of failure by an employee to report to his employer on the date and in the manner prescribed therefor any amount of tips required to be so reported by section 6053(a) which are wages (as defined in section 3121(a)) or which are compensation (as defined in section 3231(e)), unless it is shown that such failure is due to reasonable cause and not due to willful neglect, there shall be paid by the employee, in addition to the tax imposed by section 3101 or section 3201 (as the case may be) with respect to the amount of tips which he so failed to report, an amount equal to 50 percent of such tax.↩
3. At the time they filed their petition, petitioners were residents of Mesa, Ariz.↩
4. The effect of granting respondent's motion was to delete the reference to
5. See