2000 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 428">*428 Decision will be entered under Rule 155.
MEMORANDUM OPINION
MARVEL, JUDGE: Respondent determined a deficiency in petitioner's Federal income tax of $ 13,282 and an accuracy- related penalty, pursuant to
Following concessions, 2 the issues for decision are:
(1) Whether petitioner may deduct Schedule C, Profit or Loss From Business, expenses in excess of those conceded by respondent; and
2000 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 428">*429 (2) whether petitioner is liable for the accuracy-related penalty.
BACKGROUND
Prior to trial, the parties filed a "stipulation of facts", which did little more than outline the factual disputes remaining for trial and provide to the Court various written summaries of petitioner's litigating positions, and a supplemental stipulation of facts. To the extent that the stipulations reflect agreement regarding material facts, those facts are summarized below and are found accordingly.
Petitioner resided in Henderson, Nevada, at the time he filed his petition in this case.
In March 1994, petitioner's employer, Mattel, terminated petitioner's employment. At that time, petitioner, who had more than 20 years of manufacturing experience in the toy industry, was earning a salary in excess of $ 243,000 per year. Following the termination of his employment, petitioner promptly began to look for an income source to replace his lost income. He ultimately decided to start a manufacturing consulting business, KAB Consulting, and did so in 1994. On Schedule C of his 1994 Federal income tax return, petitioner deducted expenses allegedly paid in connection with KAB Consulting.
Respondent audited2000 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 428">*430 petitioner's 1994 return and, in a notice of deficiency dated February 19, 1998, proposed adjustments disallowing all of petitioner's Schedule C deductions because petitioner failed to substantiate them. During the trial in this case, respondent modified his litigating position and conceded that the following adjustments to petitioner's Schedule C deductions were appropriate:
Claimed
Deduction per return Allowed Disallowed
_________ __________ _______ __________
Advertising $ 1,340 $ 511 $ 829
Car and truck 8,840 -0- 8,840
Depreciation &
Insurance 250 250 -0-
Legal & prof. 1,750 1,750 -0-
Office expense 200 200 -0-
Repairs 425 425 -0-
Supplies 660 660 -0-
Travel2000 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 428">*431 3,182 2,451 731
Meals & enter.
$ 4,871 x 50% 2,435 1 967 1,468
Utilities (phone) 635 635 -0-
Wages 2,340 -0- 2,340
_______ _______ _______
Total $ 32,317 $ 11,054 $ 21,263
We address each of the remaining disputed adjustments and the applicable legal principles below.
IN GENERAL
Ordinarily, a taxpayer is permitted to deduct the ordinary and necessary expenses that he pays or incurs during the taxable year in carrying on a trade or business. See2000 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 428">*432
When a taxpayer establishes that he paid or incurred a deductible expense but does not establish the amount of the deduction, we may estimate the amount allowable in some circumstances. See
For certain kinds of business expenses, such as travel, meal, and entertainment expenses, and those expenses attributable to "listed property",
Under
ADVERTISING EXPENSES
Petitioner claimed a deduction of $ 1,340 for advertising expenses on his 1994 Schedule C. At trial, petitioner contended that he was entitled to a larger deduction than that claimed on his Schedule C and presented a document entitled "Summary of 1994 Mktg. Expenses" showing total advertising expenses of $ 1,586.94.
Among the items listed on the summary were four purchases of personal clothing, totaling $ 563.71. The cost of personal clothing is not deductible, and petitioner so conceded at trial. See sec. 262;
Also included on petitioner's summary of his advertising expenses were the following items, which were paid by check:
Date Payee Amount
____ _____ ______
03/01/94 CFLL $ 50.00
03/18/94 CFLL 14.00
04/10/94 Jewish Federation 50.00
05/09/94 Or Co Register 32.09
06/08/94 Jewish Federation 75.00
08/18/94 TCB Printers 75.96
08/18/94 TCB Printers 40.00
08/22/94 Cypress High 60.00
08/22/94 City of Cypress 50.00
08/22/94 Franklin Photo 20.00
09/23/94 Landell 57.25
10/05/94 Playthings 24.00
10/05/94 CSULB2000 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 428">*435 50.00
10/05/94 City of Cypress 65.00
11/05/94 Or Co Register 29.93
11/05/94 City of Cypress 15.00
11/05/94 City of Cypress 25.00
11/05/94 City of Cypress 40.00
_______
Total $ 773.23
The parties have agreed that the above checks were issued to the named payees in the amounts stated, and respondent has conceded that petitioner is entitled to deduct advertising expenses of $ 511.
Petitioner testified that most of the expenditures were for advertisements, business cards, brochures, and trade publications. Petitioner could not recall the purpose of some of the items such as the $ 20 expenditure to Franklin Photo, the $ 57.25 expenditure to Landell School, and the multiple expenditures to the City of Cypress on November 5, 1994. Petitioner did not introduce as evidence any advertisement, business cards, or other business2000 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 428">*436 items allegedly purchased with the listed checks.
Petitioner also claimed a miscellaneous cash amount of $ 250 to cover miscellaneous amounts that he allegedly spent but could not remember or substantiate. Petitioner conceded at trial that this amount was an estimate.
On this record, we conclude that respondent's concession of $ 511 for advertising is reasonable, and we sustain respondent's adjustment to petitioner's advertising expense deduction as modified.
CAR AND TRUCK EXPENSES
On his 1994 Schedule C, petitioner claimed a deduction for car and truck expenses in the amount of $ 8,840. In connection with that deduction, petitioner stated in Part IV, Information on Your Vehicle, of his 1994 Schedule C that he placed his vehicle in service for business purposes on April 15, 1994, and that he subsequently drove the vehicle 21,500 miles, of which 15,500 were for business, 3,000 were for commuting, and 3,000 were for "other". At trial, petitioner contended that he is entitled to a larger deduction for car and truck expenses in the total amount of $ 9,981.01, as reflected on an exhibit entitled "Summary of 1994 Auto Expenses". Petitioner alleged that he drove 17,575 miles for business2000 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 428">*437 purposes and that the business use of his vehicle was summarized on an exhibit entitled "1994 Daily Log". Although petitioner admits that the entries in the daily log were not made contemporaneously, he contends that the daily log was reconstructed using contemporaneous notes that he filled out each time he traveled on business and then threw in a box. Petitioner did not introduce into evidence the notes he claims he kept in the box.
Respondent conceded on brief that petitioner used his automobile for business purposes and that he has documented business mileage of 336 miles. Respondent also conceded that petitioner substantiated the following automobile expenses:
Lease payments $ 4,521
Insurance and lic. 2,107
Oil Max 43
______
Total $ 6,671
After estimating petitioner's fuel expense, respondent conceded that petitioner is entitled to a deduction for car and truck expenses in the amount of $ 134.40.
Although we have no doubt that petitioner had more automobile expenses than those2000 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 428">*438 listed above and probably drove more business miles than respondent conceded, we agree petitioner's failure to substantiate his automobile expenses forecloses any greater deduction.
Petitioner simply did not comply with
On this record, we sustain respondent's adjustment to petitioner's car and truck expense deduction as modified.
DEPRECIATION AND
On his 1994 Schedule C, petitioner claimed total deductions for depreciation and
Date Payee Amount
____ _____ ______
Checks:
_______
0
Charges:
________
0
Items purchased in 1993:
________________________
Ken Crane 652.95
Wickes 705.00
__________
Total $ 10,725.81
The parties agree that petitioner is entitled to deduct, as
With respect to furniture purchased from Wickes totaling $ 705, the record shows that the furniture was purchased in 1993. Petitioner did not begin his consulting2000 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 428">*441 business until 1994.
Petitioner also claimed a
Petitioner also claimed a
Finally, petitioner claimed a
We sustain respondent's adjustment of petitioner's
TRAVEL EXPENSES
On his 1994 Schedule C, petitioner claimed a deduction for travel in the amount of $ 3,182. Petitioner now contends that he is entitled to a larger deduction for travel in the total amount of $ 5,433.16, as shown on an exhibit entitled "Summary of 1994 Travel Expenses". Respondent has conceded items totaling $ 2,450.54 and has disallowed the remaining items as follows:
Dog Boarding
____________
Date Description Amount
____ ___________ ______
02/02/94 Animal Inns of America $ 77.25
05/02/94 Animal Inns of America 138.75
Airfare
_______
Date Description Amount
____ ___________ ______
04/24/94 American Airlines 650.00
05/23/94 2000 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 428">*444 United Airlines 154.00
10/22/94 American Airlines 650.00
2/29/94 Southwest Airlines 1 6.00
Lodging
_______
Date Description Amount
____ ___________ ______
03/27/94 Dana Inn & Marina 128.62
04/30/94 Hillcrest Motel 53.50
12/03/94 Radisson Hotel 113.50
Meals & Golf
____________
Date Description Amount
____ ___________ ______
07/16/94 Doubletree Hotel 43.00
08/17/94 Carlton Oaks 58.00
Other Items with Receipts
_________________________
Date Description Amount
____ ___________ 2000 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 428">*445 ______
04/25/94 Bay Tree 39.00
04/29/94 Tee & Sea Resort 44.00
Passport Renewal
________________
Date Description Amount
____ ___________ ______
03/18/94 Passport Service 65.00
Traffic Fines and Towing
________________________
Date Description Amount
____ ___________ ______
07/26/94 Barstow Traffic Court 109.00
10/28/94 Car Rental 2 278.00
10/28/94 MB Towing 75.00
Miscellaneous Cash
__________________
Date Description Amount
____ ___________ ______
2000 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 428">*446 Miscellaneous 300.00
_________
Total $ 2,976.62
Petitioner is not entitled to deduct amounts spent to board his dog. See
Respondent disallowed the balance of the contested items for failure to substantiate either the payment or the business2000 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 428">*447 purpose of the payment. We agree that the items in question are subject to the strict substantiation requirements of
Petitioner claimed airfare but presented no documentation that he actually paid for the airfare. While we do not doubt that petitioner flew to the places he described, there is no credible evidence in the record to prove that petitioner paid for the airfare. Petitioner's airfare could have been paid by a third party or purchased with frequent flier mileage. On this record, we simply do not know what happened.
Likewise, petitioner had no receipts or other documentation to support his deduction of lodging, meals, and golf. These expenses also are subject to the requirements of
Although petitioner had receipts for expenditures at the Tee2000 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 428">*448 & Sea Resort and the Bay Tree, petitioner did not substantiate the nature of the expenditures or their business purpose. Petitioner claimed that the Bay Tree expense was for lodging, but this does not appear to be the case. Respondent already has conceded petitioner's lodging expenses of $ 547 for that trip. Petitioner offered no explanation for the Tee & Sea Resort expense.
We sustain respondent's adjustment to petitioner's travel expense deduction as modified.
MEALS AND ENTERTAINMENT EXPENSES
On his 1994 Schedule C, petitioner claimed a deduction for meals and entertainment in the amount of $ 2,435, calculated as follows:
Meals and entertainment $ 4,871
Less: 50% limitation of
_______
Total deduction $ 2,435
Petitioner now contends that he is entitled to a deduction for meals and entertainment of $ 1,770, calculated as follows:
Meals and entertainment $ 3,539
Less: 50% limitation of
2000 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 428">*449 _______
Total revised deduction $ 1,770
Of the revised meals and entertainment expenses claimed by petitioner, respondent conceded that petitioner has substantiated meals and entertainment expenses of $ 1,933.62 before the 50-percent limitation of
We have reviewed the record, and we agree petitioner failed to substantiate the remainder of the items claimed. The remaining items fell into two categories -- meals for which petitioner presented no documentation ($ 1,328.89) and golf expenses as to which petitioner failed to substantiate all of the elements required by
We sustain respondent's adjustment to petitioner's meals and entertainment expense deduction as modified.
WAGE EXPENSE
On his 1994 Schedule C, petitioner claimed a deduction for wages in the amount of $ 2,340. The items allegedly included in calculating the deduction were listed on an exhibit entitled "1994 Wage Expenses". Petitioner contends that he paid various people amounts from $ 30 to $ 250 for clerical and research work and for computer training.
Petitioner did not maintain any documentation regarding the alleged wage payments. Although he claimed that he made the payments in cash, he did not obtain any receipts for the payments.
The record is devoid of any credible evidence substantiating the alleged wage payments. As a businessperson, petitioner surely knew that he was required to substantiate his business deductions. Petitioner failed to offer any evidence other than his own testimony to prove that he actually made the wage payments. We are not required to accept a taxpayer's self-serving and uncorroborated testimony. See
ACCURACY-RELATED PENALTY
Respondent has proposed an accuracy-related penalty against petitioner for 1994 under
Petitioner failed to maintain adequate records to substantiate the deductions he claimed on his 1994 Schedule C. See
To reflect the foregoing,
Decision will be entered under Rule 155.
1. All section references are to the Internal Revenue Code in effect for the year in issue. All Rule references are to the Tax Court Rules of Practice and Procedure.↩
2. Respondent also proposed adjustments for a State tax refund that petitioner allegedly received and to petitioner's exemptions and itemized deductions. The parties agree that petitioner is not required to include any State tax refund in income and that the remaining adjustments are computational.↩
1. Respondent conceded that petitioner substantiated meal and entertainment expenses of $ 1,933.62. After applying the
1. Petitioner's claimed expenditure was $ 150. Respondent conceded $ 144.↩
2. Petitioner agrees that this amount was not for car rental but was for a traffic fine.↩