Decision will be entered for respondent.
THORNTON,
After reviewing the record in this case and the report of the Chief Special Trial Judge, we adopt the recommended findings of fact and conclusions of law of Chief Special Trial Judge Panuthos as the report of the Court.
Respondent determined deficiencies, additions to tax, and penalties for petitioner's 2005, 2006, and 2007 Federal income tax in the following amounts:
Additon to tax | Penalty | ||
Year | Deficiency | ||
2005 | $630 | $100.00 | — |
2006 | 65,463 | 8,858.25 | $7,092.60 |
2007 | 12,714 | 3,178.50 | 2,542.80 |
The issues for decision are: (1) whether petitioner received unreported income for 2005, 2006, and 2007; (2) whether petitioner is entitled to business 2012 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 148">*149 expense deductions in excess of those respondent allowed for 2006 and 2007; (3) whether petitioner is liable for a
Some of the facts have been stipulated and are so found. The stipulation of facts, the supplemental stipulation of facts, and the attached exhibits are incorporated herein by this reference. Petitioner resided in Florida when she filed her petition.
Petitioner moved to Florida from Colorado in 1998. In December 2005 she opened Alex's Family Restaurant and operated it as a sole proprietorship throughout 2006 and 2007. Petitioner owned and operated Sea Breeze Restaurant as a sole proprietorship from March through October 2006. She also operated and was the sole shareholder of Jasmine West, LLC, during 2006 and through June 2007. Petitioner maintained a bank account for each business as well as multiple personal bank accounts. 2 She employed a bookkeeper in 2006 for her businesses but did not otherwise maintain books for the businesses. 3 She often borrowed funds from one business to pay the expenses of another business. 2012 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 148">*150 Petitioner's other sources of funds for the businesses included proceeds from the sale of real estate and personal loans from friends.
Petitioner did not timely file her Federal income tax return for 2005, 2006, or 2007. A representative of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) contacted petitioner in 2008 and informed her of her filing requirement. Petitioner thereafter filed delinquent returns. 42012 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 148">*151
The IRS requested petitioner's business records to verify her income. She provided to the IRS check registers for some of the bank accounts and some bank records. The IRS thereafter requested from the bank petitioner's complete bank records. The IRS reviewed petitioner's business and personal bank accounts and performed a bank deposits analysis. The IRS examiner discussed the various entries with petitioner and accepted her characterization of many of the deposits she could identify. Petitioner failed to provide complete records to substantiate business expenses or nontaxable items and was unable to identify all of the deposits listed in the bank records.
On March 3, 2009, respondent issued to petitioner a notice of deficiency for 2005, 2006, and 2007. Using a bank deposits analysis, respondent determined that petitioner had omitted income as follows:
2005 | 2006 | 2007 | |
Total deposits | $244,564.54 | $265,311.95 | $146,171.64 |
Nontaxable items | (119,490.00) | (40,275.49)(11,347.62) | |
Net deposits | |||
(gross receipts) | 125,074.54 | 225,036.46 | 134,824.02 |
Amounts reported | |||
as gross receipts | 113,482.53 | 73,909.00 | 85,222.00 |
Adjustment | 11,592.01 | 151,127.46 | 49,602.02 |
Respondent 2012 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 148">*152 also determined an addition to tax for delinquent filing of returns and a negligence penalty. On April 20, 2009, petitioner filed a petition disputing the determinations in the notice of deficiency.
In general, the Commissioner's determination set forth in a notice of deficiency is presumed correct, and the taxpayer bears the burden of showing that the determination is in error.
Taxpayers are required to maintain adequate books and records which reflect income in 2012 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 148">*153 order to substantiate claimed tax deductions and to produce those records to the IRS when requested.
One of the indirect methods of reconstructing income is the bank deposits method. "The use of the bank deposit[s] method for computing income has long been sanctioned by the courts."
The bank deposits method of reconstruction assumes that all of the deposits into a taxpayer's account are taxable income unless the taxpayer can show that the deposits are not taxable.
The record reflects that petitioner conducted more than one business activity during the years in issue. The record also reflects that petitioner either failed to keep adequate books and records or failed 2012 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 148">*155 to provide them during the examination of her returns. As a result, respondent used the bank deposits method to determine gross receipts and business expenses.
During the examination and reconstruction petitioner met with the IRS examiner to identify various deposits and their nature as loans, proceeds from sale of real estate, and other items. Although the examiner accepted the characterizations of many entries in the bank records as petitioner proposed, petitioner was unable to identify all of the deposits. As a result, the examiner concluded that petitioner neither included all of the gross receipts on her returns nor substantiated all of her claimed business expenses for 2005, 2006, and 2007.
At trial petitioner did not assert that any of the deposits characterized as income were nontaxable items. She presented some very generalized testimony that her businesses did not make money. She did not provide any documents to the Court to support a finding that any of the deposits were nontaxable items. Therefore, we find that petitioner had unreported income for 2005, 2006, and 2007 in the amounts respondent determined.
Deductions are a matter of legislative grace. 2012 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 148">*156
A review of this record was made exceedingly difficult as the tax return information did not align with the adjustments in the notice of deficiency. Although respondent apparently allowed some Schedule C business expense deductions and disallowed others, the notice of deficiency did not clearly identify these items, nor did respondent offer a clear explanation in his trial memorandum 2012 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 148">*158 or at trial. On the other hand, petitioner failed to present any documentary evidence or testimony that would suggest that she is entitled to additional Schedule C business expense deductions. The record reflects that petitioner owned and operated several businesses during the years in issue and likely incurred business expenses. However, petitioner relies on her very general statement that she did not make a large profit. Without evidence of the nature or amounts of expenses, we have no basis upon which to allow additional Schedule C business expense deductions.
Respondent has satisfied his burden of production under
Reasonable cause is a defense to the
Petitioner alleges that she did not file her returns because she believed she did not make enough combined profit in her businesses to be required to file a return. When the IRS contacted petitioner in 2008, the agent informed her that she was required to file tax returns. Petitioner thereafter hired a return preparer and filed delinquent returns for 2005, 2006, and 2007. Petitioner gave no other reason for her failure to file the 2005, 2006, and 2007 2012 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 148">*160 returns. Petitioner's mistaken belief does not constitute reasonable cause for failure to timely file her returns.
We conclude that petitioner has not shown her failure to timely file returns was due to reasonable cause. Therefore, we find that petitioner is liable for the
Taxpayers may be liable for a 20% penalty on the portion of an underpayment of tax attributable to negligence, disregard of rules or regulations, or a substantial understatement of income tax.
The term "negligence" in
A taxpayer may avoid the application of an accuracy-related penalty by proving she acted with reasonable cause and in good faith.
Respondent has met his burden of production under
We conclude that petitioner is liable for the
To reflect 2012 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 148">*163 the foregoing,
1. The Court initially granted petitioner's request that the case be conducted as a small tax case. At the commencement of trial the Court noted that the deficiency including the addition to tax and penalty for 2006 exceeded $50,000. As a result the Court concluded that the case did not qualify for small tax case treatment. See sec. 7463(a), (e). The Court directed that the small tax case designation be removed and that the proceeding not be conducted under small tax case procedures. See Rule 171(c). Unless otherwise indicated, all section references are to the Internal Revenue Code (Code) in effect at all relevant times, and all Rule references are to the Tax Court Rules of Practice and Procedure.↩
2. The record reflects that petitioner maintained one bank account for Alex's Family Restaurant, one for Sea Breeze Restaurant, one for Jasmine West, LLC, under the name of "Barbara West D/B/A Zorba's", and two personal bank accounts.↩
3. The record does not reflect the scope of the bookkeeper's responsibilities. Petitioner did not provide any books or records at trial.↩
4. Petitioner filed a 2005 Form 1040EZ, Income Tax Return for Single and Joint Filers With No Dependents, and a 2007 Form 1040, U.S. Individual Income Tax Return, on June 13, 2008. Petitioner also filed a 2006 Form 1040 on August 28, 2008, and a 2006 Form 1120S, U.S. Income Tax Return for an S Corporation, on August 29, 2008. It appears petitioner also submitted at least one amended return to the IRS examiner. The 2005 return attached as an exhibit to the stipulations does not include a Schedule C, Profit or Loss From Business, or any business income.