PURSUANT TO
An appropriate order will be issued granting respondent's motion, and decision will be entered for respondent.
RUWE,
At the time the petition was filed, petitioner resided in New York.
Petitioner timely filed her 2008 Federal income tax return. Respondent examined petitioner's return and determined that her tax liability was greater than the liability reported on her return. On July 19, 2010, respondent issued a notice of deficiency to petitioner. Petitioner did not petition the Court with respect to the deficiency. On December 6, 2010, respondent assessed the additional taxes and interest.
Respondent sent petitioner a Letter 1058, Final Notice of Intent to Levy and Notice of Your Right to a Hearing, dated September 26, 2011, advising her that respondent intended to levy to collect the unpaid tax liability for the taxable year 2008 and that she could request a hearing with respondent's Office of Appeals. Petitioner submitted a timely Form 12153, Request for a Collection Due Process or Equivalent Hearing, in which she requested a collection alternative because she could not pay the balance. On Form 12153 petitioner also stated that she received a refund of the earned income credit that respondent taxed as "investment income". By letter dated December 29, 2011, respondent's settlement 2013 Tax Ct. Summary LEXIS 24">*26 officer acknowledged receipt of petitioner's collection due process (CDP) hearing request and scheduled a telephone conference call for January 26, 2012. In the letter the settlement officer requested that petitioner provide a completed Form 433-A, Collection Information Statement for Wage Earners and Self-Employed Individuals, so that she could make a decision regarding petitioner's request for a collection alternative.
Petitioner did not call the settlement officer on January 26, 2012. By letter dated January 26, 2012, the settlement officer informed petitioner that she had not called the settlement officer for the scheduled CDP hearing. The letter stated that petitioner had not provided the requested financial information and that she would have 14 days to provide the information. Petitioner called the settlement officer on February 1, 2012, and left a voice mail message stating that she "is already dealing with someone." On February 2, 2012, the settlement officer returned petitioner's telephone call and left a voice mail message requesting a return call. Petitioner did not contact the settlement officer after February 2, 2012, and never provided the settlement officer with a completed 2013 Tax Ct. Summary LEXIS 24">*27 Form 433-A.
Respondent issued petitioner a Notice of Determination Concerning Collection Action(s) Under Section 6320 and/or 6330, dated February 27, 2012, sustaining the levy action. Petitioner timely filed a petition with this Court.
Summary judgment is intended to expedite litigation and to avoid unnecessary and expensive trials.
Section 6331(a) provides that if any person liable to pay any tax neglects or refuses to pay such tax within 10 days after notice and demand for payment, then the Secretary is authorized to collect such tax by levy upon the person's property. Section 6331(d) provides that, at least 30 days before enforcing collection by way of a levy on the person's property, the Secretary is obliged to provide the person with a final 2013 Tax Ct. Summary LEXIS 24">*29 notice of intent to levy, including notice of the administrative appeals available to the person. If a taxpayer requests a CDP hearing, she may raise at that hearing any relevant issue relating to the unpaid tax or proposed levy. Sec. 6330(c)(2). Relevant issues include possible alternative means of collection. Sec. 6330(c)(2)(A)(iii).
If a taxpayer's underlying liability is properly at issue, the Court reviews any determination regarding the underlying liability de novo.
The Court reviews administrative determinations by the Commissioner's Office of Appeals regarding nonliability issues for abuse of discretion.
Generally, 2013 Tax Ct. Summary LEXIS 24">*31 it is not an abuse of discretion for the settlement officer to deny a taxpayer's request for a collection alternative when the taxpayer does not provide collection information requested by the settlement officer.
To reflect the foregoing,
1. Unless otherwise indicated, all section references are to the Internal Revenue Code in effect at all relevant times, and all Rule references are to the Tax Court Rules of Practice and Procedure.↩
2. By order dated November 29, 2012, the Court directed petitioner to file a response on or before January 14, 2013. No response was filed by petitioner.
3. By failing to respond to the assertions in the motion, petitioner waived her right to contest them.
4. Also, pursuant to sec. 6330(c)(2)(B) a person may not raise the underlying liability if she received a notice of deficiency. Petitioner has never claimed that she did not receive the notice of deficiency.↩