Decision will be entered under
GUY,
Respondent determined that petitioner is liable for a Federal income tax deficiency of $8,917 for the taxable year 2013. Petitioner filed a timely petition for redetermination with the Court pursuant to
After numerous concessions,2 the sole question remaining to be decided is whether petitioner is entitled to a deduction of $20,000 claimed on Schedule C, Profit or Loss From Business.
Petitioner operates an architecture/construction business known as North Coast Packaged Homes (NCPH). In October 2008 petitioner borrowed $22,000 from an individual lender to provide operating funds for NCPH. The promissory note underlying the loan did not establish a repayment schedule, and interest on the loan was fixed at $100. Petitioner2017 Tax Ct. Summary LEXIS 81">*82 did not include the proceeds of the loan in income. In 2013 petitioner transferred $20,000 to the lender to repay loan principal.
Petitioner filed a Federal income tax return for 2013 and attached thereto a Schedule C for NCPH, reporting gross receipts of $140,552 and claiming deductions for various business expenses including $24,000 for "Business Loan Repayment". Respondent determined that petitioner is not entitled to a deduction of $20,000 in connection with the repayment of loan principal.4 Petitioner maintains that she is entitled to the claimed deduction.
As a general rule, the Commissioner's determination of a taxpayer's liability in a notice of deficiency is presumed correct, and the taxpayer bears the burden of proving that the determination is incorrect.
Under certain circumstances, the burden of proof with respect to relevant factual issues may shift to the Commissioner under
In 2008 petitioner borrowed $22,000 to provide operating funds for NCPH. She repaid $20,000 of the loan principal in 2013.
A taxpayer is not entitled to a deduction for repayment of loan principal because loan proceeds are not taxable income when they are received.
To reflect the foregoing,
1. Unless otherwise indicated, section references are to the Internal Revenue Code, as amended and in effect for 2013, and Rule references are to the Tax Court Rules of Practice and Procedure.↩
2. The parties' concessions are set forth in a comprehensive stipulation of settled issues filed September 26, 2017.↩
3. Some of the facts have been stipulated and are so found.↩
4. Because petitioner had substantiated that she paid $4,000 for website services in 2013, respondent agreed that she was entitled to deduct $4,000 of the $24,000 amount that she had characterized as "Business Loan Repayment" on Schedule C.↩