Albers v. Comm'r

2007 T.C. Memo. 144, 93 T.C.M. 1315, 2007 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 146
United States Tax Court·Decided June 7, 2007·No. No. 18440-05 ·Unpublished

Opinion

DARWIN J. ALBERS & PEGGY L. ALBERS, Petitioners v. COMMISSIONER OF INTERNAL REVENUE, Respondent
Albers v. Comm'r
No. 18440-05
United States Tax Court
T.C. Memo 2007-144; 2007 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 146; 93 T.C.M. (CCH) 1315;
June 7, 2007, Filed
*146Frank W. Bastian, for petitioners.
David S. Weiner and Frederick L. Wesner, for respondent.
Chiechi, Carolyn P.

CAROLYN P. CHIECHI

MEMORANDUM FINDINGS OF FACT AND OPINION

CHIECHI, Judge: Respondent determined a deficiency of $ 1,986 in petitioners' Federal income tax (tax) for their taxable year 2001.

We must decide whether petitioners are entitled for their taxable year 2001 to deduct under section 162(a) the $ 8,216 claimed for "Employee benefit programs" in Schedule F, Profit or Loss From Farming (petitioners' 2001 Schedule F), included as part of their tax return for that year. We hold that they are not.

FINDINGS OF FACT

All of the facts in this case, which the parties submitted under Rule 122, 1 have been stipulated by the parties and are so found except as stated below.

Petitioners, who at all relevant times had two*147 children, resided in Sioux Falls, South Dakota (Sioux Falls), at the time they filed the petition in this case.

At all relevant times, petitioner Darwin J. Albers (Mr. Albers) owned and operated a grain farm (farming business) near Sioux Falls.

On a date not disclosed by the record, Mr. Albers and petitioner Peggy L. Albers (Ms. Albers) signed a two-page preprinted form entitled "WRITTEN EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT" (Ms. Albers's employment agreement). 2 Ms. Albers's employment agreement provided in pertinent part:

THIS AGREEMENT, made by and between Peggy Albers (hereinafter "Employee"), and Darwin Albers (hereinafter "Employer"):

WHEREAS, Employee is, and has been, performing services as an Employee for the Employer, and

WHEREAS, Employer agrees to compensate Employee for such services, and

WHEREAS, Employer is engaged in the business of farming, (i.e. farming, carpentry, insurance sales, etc.) and

WHEREAS, The parties wish to formalize in writing their contractual relationship as Employer and Employee,

WHEREAS, This agreement is to remain in effect as long as each party abides to said agreement,

NOW THEREFORE, The parties do hereby agree and contract*148 to the following:

1. Services of Employee

Employee shall, at the direction of the Employer, perform the following services for the Employer:

hauling grain (Truck) Drive Tractor grain cart. getting parts. Hauling water for spraying, fuel, picking * * * etc. approx 20 hrs week

(e.g. bookkeeping; accounts payable services, business errands, preparation of meals for help, phone services, field work, clerical and/or retail services and other usual and customary services to the business.) Define these services. Changes in required services will be communicated by the Employer to the Employee through the course of employment.

2. Compensation

Employer agrees to establish and pay named Employee $ 10.00 per hour per $ 10.00 (i.e. monthly, hourly, etc.) compensation for services performed. Compensation is subject to change upon the Employer's discretion.

3. Benefits

In addition to the above compensation, the Employer agrees to provide: certain benefits according to the terms and provisions of an established plan outlined in Plan Summary.

* * * *

IMPORTANT NOTICE:

The Written Employment Agreement included in your packet is a*149 Sample of the type of agreement that can be used between the employer and the employee (spouse).

A Written Employment Agreement can be used to further solidify the formal working relationship between the employer and the employee (spouse). However, the ability for a sole proprietor farmer or business owner to take advantage of AgriPlan or BizPlan does not rely upon this written agreement as long as an Employer/Employee relationship exists. [Reproduced literally.]

During 2001, the year at issue, Mr. Albers employed Ms. Albers to, and she did, perform services for his farming business as provided in Ms. Albers's employment agreement. 3 During that year, Mr. Albers paid Ms. Albers monthly cash wages of $ 100 for those services, from which he withheld Social Security tax and Medicare tax totaling $ 7.65.

*150 During 2001, Ms. Albers was also employed (1) in surgical tech training by Sioux Fall School District 49-5 at Southeast Vocational Technical School and (2) as a nurse assistant by Plastic Surgery Associates (Plastic Surgery Associates) of South Dakota, Ltd. During 2001, Plastic Surgery Associates provided health insurance to Ms. Albers that covered her but not Mr. Albers or their children.

On December 21, 1995, Mr. Albers signed a preprinted form that was an authorization to provide a medical reimbursement plan under AgriPlan through AgriBiz. The preprinted form on which that authorization appeared stated in pertinent part:

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Albers v. Comm'r, 2007 T.C. Memo. 144, 93 T.C.M. 1315, 2007 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 146 (tax 2007).

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