Espinosa v. Commissioner

107 T.C. No. 9, 107 T.C. 146, 1996 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 40
United States Tax Court·Decided September 24, 1996·No. Docket No. 8900-94.·Published·Cited by 13 cases

Opinion

Dawson, Judge:

This case was assigned to Special Trial Judge Carleton D. Powell pursuant to section 7443A(b)(3) and Rules 180, 181, and 182.1 The Court agrees with and adopts the opinion of the Special Trial Judge that is set forth below.

OPINION OF THE SPECIAL TRIAL JUDGE

Powell, Special Trial Judge:

Respondent determined deficiencies in petitioner’s Federal income taxes and additions to tax as follows:

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At the time of filing the petition, petitioner resided in Mexico.

The issues are: (1) Whether section 874(a) prevents petitioner, who submitted a return after respondent prepared substitute returns but before respondent issued a notice of deficiency, from receiving the benefit of deductions otherwise allowable under subtitle A of the Internal Revenue Code, and (2) whether petitioner is liable for additions to tax pursuant to sections 6651(a)(1) and 6654.

FINDINGS OF FACT

The facts have been fully stipulated, and they are summarized below.

Guillermo Baez Espinosa (petitioner) was a nonresident alien individual during the taxable years 1987 through 1991. Petitioner owned two rental properties located in Austin, Texas (the Austin property), and Ruidoso, New Mexico (the Ruidoso property). The properties produced gross rental income during the years in issue in the following amounts:

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When the expenses of producing the rental income including depreciation deductions are taken into account, each property produced an annual loss. Petitioner sold the Ruidoso property on February 1, 1990, for $13,000, incurring a loss on the sale in the amount of $13,315.2

Petitioner was required to file a Federal income tax return for each of the years in issue and does not contend otherwise. Sec. 1.6012-l(b)(l)(i), Income Tax Regs. For petitioner’s taxable years 1987 through 1991, his Federal income tax returns were due on June 15 of the year following the close of the taxable year. Sec. 6072(c). As of November 13, 1992, petitioner had not filed any Federal income tax returns for the years in issue. On that date, respondent mailed a letter to petitioner asking him if he had filed returns and, if he had not, instructing him to file returns or otherwise respond. That letter also stated that, if petitioner did not respond by December 1, 1992, respondent would file substitute returns for him. Petitioner did not respond, and on January 12, 1993, respondent again wrote petitioner with the same request, adding that, if there was no response within 20 days, “your tax liability [will be determined] based on the information we have.” Again petitioner did not respond. On February 3, 1993, respondent notified petitioner that respondent had filed substitute returns for the taxable years 1987 through 1991. On March 23, 1993, respondent informed petitioner that the substitute returns were computed without the benefit of any deductions.

On October 7, 1993, petitioner submitted Federal income tax returns for all the years in issue. The returns reflected the net losses from the rental properties described above. Each return contained an election pursuant to section 871(d), to treat the rental income as if it was effectively connected with a trade or business within the United States.

On January 13, 1994, respondent issued a notice of deficiency to petitioner for the taxable years 1987 through 1991. In the notice of deficiency, respondent determined that petitioner was liable for deficiencies and additions to tax in the above-listed amounts. Respondent treated petitioner’s income as effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business, but determined that petitioner was not entitled to the benefit of any deductions pursuant to section 874(a). For each year in issue, respondent further determined that petitioner is liable for additions to tax for failure to file tax returns pursuant to section 6651(a)(1) and for failure to pay estimated tax pursuant to section 6654.

OPINION

Section 874(a)

In order to understand the primary issue it is useful to briefly explore the taxation of rental income of nonresident alien individuals under the Internal Revenue Code. Under section 871(a)(1)(A) the “amount” from rents received by a nonresident alien individual that is not effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States is taxed at a 30-percent rate. This 30-percent rate is imposed on gross rental income. See sec. 1.871-7(a)(3), Income Tax Regs. A nonresident alien individual engaged in a trade or business within the United States is taxed on “taxable income” effectively connected with that trade or business at the graduated rates of tax (graduated rates) applicable to U.S. residents enumerated in section 1. Sec. 871(b)(1). “Taxable income” means gross income reduced by allowable deductions. Secs. 3(d), 63(a). In determining taxable income, generally, deductions “shall be allowed * * * only if and to the extent that they are connected with income which is effectively connected with the conduct fof a trade or business within the United States”. Sec. 873(a). Thus, there may be a dramatic difference in the tax treatment of rental income depending on whether the income is effectively connected with a trade or business. If the income is effectively connected with a trade or business, deductions are allowed (unless barred by sec. 874, as discussed infra) and the graduated tax rates in section 1 apply. If the income is not effectively connected with a trade or business, no deductions are allowed, and the gross rental income is taxed at a 30-percent rate.

Because of the uncertainties in determining whether a rental activity constitutes a trade or business, Congress has provided an election under section 871(d). See S. Rept. 1707, 89th Cong., 2d Sess. (1966), 1966-2 C.B. 1055, 1076-1077. Section 871(d)(1) provides that a nonresident alien individual who derives any income from real property located in the United States may elect to treat all such income as though it were effectively connected with a trade or business within the United States. Under the regulations, an election under section 871(d) is made by “filing with the income tax return required under section 6012 and the regulations thereunder * * * a statement to the effect that the election is being made.” Sec. 1.871-10(d)(l)(ii), Income Tax Regs. Respondent has treated petitioner’s rental income as effectively connected with a trade or business within the United States, and there is no question before the Court as to whether petitioner’s election is valid.

With these provisions in mind we now turn to section 874(a) which, in pertinent part, provides:

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Espinosa v. Commissioner, 107 T.C. No. 9, 107 T.C. 146, 1996 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 40 (tax 1996).

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