Garcia v. Commissioner

1994 T.C. Memo. 12, 67 T.C.M. 1950, 1994 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 6, 73 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 419
CourtUnited States Tax Court
DecidedJanuary 10, 1994
DocketDocket No. 27112-92
StatusUnpublished

This text of 1994 T.C. Memo. 12 (Garcia v. Commissioner) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Tax Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Garcia v. Commissioner, 1994 T.C. Memo. 12, 67 T.C.M. 1950, 1994 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 6, 73 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 419 (tax 1994).

Opinion

RUBEN AND MARIA E. GARCIA, Petitioners v. COMMISSIONER OF INTERNAL REVENUE, Respondent
Garcia v. Commissioner
Docket No. 27112-92
United States Tax Court
T.C. Memo 1994-12; 1994 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 6; 67 T.C.M. (CCH) 1950; 73 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 419;
January 10, 1994, Filed
*6 For petitioners: Heriberto Medrano.
For respondent: Derek B. Matta.
PARR

PARR

MEMORANDUM OPINION

PARR, Judge: This matter is before the Court on respondent's motion for partial summary judgment filed November 12, 1993, pursuant to Rule 121(c). 1 In her notice of deficiency, respondent determined a deficiency of $ 23,652 in petitioners' Federal income tax for 1988. Respondent also determined that petitioner Ruben Garcia was liable for the addition to tax for fraud under section 6653(b) in the amount of $ 17,739. Finally, respondent determined that petitioners are liable for the addition to tax for failure to pay estimated income tax under section 6654(a) in the amount of $ 444. Respondent seeks summary judgment against petitioner Ruben Garcia on the issue of the addition to tax for fraud under section 6653(b). Respondent's motion was based on allegations in her answer deemed admitted by petitioner pursuant to Rule 37. We must decide whether those admissions adequately support respondent's motion.

*7 Respondent's answer, filed February 12, 1993, contained the following affirmative allegations:

6. FURTHER ANSWERING THE PETITION, and in support of the determination that the underpayment of tax required to be shown on the petitioners' income tax return for the taxable year 1988 is due to fraud, the respondent alleges:

a. Petitioner Ruben Garcia was arrested on narcotics charges on February 3, 1990 and was subsequently found guilty of marijuana trafficking. Petitioner Ruben Garcia is currently incarcerated in Bastrop, Texas.

b. The petitioners have refused to cooperate with the respondent and will not provide any information concerning the source of funds for expenditures during the taxable years 1987, 1988 and 1989 citing their constitutional right to remain silent.

c. The petitioners failed to file returns for the taxable years 1987 and 1989.

d. The petitioners failed to maintain or to submit for examination by the respondent complete and adequate books of account and records of their income-producing activities for each of the taxable years 1987, 1988 and 1989 as required by I.R.C. § 6001.

e. Respondent has determined that petitioners purchased assets during taxable*8 years 1987, 1988 and 1989 with funds that exceeded known sources of petitioners' income in 1987, 1988 and 1989.

f. Due to the petitioners' refusal to cooperate in the examination, respondent has determined the petitioners' correct taxable income for the taxable years 1987, 1988 and 1989 on the basis of the net worth and specific items methods.

g. Attached hereto as Exhibit A is a net worth statement of assets and liabilities of the petitioners on December 31, 1986, December 31, 1987, December 31, 1988 and December 31, 1989. Due to petitioners' failure to cooperate with respondent, the net worth statement was prepared based upon third party information.

h. The petitioners conducted transactions in cash during the years at issue and did not disclose the existence of any bank accounts to the respondent.

i. During 1987, petitioner Ruben Garcia allegedly loaned $ 100,000.00 to Garza Lumber Company. The money was listed in the balance sheet for Garza Lumber Company as a Note Payable. In 1988, the loan was converted to capital stock.

j. During 1987, the petitioners paid Garza Lumber Company $ 100,000.00 in cash to begin construction on their home at 4513 N. 3rd, McAllen, Texas. *9

k. During 1988, the petitioners paid Garza Lumber Company $ 75,000.00 in cash to complete construction on their home at 4513 N. 3rd, McAllen, Texas.

l. The building permit for the construction of the home at 4513 N. 3rd, McAllen, Texas, was obtained in the name of Maria E. Rodriguez, petitioner's maiden name. The deed for the property was also recorded in the name of Maria E. Rodriguez. Respondent alleges the building permit and deed of trust were placed in the petitioner's maiden name in order to conceal the true owner of the property and to conceal the source and nature of the funds used to purchase the property.

m. During 1988, petitioners purchased $ 10,000.00 of furniture.

n. During taxable year 1988, petitioners purchased $ 14,300.00 of casino chips from Caesars Palace.

o. The net worth of the petitioners for 1987 and 1988 increased by $ 258,897.00 and $ 85,000.00, respectively.

p. For taxable year 1988, petitioners reported adjusted gross income of $ 58,200.00. During 1988, petitioner had expenditures for the house, furniture, personal living expenses and the purchase of casino chips totaling $ 116,364.00. Petitioners' expenditures for 1988 exceed adjusted gross*10 income by $ 58,164.00.

q. The petitioners fraudulently understated their taxable income during 1987, 1988 and 1989 in the amount of $ 275,539.00, $ 121,364.00, $ 60,828.00, respectively, with the intent to evade the payment of taxes on such income in each respective year.

r. The petitioners' correct income tax liability for 1988 is $ 32,504.00; the tax liability reported on the petitioners' return for 1988 was $ 8,852.00 resulting in an understatement of tax liability for 1988 in the amount of $ 23,652.00.

s.

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Bluebook (online)
1994 T.C. Memo. 12, 67 T.C.M. 1950, 1994 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 6, 73 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 419, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/garcia-v-commissioner-tax-1994.