STEFFEN v. COMMISSIONER

2002 T.C. Memo. 229, 84 T.C.M. 301, 2002 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 236
CourtUnited States Tax Court
DecidedSeptember 13, 2002
DocketNo. 1296-92
StatusUnpublished

This text of 2002 T.C. Memo. 229 (STEFFEN 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
STEFFEN v. COMMISSIONER, 2002 T.C. Memo. 229, 84 T.C.M. 301, 2002 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 236 (tax 2002).

Opinion

TERRI L. STEFFEN, Petitioner v. COMMISSIONER OF INTERNAL REVENUE, Respondent
STEFFEN v. COMMISSIONER
No. 1296-92
United States Tax Court
T.C. Memo 2002-229; 2002 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 236; 84 T.C.M. (CCH) 301;
September 13, 2002, Filed

*236 Decision for the government will be entered under Rule 155.

B. Gray Gibbs, n* for petitioner.

Michael A. Pesavento, for respondent.
Ruwe, Robert P.

RUWE

MEMORANDUM FINDINGS OF FACT AND OPINION

RUWE, Judge: Respondent determined additions to petitioner's 1 1986 Federal income tax as follows:

Additons to Tax
Sec. 6653(a)(1)(A)Sec. 6653(a)(1)(B)
$ 100,23350% of the interest
due on $ 2,004,465

After concessions, 2 the issue for decision is whether petitioner is liable for*237 additions to tax for negligence pursuant to section 6653(a)(1)(A)3 and (B) for the taxable year 1986.

On September 11, 1998, respondent moved, pursuant to Rule 91(f), to compel petitioner to enter into a proposed stipulation of facts. We ordered petitioner to show cause why the matters covered by respondent's motion should not be deemed admitted for purposes of this case. Petitioner failed to respond to the order to show cause. We, therefore, granted respondent's motion and deemed the matters contained in the proposed stipulation to be facts for purposes of this case. Rule 91(f).

FINDINGS OF FACT

Petitioner resided in Tampa, Florida, at the time she filed her petition. Petitioner and Paul*238 A. Bilzerian (Mr. Bilzerian) were married in 1978 and remained married at the time of trial.

Petitioner and Mr. Bilzerian both graduated from Stanford University. After graduating from Stanford, Mr. Bilzerian attended Harvard University and graduated in 1977 with a master's degree in business administration. After graduating from Harvard, Mr. Bilzerian worked in the real estate business. In 1982, Mr. Bilzerian began trading securities. Before 1987, Mr. Bilzerian either explored the possibility of taking over control, or attempted to take over control, of several publicly traded companies, including Hammermill Paper Co. (Hammermill), Armco, Cluett Peabody, H. H. Robertson, and Syntex Corp.

In 1986, Mr. Bilzerian and Earl and Billy Mack (the Macks) formed a partnership, Bilzerian & Mack Associates (Bilzerian & Mack), for the purpose of launching a takeover of Hammermill. Mr. Bilzerian was a general partner of Bilzerian & Mack, and he signed the partnership return for 1986 on March 23, 1987. Mack Asset Co. and Bilzerian Investors, two partnerships, were reported on Bilzerian & Mack's 1986 Form 1065, U.S. Partnership Return of Income, as other general partners. Mr. Bilzerian was involved*239 in Bilzerian Investors and another partnership named Bilzerian Ventures. Although Hammermill was eventually acquired by International Paper Co. in August of 1986, Mr. Bilzerian realized substantial gains in 1986 through Bilzerian & Mack, Bilzerian Investors, and Bilzerian Ventures from the purchase and sale of Hammermill stock.

During 1986, Mr. Bilzerian also maintained interests in South Bay Fashion Center and South Bay Fashion One, two partnerships, and various other entities.

For the taxable year 1986, Mr. Bilzerian was involved in the preparation of Federal income tax returns for some of the entities in which he was involved. Additionally, a former accountant from Price Waterhouse worked full time in Mr. Bilzerian's office handling some of the returns. Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Co., C.P.A.s (Peat Marwick), prepared partnership tax returns for Bilzerian & Mack, Bilzerian Investors, and Bilzerian Ventures. Another accountant and a tax attorney were involved in preparing tax returns for other entities in which Mr. Bilzerian was involved.

While Peat Marwick was not engaged by petitioner and Mr. Bilzerian to prepare or do any work on their 1986 individual income tax return, Peat*240 Marwick did prepare a schedule, entitled "Paul Bilzerian's 1986 Tax Estimate". This schedule was prepared for the purpose of helping petitioner and Mr. Bilzerian make an estimated tax payment for 1986. The schedule reported the following gains from Mr. Bilzerian's stock dealings in Hammermill:

ItemAmount
Bilzerian & Mack$ 1,840,003
Bilzerian Investors10,216,579
Bilzerian Ventures3,107
Personal Gain4,170,093
Total16,229,782

On June 15, 1987, petitioner and Mr.

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Bluebook (online)
2002 T.C. Memo. 229, 84 T.C.M. 301, 2002 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 236, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/steffen-v-commissioner-tax-2002.