143 T.C. No. 19
UNITED STATES TAX COURT
VIVIAN L. RADER, ET AL.,1 Petitioners v. COMMISSIONER OF INTERNAL REVENUE, Respondent
Docket Nos. 11409-11, 11476-11, Filed October 29, 2014. 27722-11.
Ps failed to file returns for 2003-06 and 2008 (years in issue). The IRS examining agent, using the bank deposits method and information returns issued in connection with payments to P-H or to both Ps, reconstructed Ps' income for the years in issue and determined tax deficiencies and additions to tax under I.R.C. secs. 6651(a)(1) and (2) and 6654, which he incorporated on substitutes for returns (SFRs) for each P for 2003-06 and an SFR for P-H for 2008. The SFRs constituted the basis for the notices of deficiency issued to Ps. R filed amendments to answer in docket Nos. 11409-11 and 11476-11 in which he changed the erroneous selection of "single" filing status on the 2003-06 SFRs for each P to "married filing separate", thereby increasing the tax deficiencies and additions to tax for each of those years, as set forth on attachments to the amendments
1 Cases of the following petitioner are consolidated herewith: Steven R. Rader, docket Nos. 11476-11 and 27722-11. -2-
to answer. During the trial, the parties stipulated that any and all deficiencies and additions to tax arising therefrom would be imposed on P-H alone.
Among the items of income that Ps received in 2006 were proceeds from two sales of Colorado real property that were subjected to 10% withholding by the escrow agent pursuant to I.R.C. sec. 1445(a), which applies to dispositions of U.S. real property interests by foreign persons and gives rise to a credit under I.R.C. sec. 33. Ps failed to furnish the payor with a taxpayer identification number or a certification that Ps were not foreign persons, which would have exempted them from I.R.C. sec. 1445(a) withholding pursuant to I.R.C. sec. 1445(b)(2).
Ps attack the sufficiency of the SFRs, argue that the 2006 tax deficiency must be offset by the tax withheld under I.R.C. sec. 1445(a), raise a frivolous Fifth Amendment claim against having to testify at trial concerning their nonfiling of returns for the years in issue, and contest R's imposition of additions to tax under I.R.C. secs. 6651(a)(1) and (2) and 6654.
1. Held: P-H is liable for the income tax deficiencies that R determined for the years in issue and set forth on the SFRs, as revised by the amendments to answer.
2. Held, further, P-W is not entitled to a refund of any portion of the tax withheld from the proceeds of the 2006 real property sales because the deemed filing date of P-W's refund claim (the Feb. 11, 2011, notice of deficiency mailing date) was more than two years after the overpayment (deemed to have occurred on the Apr. 15, 2007, due date of P-W's 2006 return). See I.R.C. secs. 6511(b)(2)(B), 6512(b)(3)(B); Healer v. Commissioner, 115 T.C. 316 (2000).
3. Held, further, the amounts withheld from the proceeds of Ps' 2006 sales of real property gave rise to an I.R.C. sec. 33 credit, which, pursuant to I.R.C. sec. 6211(b)(1), may not be taken into account in determining P-H's 2006 tax deficiency. -3-
4. Held, further, Ps' Fifth Amendment claim is rejected.
5. Held, further, P-H is liable for the additions to tax under I.R.C. secs. 6651(a)(1) and (2) and 6654 except that, because the attachments to the amendments to answer did not constitute amended SFRs, i.e., they did not set forth amounts "shown as tax on any return" within the meaning of I.R.C. sec. 6651(a)(2), the I.R.C. sec. 6651(a)(2) addition to tax for the years in issue must be based upon the tax liabilities shown on the original SFRs, not upon the larger tax liabilities set forth in the amendments to answer.
6. Held, further, P-H is subject to sanction under I.R.C. sec. 6673(a)(1) for procedures instituted primarily for delay, etc.
Vivian L. Rader and Steven R. Rader, pro sese.
Thomas G. Hodel, Matthew A. Houtsma, Luke D. Ortner, and Robert A.
Varra, for respondent.
HALPERN, Judge: These consolidated cases involve the following
determinations of deficiencies in and additions to petitioners' 2003-06 and
petitioner Steven R. Rader's 2008 Federal income tax:2
2 Unless otherwise indicated, all section references are to the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended and in effect for the years in issue, and all Rule references are to the Tax Court Rules of Practice and Procedure. We round all dollar amounts to the nearest dollar. -4-
Additions to tax Year Deficiency Sec. 6651(a)(1) Sec. 6651(a)(2)1 Sec. 6654(a) 2003 $139,964 $29,804 -- -- 2004 136,414 30,693 -- $3,909 2005 144,511 32,515 -- 5,797 2006 212,648 47,846 -- 10,063 2008 7,859 1,768 $1,061 253 1 With respect to the sec. 6651(a)(2) addition to tax for 2003-06, the notices of deficiency for those years state: "The amount of the addition to tax cannot be determined at this time, but an addition to tax of 0.5 percent will be imposed for each month, or fraction thereof, of nonpayment, up to 25 percent, based on the liability shown on this report." Respondent included the omitted amounts in his pretrial memorandum, which the Court received on May 22, 2013, after the maximum 50-month period for additions to tax under sec. 6651(a)(2) had run its course for petitioners' 2003-06 tax years. Those amounts were $33,116 for 2003, $34,104 for 2004, $36,128 for 2005, and $48,909 for 2006. Those same amounts were included as sec. 6651(a)(2) additions to tax in the 2003-06 substitutes for returns that respondent prepared pursuant to sec. 6020(b) and which constituted the basis for the notices of deficiency pertaining to those years. Respondent does not explain the seemingly contrary statement in the notices that those amounts could not yet be determined.
Respondent issued identical notices of deficiency (notices) for 2003-06 to
each petitioner on February 11, 2011, on the grounds that he was unable "to
determine which of the petitioners received the income during * * * [2003-06]"
and he did not want to be "whipsawed" (i.e., lose the case because he attributed the
income to the wrong taxpayer). At the conclusion of the trial, however,
respondent conceded that any tax deficiencies that the Court might determine and -5-
any additions to tax and penalties, "to the extent that they follow the deficiencies"
that the Court might impose, would be attributed to Mr. Rader, and no tax
deficiencies, additions to tax, or penalties would be attributed to petitioner Vivian
L. Rader. Thus, all tax deficiencies, additions to tax and penalties at issue herein
are directed to Mr. Rader (petitioner).
In his petitions, petitioner states his intention to "contest" the notices, thus,
in effect, assigning error to respondent's determinations.
On June 6, 2013, we issued an order granting respondent's motions (1) for
leave to file amendments to answer in docket Nos. 11409-11 and 11476-11, which
involve petitioners' 2003-06 taxable years, and (2) to consolidate for trial, briefing,
and opinion, all three cases. In his amendments to answer, respondent
acknowledged that the notices for 2003-06 erroneously determined the deficiency
amounts and additions to tax on the basis of an assumed "single" filing status for
each petitioner rather than a "married filing separate" filing status (appropriate
because petitioners were married during those years). Correcting for that error, in
his amendments to answer respondent increased his proposed deficiency amounts
and additions to tax for 2003-06 as follows: -6-
Additions to tax Year Deficiency Sec. 6651(a)(1) Sec. 6651(a)(2) Sec. 6654(a)
2003 $146,235 $31,215 $34,684 -- 2004 142,828 32,136 35,707 $4,093 2005 151,072 33,991 37,768 6,060 2006 219,412 49,368 54,853 10,383
At the conclusion of the trial, the Court, on its own motion, invoked the
application of section 6673(a)(1), which, as pertinent, empowers the Court to
sanction a taxpayer for instituting or maintaining a proceeding primarily for delay
or for maintaining a frivolous or groundless position.
Except for the increases in the deficiency amounts and additions to tax,
petitioners bear the burden of proof. See Rule 142(a).3
3 Petitioners have not invoked sec. 7491(a), which shifts the burden of proof to the Commissioner in certain situations. In any event, sec. 7491(a) is inapplicable herein because petitioners have failed to introduce credible evidence that respondent's adjustments were in error, see sec. 7491(a)(1), nor have they shown that they have satisfied the preconditions for its application, see sec. 7491(a)(2). Moreover, the revenue agent's ability to establish that petitioner was a plumber and made substantial bank deposits during the years in issue, see discussion infra, satisfied the requirement to establish "some reasonable foundation" for the deficiency, see, e.g., Erickson v. Commissioner, 937 F.2d 1548, 1551 (10th Cir. 1991), aff'g T.C. Memo. 1989-552. -7-
FINDINGS OF FACT
At the time the petitions were filed, petitioners resided in Colorado.
During the years in issue, petitioner was a self-employed plumber, paid by
his customers for plumbing services he provided to them. Petitioner did not file
Federal income tax returns for the years in issue, and, therefore, he failed to report
any income from his plumbing business or any other income attributable to those
years. One of respondent's revenue agents began an examination of petitioner's
failures to file for the years in issue. After verifying that petitioner had been
issued (1) a plumbing license in 1995, which remained in active status as of
December 31, 2008, and (2) multiple plumbing permits during 2003-06, the
revenue agent acquired and analyzed petitioner's bank records for 2003-06 to
determine deposits that might have represented unreported income. For 2008, he
examined information-return documents filed by customers paying petitioner, as
reported under petitioner's Social Security number, in order to establish his
reportable gross income from his plumbing business for 2008. In reconstructing
petitioner's reportable gross income from his plumbing business for 2003-06, the
examining agent subtracted from the gross deposits listed in the bank statements
loans, transfers, and other amounts that would not constitute income. On the basis
of his bank deposits analysis for 2003-06 and the information returns for 2008, -8-
respondent concluded that petitioner's income from his plumbing business was
$351,449, $387,714, $420,818, and $577,811 for 2003-06, respectively, and at
least $34,174 for 2008. In addition, respondent determined that petitioner
received additional income in the form of a "title wire transfer" of $137,477 in
2003, a "limited international funds check" of $1,500 in 2004, and "Colorado land
title checks" totaling $66,352 representing the net proceeds from the sale of two
parcels of real property in 2006, all of which he treated as long-term capital gain.
In connection with the two 2006 payments, the payor withheld and paid to
the IRS $25,000 from one and $2,500 from the other, which represented 10% of
the gross proceeds from the sale of each parcel. The withholdings were made and
reported by the title company as escrow agent (presumably on behalf of the
purchasers) on a Form 8288-A, Statement of Withholding on Dispositions by
Foreign Persons of U.S. Real Property Interests, a form used pursuant to
regulations under section 1445(a). See sec. 1.1445-1(c)(1), Income Tax Regs.
Although petitioners were not foreign persons subject to section 1445, it appears
that the title company felt it necessary to withhold in accordance with that section
because petitioners, as transferors, failed to furnish either a certification of non-
foreign-person status or a taxpayer identification number (TIN), as required by
section 1445(b)(2) and section 1.1445-2(b)(2)(i), Income Tax Regs., for -9-
exemption from withholding. See also the instructions for Form 8288, U.S.
Withholding Tax Return for Dispositions by Foreign Persons of U.S. Real
Property Interests, to which the Form 8288-A must be attached.
Petitioners have failed to furnish evidence of entitlement to any deductions
offsetting the foregoing items of income.
On the basis of his reconstruction of petitioner's income, as aforesaid,
respondent prepared substitutes for returns (SFRs) for the years in issue,
consisting, in each case, of a Form 13496, IRC Section 6020(b) Certification,
signed by the IRS revenue agent who prepared the SFR, a Form 4549-A, Income
Tax Discrepancy Adjustments,4 and a Form 886-A, Explanations of Items. Those
SFRs incorporated the above-described adjustments to income and the tax
liabilities and additions to tax set forth in the notices. Exhibit A attached to
respondent's amendments to answer in docket Nos. 11409-11 and 11476-11, in
order to reflect petitioners' filing status as "married filing separate" (rather than
"single") consists of revised Forms 4549-A and Forms 5278, Statement--Income
Tax Changes, both of which incorporate the increased amounts resulting from that
change in filing status.
4 The 2008 SFR included a Form 4549, Income Tax Examination Changes, rather than a Form 4549-A. - 10 -
OPINION
I. Tax Deficiencies
A. Introduction
Petitioners do not directly dispute respondent's adjustments to petitioner's
income during the years in issue as reflected in the SFRs, and, indeed, petitioner's
admission at trial that he earned income from his plumbing business and the
evidence of his real estate sales sufficiently link him to income-producing
activities that support respondent's adjustments. Instead, petitioners attack the
sufficiency of the SFRs on technical grounds and, thus, attack indirectly the
contents thereof. They also allege that the tax deficiency for 2006 must be offset
by the taxes withheld and paid to the IRS on their real estate sales, and they raise a
Fifth Amendment (to the United States Constitution) objection.5
5 Petitioners also raise evidentiary objections and continue to argue that the notice addressed to Mrs. Rader is invalid because she had no income for the years in issue. The evidentiary objections were overruled at trial and the dispute with respect to Mrs. Rader's liability is moot because, as noted supra, respondent conceded at trial that any deficiences and additions to tax and penalties related thereto will be attributed solely to petitioner. - 11 -
B. Sufficiency of the SFRs
Essentially, petitioners argue that the SFRs are invalid because they fail "to
cite a deficiency statute and/or a tax statute from which a deficiency and penalties
could arise." They also cite the fact that the SFRs were not attached to what
petitioners refer to as a "nearly blank SFR 1040" that petitioners believe (from IRS
transcripts) "was filed, processed and posted to" petitioners' account "three years
prior to the dates on the alleged certifications."
To constitute a section 6020(b) SFR, "the return must be subscribed, it must
contain sufficient information from which to compute the taxpayer's tax liability,
and the return form and any attachments must purport to be a 'return'." Spurlock v.
Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 2003-124, 2003 WL 1987156, at *10. The SFRs that
respondent filed on petitioners' behalf each consisted of an IRC Section 6020(b)
Certification (Form 13496), the income tax examination changes (either Form
4549-A or Form 4549), and an explanation of the changes (Form 886-A). That
combination of documents is sufficient to constitute a valid SFR under section
6020(b). See Gleason v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 2011-154, 2011 WL
2600917, at *12. There is no requirement that a valid SFR include a Form 1040,
U.S. Individual Income Tax Return, executed on behalf of the taxpayer. See id.;
see also Nix v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 2012-304, at *13-*14, aff'd, 553 Fed. - 12 -
Appx. 960 (11th Cir. 2014); Holloway v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 2012-137,
2012 WL 1727685, at *2; sec. 301.6020-1(b)(2), Proced. & Admin. Regs.
Moreover, respondent had the right under section 6020(b) to elect married filing
separately status for petitioners rather than joint filing status. See Smalldridge v.
Commissioner, 804 F.2d 125, 127-128 (10th Cir. 1986), aff'g T.C. Memo. 1984-
434; Conovitz v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 1980-22, 1980 Tax Ct. Memo
LEXIS 567, at *12.6 In these cases, respondent elected that status by way of
amendments to answer rather than in connection with the preparation of
6 The Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit in Smalldridge v. Commissioner, 804 F.2d 125, 127-128 (10th Cir. 1986), aff'g T.C. Memo. 1984- 434, held that the Commissioner's election of married filing separately status on an SFR was binding where, as in that case, the married taxpayers' right to elect joint filing status had expired pursuant to sec. 6013(b)(2)(B) (now sec. 6013(b)(2)(A)), which prohibits married taxpayers from electing joint filing status more than three years after the initial due date of their return. In Millsap v. Commissioner, 91 T.C. 926 (1988), however, we rejected the court's reasoning in Smalldridge, overruled or rejected several of our precedents, two of which were cited with approval by the court in Smalldridge, and held that the sec. 6013(b)(2) limitations on electing joint filing status are not a bar to married taxpayers' right to elect joint filing status at any time after the Commissioner's election of married filing separately status in preparing an SFR for the taxpayers. See Millsap v. Commissioner, 91 T.C. at 936- 938. Petitioners have not attempted to elect joint filing status. Therefore, Millsap is inapplicable in these cases. Moreover, even if petitioners had attempted to elect joint filing status, we would be required to reject the attempt pursuant to Golsen v. Commissioner, 54 T.C. 742 (1970), aff'd, 445 F.2d 985 (10th Cir. 1971), because of the likelihood that any appeal of these cases would be to the Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, which decided Smalldridge. See Millsap v. Commissioner, 91 T.C. at 937 n.23 ("In accord with our holding in Golsen * * * we will follow Smalldridge * * * in all cases appealable to the 10th Circuit."). - 13 -
petitioners' 2003-06 SFRs. The change in filing status resulted in an increase in
the tax deficiencies and additions to tax set forth in the notice for 2003-06.7
The SFRs executed by respondent pursuant to section 6020(b) were valid
SFRs.
C. Petitioners' Right to an Offset
In their brief, petitioners ask for a finding that "there exists a failure on * * *
[respondent's] part * * * to recognize receipt of a substantial payment from the
closing on the sale of a piece of property." Although it is styled as a request for a
proposed finding of fact, we interpret petitioners' request as their argument that
they are entitled to an offset for the amounts withheld from the proceeds of their
2006 real estate sales and remitted to respondent.
Respondent acknowledges that $25,000 and $2,500 were withheld from the
proceeds of the two real estate sales, respectively, and that those amounts were
remitted to the IRS Service Center in Philadelphia. After noting the "peculiarities"
of applying a withholding regime directed at foreign sellers of U.S. real property
interests to petitioners, who were Colorado residents, respondent argues that (1)
because "the withholding credit is not a factor in determining a tax deficiency", we
7 As discussed infra, because the amendments to answer do not incorporate corrected or amended SFRs for 2003-06, we must reject respondent's increases in the sec. 6651(a)(2) addition to tax for those years. - 14 -
are without jurisdiction to consider it, citing Forrest v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo.
2011-4, 2011 WL 13626, discussed infra, and (2) even if Mrs. Rader were entitled
to a credit for the withholding applied to her, we could not treat that withholding
as a refundable overpayment under section 6512(b)(1) because the notice mailing
date, February 11, 2011, which constitutes the deemed filing date of Mrs. Rader's
refund claim for 2006, was more than two years after the overpayment, deemed,
pursuant to section 6513(b)(1), to have occurred on April 15, 2007, the due date of
her 2006 return. See secs. 6512(b)(3)(B), 6511(b)(2)(B); see also Commissioner
v. Lundy, 516 U.S. 235, 247-250 (1996); Healer v. Commissioner, 115 T.C. 316,
319-323 (2000).
We agree with respondent that we may not order a refund of the deemed
overpayment to Mrs. Rader for her share of the amount withheld from the
proceeds of the 2006 real estate sales.8 In Lundy, the Supreme Court applied the
two-year lookback (to date of payment) rule of section 6511(b)(2)(B) (rather than
the three-year lookback (to date of return filing) rule of section 6511(b)(2)(A))
under circumstances in which the taxpayer filed a return after issuance of the
8 We reject, however, respondent's argument that Mrs. Rader is entitled to no credit simply because she stated that none of the sales proceeds were hers. The record indicates that she and petitioner were coowners of the properties, and the title company issued a Form 8288-A to each of them. - 15 -
notice of deficiency, and, in Healer, we followed Lundy and rejected the taxpayer's
argument that an SFR constituted a return filed by the taxpayer for purposes of
section 6511. Thus, the 2006 SFR that respondent executed on Mrs. Rader's
behalf on January 21, 2011, did not give her three years from that date in which to
assert a refund claim for 2006 pursuant to section 6511(b)(2)(A).
We also agree with respondent that we may not offset petitioner's 2006 tax
deficiency by the amount of the withheld taxes, but not for the reasons stated by
respondent.
In Forrest, the Commissioner sought to increase a taxpayer's deficiency by
the amount of Federal income taxes withheld by the State of California and
claimed as a credit by the taxpayer from a 2005 settlement payment (on account of
the termination of an employment-related lawsuit) that the parties agreed was not
includible in the taxpayer's income until 2006. Thus, the credit for the withheld
taxes claimed by the taxpayer for 2005 constituted an overstated credit. In
considering the Commissioner's claim with respect to the withheld taxes we stated:
Under section 6211(b)(1) a deficiency is determined "without regard to payment on account of estimated tax, without regard to the credit under section 31". Section 31 generally allows the taxpayer to claim a credit for Federal income tax withheld from wages for that taxable year. The amount of an overstated credit may be summarily assessed and is not subject to deficiency procedures. * * * [Forrest v. Commissioner, 2011 WL 13626, at *3.] - 16 -
We then concluded: "Since the [section 31] withholding credit issue is not a factor
in determining the tax deficiency, we have no jurisdiction to consider it and
therefore may not decide whether petitioner is entitled to a Federal income tax
withholding credit * * * for the 2005 tax year." Id.
In pertinent part, section 6211(a), which provides the general definition of a
"deficiency", states:
SEC. 6211. DEFINITION OF DEFICIENCY.
(a) In General.--For purposes of this title in the case of income * * * taxes imposed by subtitle[] A * * * the term "deficiency" means the amount by which the tax imposed by subtitle A * * * exceeds the excess of--
(1) the sum of
(A) the amount shown as the tax by the taxpayer upon his return, if a return was made by the taxpayer and an amount was shown as the tax by the taxpayer thereon, plus
(B) the amounts previously assessed (or collected without assessment) as a deficiency, over--
(2) the amount of rebates, as defined in subsection (b)(2), made.
In its entirety, section 6211(b)(1), upon which our decision in Forrest was
based, provides:
SEC. 6211(b). Rules for Application of Subsection (a).--For purposes of this section-- - 17 -
(1) The tax imposed by subtitle A and the tax shown on the return shall both be determined without regard to payment on account of estimated tax, without regard to the credit under section 31, without regard to the credit under section 33, and without regard to any credits resulting from the collection of amounts assessed under section 6851 or 6852 (relating to termination assessments).
Thus, only the taxes, credits, etc., listed in section 6211(b)(1), i.e., estimated
tax payments, the section 31 and section 33 credits, and "credits resulting from the
collection of amounts assessed under section 6851 or 6852", are to be disregarded
in determining the amount of any deficiency under section 6211(a).
Petitioners were subjected to income tax withholding under section 1445,
applicable to payments to foreign persons on the sale of U.S. real property
interests. Withholding under section 1445 does not give rise to a section 31 credit.
That is because it does not constitute an "amount withheld as tax under chapter 24
[sections 3401-3406]". See sec. 31(a)(1). In reaching that conclusion, we note
that the withholding from the proceeds of petitioners' 2006 real property sales,
even though prompted, in part, by petitioners' failure to supply the title company
payor with a TIN, did not constitute backup withholding under section 3406
because neither of those sales involved a "reportable payment" under section
3406(b)(1)(A) and (B) and (3). Therefore, Forrest, which involved a section 31
credit, is inapposite and not controlling. - 18 -
We conclude, however, that, although the section 1445 withholding herein
was applied to U.S. rather than foreign persons, (i.e., nonresident alien individuals,
see sec. 1.1445-2(b)(2)(i), Income Tax Regs. (flush language)), it gave rise to a
section 33 credit. Therefore, pursuant to section 6211(b)(1), we must disregard it
in determining petitioner's 2006 deficiency.
Section 33 provides a credit for "the amount of tax withheld at source under
subchapter A of chapter 3 (relating to withholding of tax on nonresident aliens and
on foreign corporations)." Subchapter A of chapter 3 encompasses section 1445.
Section 1445(a) generally provides that "in the case of any disposition of a United
States real property interest * * *, the transferee shall * * * withhold a tax equal to
10 percent of the amount realized on the disposition." Section 1445(b) provides a
list of exemptions from the section 1445(a) withholding requirement. Section
1445(b)(2) generally provides such an exemption "if the transferor furnishes to the
transferee an affidavit by the transferor stating, under penalty of perjury, the
transferor's United States * * * [TIN] and that the transferor is not a foreign
person." See also sec. 1.1445-2(b)(2)(i), Income Tax Regs. (to the same effect). It
is clear on the face of the Forms 8288-A issued by the title company payor that it
did not have a TIN for petitioners, and petitioners have failed to demonstrate that
they furnished to the title company either a TIN or the affidavit/certification of - 19 -
non-foreign-person status required by section 1445(b)(2) and the regulations
thereunder. Moreover, although section 1.1445-2(b)(1), Income Tax Regs., states
that section 1445 and the regulations thereunder "do not impose any obligation
upon a transferee to obtain a certification from the transferor" and that "a
transferee may instead rely upon other means to ascertain the non-foreign status of
the transferor", it appears that the title company was unwilling to pursue that
option and risk becoming liable for the nonwithheld tax pursuant to section
1.1445-1(e), Income Tax Regs., should its ascertainment of non-foreign-person
status prove to be incorrect. See sec. 1.1445-2(b)(1), Income Tax Regs. (last
sentence of first paragraph).
Thus, rightly or wrongly, the title company payor withheld tax pursuant to
section 1445(a), thereby giving rise to petitioners' right to a section 33 credit.
Because section 6211(b)(1) specifically excludes the section 33 credit from the
deficiency computation, we agree with respondent and hold that the withheld taxes
at issue herein are not to be taken into consideration in determining petitioner's
2006 deficiency.9
9 Also exempt from the requirement to withhold under sec. 1445(a) are sales of U.S. real property interests for $300,000 or less if "the property is acquired by the transferee for use by him as a residence". See sec. 1445(b)(5); sec. 1.1445- 2(d)(1), Income Tax Regs. Petitioners' 2006 real property sales were for $250,000 (continued...) - 20 -
D. Petitioners' Fifth Amendment Objection
During the trial, petitioner was asked whether he had filed a return for 2003.
Among petitioner's grounds for initially refusing to answer that question was his
invoking of his right, under the Fifth Amendment, not to "be compelled in any
criminal case to be a witness against himself". U.S. Const. amend. V. Mrs. Rader,
who testified as to the issue, attempted to justify petitioner's assertion of a Fifth
Amendment privilege on the ground that the agent assigned to their case appeared
to be connected to the IRS Criminal Investigation Division (CID). Therefore, his
request to examine petitioners' books and records and make a "visual examination"
of petitioners' premises implied "that there was some kind of criminal
investigation going on." We concluded that petitioner had not "shown a well
founded fear of prosecution", overruled his Fifth Amendment claim, and
compelled him to answer the question, whereupon he acknowledged that he had
not filed returns for any of the years in issue.
On brief, petitioner reiterates his claim of Fifth Amendment protection and,
impliedly, criticizes the Court for rejecting that claim at trial, in what we can only
9 (...continued) and $25,000, respectively. The record is silent regarding the buyers' intended use of the properties, and we can only assume that the title company payor did not avail itself of the sec. 1445(b)(5) exemption either because (1) the buyers did not intend to use the properties as a residence or (2) it was not aware of the exemption. - 21 -
assume is an effort to have his admissions of nonfiling stricken from the record.
What that would accomplish is a mystery as there is no evidence in the record on
which to base a finding that petitioner did file a return for any of the years in issue,
nor does petitioner claim that he filed a return for any of those years.
In any event, we hereby affirm our rejection at trial of petitioner's Fifth
Amendment claim. There is no evidence that petitioner was actually under
criminal investigation for any of the years in issue. In order for an individual to
validly claim the privilege against self-incrimination, there must be a "real and
appreciable danger" from "substantial hazards of self incrimination", and the
individual must have "reasonable cause to apprehend (such) danger from a direct
answer to questions posed to him." United States v. Neff, 615 F.2d 1235, 1239
(9th Cir. 1980) (internal quotation marks and citations omitted); see also United
States v. Schmidt, 816 F.2d 1477, 1481 (10th Cir. 1987) (stating that the risk of
incrimination resulting from compelled testimony must be "substantial and real,
not merely trifling or imaginary" (internal quotation marks omitted)). Petitioner's
apprehension of criminal liability, upon the basis of an unconfirmed suspicion that
the examining agent was somehow connected with CID, even if genuine, does not,
in the context of a civil audit examination with no actual threat of a criminal
investigation, meet the foregoing standard. "The fifth amendment privilege cannot - 22 -
be used as a method of evading payment of lawful taxes." Edelson v.
Commissioner, 829 F.2d 828, 832 (9th Cir. 1987), aff'g T.C. Memo. 1986-223.
E. Conclusion
Petitioner is liable for the income tax deficiencies that respondent
determined for the years in issue.
II. Additions to Tax
Respondent determined that petitioner is liable for additions to tax pursuant
to sections 6651(a)(1) and (2) and 6654. Respondent has the burden of production
with respect to those additions to tax. See sec. 7491(c). To meet that burden,
respondent must produce evidence showing that the additions to tax are
appropriate. See id.; Higbee v. Commissioner, 116 T.C. 438, 446 (2001). Once
respondent satisfies that burden, petitioner has the burden of proof with respect to
exculpatory factors such as reasonable cause, see Higbee v. Commissioner, 116
T.C. at 446-447, except that respondent bears the overall burden of proof with
respect to his increases in the additions to tax, see Rule 142(a); Arnold v.
Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 2003-259, 2003 WL 22053838, at *4, i.e., respondent
must prove that there were not exculpatory factors. - 23 -
B. Respondent's Section 6651(a)(1) and (2) and 6654 Determinations
Section 6651(a)(1) provides for an addition to tax in the event a taxpayer
fails to file a timely return (determined with regard to any extension of time for
filing), unless it is shown that such failure is due to reasonable cause and not due
to willful neglect. The amount of the addition is equal to 5% of the amount
required to be shown as tax on the delinquent return for each month or fraction
thereof during which the return remains delinquent, up to a maximum addition of
25% for returns more than four months delinquent.
Section 6651(a)(2) provides for an addition to tax for failure to timely pay
"the amount shown as tax on any return specified in paragraph (1)" unless the
taxpayer establishes that the failure was due to reasonable cause and not willful
neglect. The addition is calculated as 0.5% of the amount shown as tax on the
return but not paid, with an additional 0.5% for each month or fraction thereof
during which the failure to pay continues, up to a maximum of 25%. Id. The
amount of the addition to tax under section 6651(a)(2) reduces the addition to tax
under section 6651(a)(1) for any month for which both additions to tax apply. See
sec. 6651(c)(1). Pursuant to section 6651(g)(2), SFRs prepared by the
Commissioner under section 6020(b) are treated as taxpayer returns for purposes
of determining the addition to tax under section 6651(a)(2). - 24 -
Section 6654(a) and (b) provides for an addition to tax in the event of an
underpayment of a required installment of individual estimated tax. Each required
installment of estimated tax is equal to 25% of the "required annual payment",
which, in turn, is equal to the lesser of (1) "90 percent of the tax shown on the
return for the taxable year (or, if no return is filed, 90 percent of the tax for such
year)", or (2) if the individual filed a return for the immediately preceding year,
100% of the tax shown on that return. Sec. 6654(d)(1)(A) and (B). Except in very
limited circumstances not applicable herein, see sec. 6654(e)(3)(B), section 6654
provides no exception for reasonable cause or lack of willful neglect.
It is undisputed that petitioner failed to (1) file returns, (2) discharge his tax
liabilities, or (3) pay any estimated tax for the years in issue. Thus, respondent has
satisfied his burden of production, under section 7491(c), with respect to his
imposition of additions to tax under sections 6651(a)(1) and (2) and 6654.
Petitioners offer only meritless arguments against respondent's imposition
of additions to tax; e.g., in opposition to imposition of the section 6651(a)(1)
addition to tax, that nothing "he has read in his research of the law states he is
required to file a return"; that the SFRs were not valid returns "showing an amount
due and unpaid" that could constitute a basis for imposition of the section
6651(a)(2) addition to tax; and that "[n]othing on the * * * [notice] demonstrates - 25 -
the computation of an 'income' tax upon which * * * [the section 6654] penalty is
based." Petitioner's first argument ignores section 6012(a), pursuant to which he
was required to file returns for the years in issue; his second argument is belied by
the fact that the SFRs meet all of the requirements, discussed supra, for a valid
return; and his third argument is belied by the notices themselves, which do, in
fact, compute income tax deficiencies for the years in issue. We will not
painstakingly further address petitioner's assertions "with somber reasoning and
copious citation of precedent; to do so might suggest that these arguments have
some colorable merit." Crain v. Commissioner, 737 F.2d 1417, 1417 (5th Cir.
1984); see also Wnuck v. Commissioner, 136 T.C. 498, 501-505 (2011).
Moreover, the complete absence of evidence of exculpatory factors and
petitioner's exclusive reliance on frivolous arguments as justification for his
nonfiling of returns and nonpayment of tax supports a finding that respondent has
satisfied his burden of proof to show that no such factors exist, thereby justifying
his increases in the additions to tax.
We will sustain respondent's imposition of additions to tax under sections
6651(a)(1) and (2) and 6654 for the years in issue. We conclude, however, that
respondent has overstated the addition to tax under section 6651(a)(2) for 2003-06 - 26 -
by the amount of the increases in that addition to tax as set forth in respondent's
amendments to answer.
As stated supra, section 6651(a)(2) imposes an addition to tax for failure to
timely pay the amount shown as tax on a return, and section 6651(g)(2), in effect,
states that SFRs are to be treated as taxpayer returns for purposes of determining
the section 6651(a)(2) addition to tax. The notice for 2003-06 properly bases the
section 6651(a)(2) additions to tax for 2003-06 on the amounts of tax shown on
the 2003-06 SFRs. Respondent's amendments to answer with respect to
petitioner's 2003-06 tax years, whereby he elects married filing separately filing
status for petitioner, increases both petitioner's tax deficiencies for those years and
the proposed additions to tax, which are based upon the increased tax deficiencies.
All of those increased amounts are computed on attachments to the amendments to
answer, which attachments consist of a new Form 4549-A, a Form 5278, and
computations of the various penalty amounts and of petitioner's self-employment
tax for 2003-06. Respondent has failed to attach to his amendments to answer a
Form 13496 for any of the years covered by the amendments to answer. The Form
13496, in pertinent part, states: "The officer of the IRS identified below,
authorized by Delegation Order 182, certifies the attached pages constitute a valid
return under section 6020(b)." The attachments to the amendments to answer - 27 -
satisfy one of the requirements of Gleason, Spurluck, and section 301.6020-
1(b)(2), Proced. & Admin. Regs., for a valid return, i.e., that it "contain[] sufficient
information from which to compute * * * [petitioner's] tax liability". However,
without their having been subscribed to or certified by an authorized Internal
Revenue Officer or employee, under those same authorities, the attachments do
not "purport[] to be", and do not constitute, a section 6020(b) return for any of the
2003-06 tax years. Therefore, we sustain the section 6651(a)(2) additions to tax
set forth in the notice for 2003-06 and reject the increases to those amounts set
forth in respondent's amendments to answer.
III. Section 6673(a)(1) Penalty
As noted supra, at the conclusion of the trial the Court, on its own motion,
invoked the application of section 6673(a)(1).
In pertinent part, section 6673(a)(1) provides a penalty of up to $25,000 if
the taxpayer has instituted or maintained proceedings before the Tax Court
primarily for delay or the taxpayer's position in the proceeding is frivolous or
groundless. "The purpose of section 6673 is to compel taxpayers to think and to
conform their conduct to settled principles before they file returns and litigate."
Takaba v. Commissioner, 119 T.C. 285, 295 (2002). "A taxpayer's position is
frivolous if it is contrary to established law and unsupported by a reasoned, - 28 -
colorable argument for change in the law." Goff v. Commissioner, 135 T.C. 231,
237 (2010).
Petitioner makes no principled defense of his failure to (1) file returns or
pay tax for the years in issue with respect to the substantial earnings from his
plumbing business or (2) report and pay tax on his capital gains from the 2006 real
property sales. Nor would he cooperate with respondent in reconstructing the
income from his plumbing business. Rather, petitioner makes groundless
arguments attacking the SFRs and the notices and makes unwarranted assertions
of Fifth Amendment rights. Petitioner's meritless arguments are frivolous within
the foregoing definition of that term. Moreover, petitioner's testimony during the
trial and arguments on brief are consistent with an intent to delay the collection of
income taxes due and owing. See Winslow v. Commissioner, 139 T.C. 270, 276 - 29 -
(2012). On that basis we hereby impose on petitioner a penalty under section
6673(a)(1) of $10,000.10
Decision will be entered
for petitioner in docket No.
11409-11, and appropriate
decisions will be entered in
docket Nos. 11476-11 and
27722-11.
10 We acknowledge that petitioner's claim of offset for the taxes withheld from the proceeds of the 2006 real property sales, although unsustainable, is not frivolous. That has no bearing upon, and does not justify, however, the frivolous nature of petitioners' overall position in these cases. After all, the fact that a broken clock tells the correct time twice each day does not alter the fact that it is broken.