Vogt v. Comm'r
This text of 2007 T.C. Memo. 209 (Vogt v. Comm'r) 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.
Opinion
MEMORANDUM FINDINGS OF FACT AND OPINION
HAINES, Judge: Respondent determined deficiencies, penalties, and additions to tax with respect to petitioner's Federal income tax as follows: 1
| Additions to Tax/Penalties | |||||
| Sec. | Sec. | Sec. | Sec. | ||
| Year | Deficiency | n1 | n2 | ||
| 2000 | $ 13,513 | $ 3,479 | $ 5,076 | -- | -- |
| 2001 | 22,722 | 4,876 | 15,317 | -- | -- |
| 2002 | 5,644 | 1,564 | 3,980 | -- | -- |
| 2003 | 23,585 | -- | -- | $ 617 | $ 17,688 |
| n1 In the alternative to fraud penalties under | |||||
| determined accuracy-related penalties under | |||||
| and $ 1,061 for the years 2000, 2001, and 2002, respectively. | |||||
| n2 In the alternative to a | |||||
| respondent determined an addition to tax under | |||||
| amount of $ 5,307. | |||||
After concessions, 2*214 the issues for decision are: (1) Whether petitioner received unreported income for 2000, 2001, 2002, and *213 2003 (years at issue); (2) whether petitioner is entitled to certain itemized deductions for the years at issue; (3) whether petitioner is entitled to a claimed Schedule E, Supplemental Income and Loss, rental expense deduction for 2001; (4) whether petitioner is liable for self-employment tax under
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MEMORANDUM FINDINGS OF FACT AND OPINION
HAINES, Judge: Respondent determined deficiencies, penalties, and additions to tax with respect to petitioner's Federal income tax as follows: 1
| Additions to Tax/Penalties | |||||
| Sec. | Sec. | Sec. | Sec. | ||
| Year | Deficiency | n1 | n2 | ||
| 2000 | $ 13,513 | $ 3,479 | $ 5,076 | -- | -- |
| 2001 | 22,722 | 4,876 | 15,317 | -- | -- |
| 2002 | 5,644 | 1,564 | 3,980 | -- | -- |
| 2003 | 23,585 | -- | -- | $ 617 | $ 17,688 |
| n1 In the alternative to fraud penalties under | |||||
| determined accuracy-related penalties under | |||||
| and $ 1,061 for the years 2000, 2001, and 2002, respectively. | |||||
| n2 In the alternative to a | |||||
| respondent determined an addition to tax under | |||||
| amount of $ 5,307. | |||||
After concessions, 2*214 the issues for decision are: (1) Whether petitioner received unreported income for 2000, 2001, 2002, and *213 2003 (years at issue); (2) whether petitioner is entitled to certain itemized deductions for the years at issue; (3) whether petitioner is entitled to a claimed Schedule E, Supplemental Income and Loss, rental expense deduction for 2001; (4) whether petitioner is liable for self-employment tax under
FINDINGS OF FACT
Petitioner resided in Vacaville, California, at the time he filed the petition. In his answer, respondent alleged the facts on which he relied to support his determination of the deficiencies, penalties, and additions to tax for the years at issue. Petitioner did not file a reply to respondent's answer. On July 19, 2006, respondent filed a motion under
Petitioner was uncooperative with respondent in respondent's attempts to create a stipulation of facts. 4*216 On November 3, 2006, the Court deemed stipulated respondent's proposed stipulation of facts for purposes of this case pursuant to
On November 13, 2006, respondent filed an amendment to his answer, which alleged that petitioner received additional unreported income based on respondent's bank deposits analysis For 2001 and 2002, and therefore was liable for increased deficiencies, increased penalties under
During the years at issue, petitioner was an employee of Linotext America, Inc., and self-employed as a printing salesman doing business as Ray Vogt Enterprises and Springboard Ltd. Trust. Petitioner created Springboard Ltd. Trust during 2002 *217 to operate his printing business and to pay certain personal expenses.
On February 1, 1999, and January 1, 2003, petitioner filed Forms W-4, Employee's Withholding Allowance Certificate, falsely stating, under penalty of perjury, he was exempt from withholding taxes. On January 20, 2004, respondent advised petitioner that respondent had received information that he might be involved with American Rights Litigators (ARL), an abusive tax avoidance scheme. On February 4, 2004, petitioner mailed respondent a letter in which he falsely denied involvement with ARL. On May 11, 2004, respondent served a summons on petitioner requesting that he appear on June 2, 2004, to answer certain questions and provide records regarding his income taxes. Petitioner did not comply with the summons. On November 30, 2004, the U.S. District Court, Northern District of California ordered petitioner to appear before respondent's revenue agent on December 7, 2004. On December 7, 2004, petitioner filed a Form 1040, U.S. Individual Income Tax Return, for 2000, on which he reported adjusted gross income of $ 99,795 and tax due of $ 12,724. Petitioner also filed his 2001 return on December 7, 2004, on which he reported *218 adjusted gross income of $ 53,582 and tax due of $ 1,279. Petitioner filed his 2002 return on February 11, 2005, on which he reported adjusted gross income of $ 63,564 and tax due of $ 3,319.
Petitioner was not only uncooperative with respondent during the examination of the years at issue, but he actively attempted to prevent respondent from reconstructing his income using the bank deposits method. On March 2, 2005, petitioner sent a letter to Eureka Bank advising the bank not to comply with a summons issued by respondent seeking petitioner's financial records. Petitioner falsely told respondent's revenue agent that his only bank account was with Bank of America. In a letter sent to respondent on April 15, 2005, petitioner falsely stated that he was not the owner of any partnership interests or rental property during the years at issue. Furthermore, petitioner did not maintain any books or records with respect to his income and deductions for the years at issue.
For the year 2000, respondent determined that petitioner received but did not report a taxable distribution from the
For the year 2001, respondent determined that petitioner received but did not report a partnership distribution from the
For the year 2002, respondent determined that petitioner failed to report the following specific items of income: (1) A partnership distribution of $ 951 from the
Petitioner did not file a return for 2003. He did not make estimated tax payments for 2003. Respondent determined that during 2003 petitioner received the following specific items of income totaling $ 47,092: (1) A partnership distribution from Cetus Healthcare Limited Partnership II of $ 242; (2) a distribution from a Schwab Individual Retirement Account of $ 3,092; (3) wages from Linotext America, Inc. of $ 19,970; (4) Social Security benefits of $ 19,248; (5) nonemployee compensation from Linotext America, Inc., and Applied Materials of $ 1,722 and $ 1,933, respectively; and (6) capital gain from the sale of Cisco stock of $ 885. Respondent's *221 bank deposits analysis showed that petitioner received $ 54,832 of additional unreported income.
OPINION
Generally, a taxpayer bears the burden of proving the Commissioner's determinations incorrect.
It was deemed admitted under
It was deemed admitted under
It was deemed admitted under
Petitioner failed to file a Federal income tax return for 2003. It was deemed admitted under
In addition to the receipt of unreported income, respondent determined that petitioner *224 overstated deductions.
Respondent denied or reduced petitioner's claimed deductions for the years 2000, 2001 and 2002, including a Schedule E expense for 2001. Petitioner presented no evidence to substantiate any of these deductions. Furthermore, at trial petitioner refused to answer questions about his deductions for the years at issue, asserting meritless arguments. Therefore, petitioner has failed to meet his burden with respect to the disallowed deductions.
Respondent determined that petitioner is liable for self-employment tax under
D. Fraud Penalties and Additions to Tax Under Sections 6663 and 6651(f)
Fraud *226 is defined as an intentional wrongdoing designed to evade tax believed to be owing.
Circumstantial evidence that may give rise to a finding of fraud includes: (1) Understatement of income; (2) inadequate records; (3) failure to file tax returns; (4) providing implausible or inconsistent explanations of behavior; (5) concealment of assets; (6) failure to cooperate with taxing authorities; (7) filing false Forms W-4; (8) failure to make estimated tax payments; (9) dealing in cash; (10) engaging in a pattern of behavior that indicates an intent to mislead; and (11) filing false documents. See
Respondent determined that petitioner is liable for a fraud penalty under
Respondent determined that petitioner is liable for a fraud penalty under
Petitioner's conduct exhibits many of the badges of fraud listed above. He understated his income. He not only kept inadequate records; he kept no records. He filed his tax return for the year 2001 approximately 31 months late. He concealed income using the name Ray Vogt Enterprises. He failed to cooperate with taxing authorities, including in the conduct of this proceeding. He gave false information to taxing authorities stating that he owned no partnership interests or rental property during the years at issue. He refused to provide answers, or gave evasive and irrelevant answers citing frivolous arguments on numerous occasions. He attempted to prevent a financial institution *230 from complying with a notice of summons sent to it. He filed two false Forms W-4, stating that he was exempt from withholding taxes. Lastly, he had significant cash deposits for the years at issue. For these reasons, we hold that petitioner is liable for a penalty under
Respondent determined that petitioner is liable for a fraud penalty under
Respondent determined that petitioner is liable for a fraudulent failure to file addition to tax for the year 2003. We consider the same factors under
E. Penalty Under
1. Burden of Proof
The Commissioner bears the initial *232 burden of production with respect to petitioner's liability for additions to tax under
2. Section 6662(a) Penalty for 2000
Having found that petitioner is not liable for a fraud penalty for the year 2000, we consider respondent's argument in the alternative that petitioner is liable for an accuracy-related penalty under
It was deemed admitted under *233
3.
4. Section 6654 Addition to Tax for 2003
It was deemed admitted under
In reaching our holdings, we have considered all arguments made, and, to the extent *236 not mentioned, we conclude that they are moot, irrelevant, or without merit.
To reflect the foregoing,
Decision will be entered under
Footnotes
1. Unless otherwise indicated, all section references are to the Internal Revenue Code, as amended. All Rule references are to the Tax Court Rules of Practice and Procedure, unless otherwise indicated. Amounts are rounded to the nearest dollar.↩
2. In his amendment to answer, respondent conceded income adjustments related to certain partnership distributions. On brief, respondent conceded income adjustments related to Peninsula Communications of $ 13,376 and $ 48,001 for tax years 2000 and 2001, respectively. In addition, respondent conceded adjustments based on bank deposits into California Federal Bank of $ 18,527 for tax year 2002.
3. Petitioner attempted to use a generalized fear of self-incrimination to avoid responding to respondent's affirmative allegations. "A taxpayer cannot base his failure either to cooperate with the IRS or to produce records on a generalized fear of self-incrimination."
Edelson v. Commissioner, 829 F.2d 828, 832 (9th Cir. 1987) , affg.T.C. Memo. 1986-223↩ .4. On Sept. 29, 2006, respondent filed a motion to show cause why respondent's proposed stipulation of facts should not be accepted as established under
Rule 91(f) . The Court granted the motion to show cause, ordering petitioner to file a response on or before Oct. 23, 2006. Petitioner filed both a response and a supplemental response to the order to show cause. In his responses, petitioner objected to nearly all of the stipulations and proposed exhibits, asserting theFifth Amendment↩ privilege against self-incrimination. The Court again found this argument meritless. Petitioner did not respond to the substance of the proposed stipulations or exhibits.5. On brief, respondent conceded the additional unreported income for 2002.↩
6. Respondent denied or reduced petitioner's claimed home mortgage interest deduction under
sec. 163 , charitable contribution deduction undersec. 170 , deduction for taxes paid undersec. 164↩ , and deductions for unreimbursed employee expenses for vehicle, travel, and other employee business expenses.7. During the year 2001, petitioner made net deposits of $ 75,496 into his bank accounts, while he reported only $ 56,262 of income on his return.↩
8. The disallowed deductions included deductions for State and local taxes, interest expense, charitable contributions, and employee business expenses.↩
9. The deposits were of cash and a certified check drawn on Master Printers Credit Union.↩
10. The disallowed deductions included charitable contributions and miscellaneous employee business expenses.↩
11. The unreported income shown by respondent's bank deposits analysis was not deemed admitted under
Rule 37(c) , nor was it deemed stipulated underRule 91(f) . This amount, alleged in the amended answer, increased petitioner's deficiency from $ 22,722 to $ 28,036; therefore, respondent bears the burden of proof with respect to this amount.Rule 142(a)↩ .12. The amount by which petitioner underpaid his income tax takes into account disallowed deductions.↩
13. Respondent allowed petitioner certain itemized deductions totaling $ 13,142.↩
14. Respondent does not seek fraud penalties under
sec. 6663↩ for the portion of the underpayments attributable to petitioner's unsubstantiated deductions for any of the years at issue.15. Respondent alleged in his amended answer that petitioner received additional amounts of unreported income, but he conceded those amounts on brief.
16. Respondent does not seek an accuracy-related penalty under
sec. 6662↩ for the portion of the underpayment attributable to petitioner's unsubstantiated deductions.
Related
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2007 T.C. Memo. 209, 94 T.C.M. 120, 2007 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 212, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/vogt-v-commr-tax-2007.