UNITED STATES TAX COURT
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RECCSDED
CAL
STAT.
T.C. Memo. 1998-460
UNITED STATES TAX COURT
GHALARDI INCOME TAX EDUCATION FOUNDATION, Petitioner
y. COMMISSIONER OF INTERNAL REVENUE, Respondent
WILLIAM S. WEBBER, JR., Petitioner y.
COMMISSIONER OF INTERNAL REVENUE, Respondent
Docket Nos. 24817-96, 24826-96.
Filed December 30,
1998.
Donald S. Fletcher (Trustee), for petitioner
foundation.
William S. Webber, Jr., pro se.
Lloyd T. Silberzweig and Andrew P. Crousore, for
respondent.
MEMORANDUM FINDINGS OF FACT AND OPINION
WHALEN, Judge:
Respondent determined the following
deficiency in and penalty with respect to the Federal
income tax of petitioner Ghalardi Income Tax Education
Foundation:
SERVED DEC 30 1998
- 2 Year
Deficiency
Penalty Sec. 6662(a)
1993
$14,334
$2,866
Unless stated otherwise, all section references are to the
Internal Revenue Code as in effect for the years in issue.
Respondent also determined the following deficiencies in,
addition to, and penalties with respect to the Federal
income tax of William S. Webber, Jr.:
Addition to Tax
Year
Deficiency
Penalty Sec. 6662
Sec. 6651(a)(1)
1992
1993
$19,404
27,426
$3,881
5,485
-0$1,371
These cases were consolidated for trial, briefing, and
opinion by order of the Court issued pursuant to Rule
141(a) of the Tax Court Rules of Practice and Procedure.
In this opinion all Rule references are to the Tax Court
Rules of Practice and Procedure.
The issue for decision in this case is whether
respondent properly determined the subject tax
deficiencies, penalties, and addition to tax.
FINDINGS OF FACT
Mr. Webber filed Forms 1040, U.S. Individual Income
Tax Return, for 1992 and 1993.
On each return, Mr. Webber
reported that he was employed as a "Tax Consultant" trading
under the name "Bill's Business Service".
Attached to each
return is Schedule C, Profit or Loss From Business, with
T
- 3 respect to Mr. Webber's tax consulting business.
Set out
below is a summary of the income and expenses reported on
the Schedule C filed by Mr. Webber for 1992 and 1993:
1992
1993
Gross receipts
Cost of goods sold
$31,546
_1.668
$28,039
7,383
Gross Income
31,378
20,656
Advertising
Car and truck expenses
Commissions and fees
Insurance
Interest
a Mortgage (paid to banks, etc.)
b Other
Legal and professional services
Office expense
Rent or lease:
a Vehicles, machinery, and equipment
b Other business property
Repairs and maintenance
Supplies
Taxes and licenses
Travel, meals, and entertainment
a Travel
b Meals and entertainment
$6,574
c Enter 20% of line b
d Subtract line c from b
Utilities
Other expenses:
Bank charges
144
Postage
578
Continuing education
-0Contributions
-0Dues and subscriptions
-0_
Totalexpenses
Net profit (loss)
$212
5,618
2,446
200
-0$3,521
-0-0-
68
600
1,928
-0541
1,485
120
970
4,493
75
132
154
3,264
-0-
442
137
$926
_1§5
5,259
1,836
722
__
741
2,865
36
-0453
125
754
___
24,989
6,389
1,368
_
14,208
6,448
T
- 4 -
During the years in issue, Mr. Webber maintained a
bank account with First Interstate Bank under the name
Bill Webber d/b/a Bill's Business Service.
He also
maintained two accounts with the Santa Cruz Community
Credit Union under the same name.
Set forth below is a
summary of the aggregate deposits made intö Mr. Webber' s
three accounts, the amount of cash received at the time
the deposits were made, the gross receipts reported on
Mr. Webber's Schedules C, and the unreported income
determined by respondent:
Bank
1992
1993
First Interstate Bank
Cash received
Santa Cruz Community Credit Union, #1
$31,036.82
9,450.00
943.50
$24,995.26
6,350.00
1, 508.33
Santa Cruz Community Credit Union, #2
20,709.74
14,858.33
Aggregate deposits and cash received
62,140.06
47,711.92
Less gross receipts reported
31,546.00
28,039.00
Unreported income
30,594.06
19,672.92
On or about January 2, 1991, Mr. Webber caused a
declaration of trust to be executed entitled the Ghalardi
Income Tax Education Foundation "A Trust", herein referred
to as Ghalardi.
Pursuant to the declaration of trust,
Ms. Lillian Girarde, the sister of Mr. Webber's
grandmother, purportedly created an irrevocable trust:
- 5 TO PROVIDE for the administration of the assets
by natural or corporate persons acting in a
fiduciary capacity to preserve, conserve,
maintain, invest, and develop the assets for
the benefit of the certificate holders and in
a manner designated in this instrument.
The declaration of trust states that the certificates of
interest of the trust are divided into 100 units or parts,
and it describes the certificates of interest as follows:
CERTIFICATES OF INTEREST
THE CERTIFICATES of interest of this trust,
as
a convenience and for purposes of distributions,
are divided into one hundred (100) units or parts
thereof. They are non-assessable, non-taxable
and non-negotiable. No certificate holder may
transfer any unit of interest to anyone else,
without the approval of at least one other
certificate holder of the trust other than the
person to whom the units of interest are being
transferred. When a transfer of units of
interest is made by a sole certificate holder, or
one of only two certificate holders to the other
certificate holder, the transfer must be approved
by an independent trustee. Ownership of a
certificate, and the units represented thereby,
shall not entitle the holder to any legal title
in or to the trust property, nor any say or power
in the management thereof.
NO INTEREST of any certificate holder shall be
subject to or liable for attachment, execution,
or other processes of law. No certificate holder
shall have the right to encumber, hypothecate,
or alienate his interest in this trust in any
manner, without the written approval of an
adverse party.
T
- 6 IF ANY CERTIFICATE holder of this trust shall
contest in any court the validity of this trust
or in any manner [sic] to nullify or set aside
this trust or any of its provisions, then the
interest of that certificate holder shall cease
and that person's interest shall be divided up
among the other certificate holders pro-rata.
The trustees are authorized to defend, at the
expense of the trust, any kind of contest or
attack by a certificate holder or any other
person against the trust or against any of its
provisions.
THE NAME OF EACH certificate holder of this trust
must be recorded by the trust record keeper in
the trust records. Any third party may rely
upon that certified list (Attachment "C") in all
transactions with the trustees or in behalf of
the trust, and that list is intended to represent
a clear and definite means for the ascertainment
of the certificate holders of this trust.
According to Schedule C, CERTIFIED LIST OF CERTIFICATE
HOLDERS, attached to the declaration of trust, all
certificates of interest in Ghalardi are owned by
Isaac Hull Holding Co.
The record of this case does
not describe this entity or state who owns this entity.
The declaration of trust sets forth the following
standard governing distributions by the trust:
ASCERTAINABLE STANDARD FOR DISTRIBUTION
THE TRUSTEES may accumulate for or distribute
to any certificate holder such portions of
the income or corpus of the trust as the
trustees deem necessary for the support, care,
maintenance, education, medical expenses or
emergencies of the certificate holders. No
distribution from the trust shall be made
except in conformity with this external
ascertainable standard, except on a prorata basis of the certificate holders.
T
- 7 THE TRUSTEES shall have power to distribute
principal and/or income to the certificate
holders, or to make decisions or distributions
of the trust estate in whole or in part, for
delivery or transfer to the certificate holders
of any part or any portion thereof, at such
valuation as is established by the trustees to
be the fair value of the part or portion, or
the trustees may convert the trust estate or
any portion thereof into cash and distribute
the net proceeds to the certificate holders.
According to Schedule B of the declaration of trust,
Ms. Girarde contributed the following personal property
to the trust:
Tools, checking and savings accounts,
furniture, fixtures, and others as per the inventory.
There is no evidence, however, that Ms. Girarde contributed
any property to the trust in January 1991 or at any other
time.
The declaration of trust purports to have been
executed by two trustees, Ms. Judie Dew and Mr. Don
Fredrickson.
Both individuals have personal relation-
ships with Mr. Webber, and neither of them exercised any
independent judgment or control with respect to Ghalardi
or any of the assets allegedly held by or on behalf of
Ghalardi.
On or about January 5, 1993, Mr. Webber opened a
checking account at First Interstate Bank with an initial
deposit of $1,550.
This account purported to be in the
name of Ghalardi Income Tax Education Foundation.
This
account was closed several months later because the bank
T
- 8 determined that it did "not meet our bank's guidelines for
a Trust account."
During the time it was open, deposits
in the aggregate amount of $11,875 were made to the
account.
On or about May 26, 1993, Mr. Webber opened another
account under the name Ghalardi Income Tax Education
Foundation at the Coast Commercial Bank in Santa Cruz,
California.
The signature card for the account is
signed by Mr. Webber as manager and by Ms. Dew and
Mr. Fredrickson, who purport to be acting as trustees
of Ghalardi.
During 1993, aggregate deposits of $23,805
were made to this account.
Set out below is a list of the dates and amounts of
the deposits made to the First Interstate Bank and the
Coast Commercial Bank accounts that were opened by
Mr. Webber under the name Ghalardi Income Tax Education
Foundation:
T
- 9 Date
First Interstate Bank
Coast Commercial Bank
01/05/93
01/26/93
$1,550
3,675
---
02/02/93
1,100
--
03/09/93
03/31/93
04/09/93
04/14/93
05/05/93
05/27/93
05/28/93
07/02/93
08/06/93
09/01/93
10/01/93
10/06/93
10/18/93
11/04/93
11/29/93
12/09/93
1,000
1,725
825
750
1,250
------------
-----$1,650
500
1,750
2,700
3,200
2,310
1,125
1,075
2,250
3,800
625
12/21/93
12/23/93
---
1,500
1,320
11,875
23,805
$35,680
The parties have stipulated that aggregate deposits of
$23,655 were made during 1993 to the Coast Commercial Bank
account.
This is $150 less than the aggregate deposits
reflected on the statements for that account, as shown
above.
We shall use the amount stipulated by the parties.
The parties have also stipulated that $2,900 of cash was
received by petitioner in connection with the above
deposits to the Coast Commercial Bank account.
Thus,
petitioner made aggregate deposits during 1993 of $35,530
and received an additional $2,900 in cash, for a total of
$38,430.
The record of this case does not establish the
source of any of these funds.
as his own.
Total
Mr. Webber used those funds
T
- 10 During the years in issue, Mr. Webber exercised
complete and unfettered control over the moneys on deposit
in the above accounts under the name Ghalardi Income Tax
Education Foundation.
Ghalardi filed a return for calendar year 1993 on Form
1041, U.S. Fiduciary Income Tax Return.
As part of the
return, there is a Schedule C, Profit or Loss From
Business, which purports to be from a business described
as Consultant/Education that was operated under the name
G.I.T.E.F.
The receipts and expenses reported on Schedule
C for this alleged business are as follows:
Gross receipts
Car and truck expenses
Rent or lease
Vehicles, machinery & equipment
Other business property
Supplies
Travel, meals, & entertainment
Travel
$22,845
$3, 415
822
7,000
5, 741
534
688
Utilities
Other Expenses
Service charges
Freight
Team building
Bank charges
Conventions, seminars
Dues, publications
Parking
Samples, displays
Contract labor
Total other expenses
Total expenses
$990
19
113
101
2,391
943
10
89
725
5 , 3 81
23,581
Net profit or (loss)
(736)
Respondent made three adjustments in the notice of
deficiency issued to Ghalardi.
First, respondent
determined that Ghalardi had received unreported income
during 1993 in the amount of $15,585, the excess of the
- 11 sum of the total deposits to Ghalardi's bank accounts and
cash received, $38,430, over the gross receipts reported
on Ghalardi's Schedule C, $22,845.
Second, respondent
determined that Ghalardi is entitled to none of the
expenses claimed as deductions on its Schedule C for 1993
because Ghalardi did not establish that it was engaged in
a trade or business, that the amounts were paid, or that
they constituted allowable deductions.
Finally, respondent
determined Ghalardi's liability for the accuracy-related
penalty imposed under section 6662(a) for negligence or
disregard of rules or regulations or, in the alternative,
for substantial understatement of income tax.
Respondent made seven adjustments in the notice of
deficiency issued to Mr. Webber.
First, respondent
increased Mr. Webber's taxable income for 1992 and 1993
in the amount by which the total deposits to Mr. Webber's
bank accounts and cash received exceed the gross receipts
reported on Mr. Webber's Schedules C as follows:
1992
1993
Total deposits and cash received
$62,140.06
$47,711.92
Less gross receipts reported
31,546.00
28,039.00
Unreported income
30, 594.06
19,672.92
Second, respondent disallowed the cost of goods sold
claimed on the Schedules C for Mr. Webber's tax consulting
business in the amount of $168 in 1992 and $7,383 in 1993.
Third, respondent disallowed the expenses claimed on the
.9
- 12 Schedules C, $24,989 in 1992 and $14,208 in 1993, on the
ground that Mr. Webber had not substantiated any of these
expenses.
Fourth, respondent increased Mr. Webber's
taxable income by Ghalardi's gross receipts for 1993,
$38,430.
The notice of deficiency sets forth the follow-
ing explanation of this adjustment:
It has been determined that Ghalardi ITEF
operates as an agent of William S. Webber.
Income from Ghalardi ITEF is being reassigned to
William S. Webber in the amount indicated below
[i.e.,
$38,430).
Fifth, respondent decreased Mr. Webber's taxable income by
one-half of the additional self-employment tax determined
for the year, $3,821 for 1992 and $4,269 for 1993.
Sixth, respondent determined that Mr. Webber is
liable for the addition to tax under section 6651(a)(1)
for failure to file Mr. Webber's 1993 return on or before
Monday, October 17, 1994, the due date including
extensions.
Finally, respondent determined that Mr. Webber
is liable for the accuracy-related penalty under section
6662(a)
for 1992 and 1993 on the ground that the under-
payment of tax for each year was due to negligence, a
substantial understatement of tax, or a substantial
valuation misstatement.
- 13 After respondent issued the subject notice of
deficiency to Mr. Webber and after Mr. Webber had filed
the instant petition in this Court, he sent to respondent
a second Form 1040 for both 1992 and 1993 on which he
shows zero taxable income and claims a refund of the tax
paid for both years.
Attached to each of those documents
is a statement signed by Mr. Webber.
The document attached
to Mr. Webber's 1992 "amended return" states as follows:
I, William Spencer Webber, Jr., am submitting
this as part of my 1992.income tax return.
I am
filing this return in response to the Informal
Request for Admissions concerning docketed case
no. 24826-96.
I am filing this corrected return
in order to adjust the voluntary over reporting
of taxable income on my original return for the
tax year 1992, which was shown in ignorance of
the laws and regulations and without this
document having been submitted.
In addition to the above, I am filing the
corrected return even though the "Privacy Act
Notice" as contained in a 1040 booklet clearly
informs me that I am not required to file any
return such as the one I filed in 1992 and
which I am now amending based upon the laws
and regulations of the Internal Revenue Code.
It does so in at least two (2) places:
A.
In one place it states that I need only file
a return for "any tax" for which I may be
liable. Since no Code Section makes me
"liable" for income taxes, this provision
notifies me that I do not have to file an
income tax return, which I did in ignorance
in 1992.
B.
In another place it direct [sic] me to Code
Section 6001. This section provides, in
relevant part, that "whenever in the
judgement of the Secretary it is necessary,
he may require any person by notice served
- 14 upon such person, or by regulations, to make
such returns, render such statements, or
keep such records, as the Secretary deems
sufficient to show whether or not such
person is liable for tax under this title."
Since the Secretary of the Treasury did not
"serve" me with any such "notice" and since
no legislative regulation exists requiring
anyone to file an income tax return, I am
again informed by the "Privacy Act Notice"
that I am not required to file an income tax
return.
Even though I know that no section of the
Internal Revenue Code:
1.
Establishes an income tax "liability" as,
for example, Code Sections 4401,
5005,
&
5703 do with respect to wagering, alcohol &
tobacco taxes;
2.
Provides that income taxes "have to be paid
on the basis of a return" as, for example,
Code Sections 4374, 4401(c), 5061(a), &
5703(b) do with respect to other taxes
In addition:
3.
26 CFR 602.101 does not list a 1040
(OMB#1545-0074) as even being applicable to
the income tax imposed in Section 1 of the
Code. This regulation refers the public to
a document carrying OMB#1545-0067, which is
for reporting "Foreign Earned Income."
Since I had no foreign earned income to
report, there seems to be no other document
or return that 26 CFR 602.101 makes
applicable to the income tax imposed in
Section 1 of the Internal Revenue Code.
4.
Sections 6103(h) & 6103(1) provide that all
return information can be used against me to
determine and impose both criminal and civil
fines and penalties. Therefore, I do not
see how any [sic] can compel me to provide
information to the government that can be
used against me in this manner, consistent
with my Fifth Amendment right not to be
compelled to be a witness against myself.
Fifth Amendment protection applies to any
- 15 proceeding, civil or criminal, administrative or judicial, and may be invoked in
connection with federal income taxes. See
U.S. v. Argomaniz, 925 F.2d 1349 (11th Cir.
1991); Cincinnati v. Bawtenheimer, 63 Ohio
St. 3d, p.260.
5.
With respect to the information I have
included in my return, I wish to point
out that the courts have ruled that:
"A
(1040) form with 'zeros' inserted in the
space provided * * * qualified as a return."
See U.S. v. Long, 618 F.2d 74 (9th Cir.
1980), U.S. v. Kimball, 896 F.2d 1218 (9th
Cir. 1990), U.S. v. Moore, 627 F.2d 830 (7th
Cir. 1980), and a Las Vegas bankruptcy court
held that "Zeroes entered on a Form 1040 constitutes a return."" [sic]
See Cross v.
U.S., 91-2 USTC p.50, 318; Bankr.L.Rep. p.
7404.
6.
It is also noted that I had "zero" income
according to the Supreme Court's definition
of income, ¹since in Merchant's Loan & Trust
Co. v. Smietanka, 225 U.S. 509 (at pages 518
& 519) the court held that, "The word
(income) must be given the same meaning in
all of the Income Tax Acts of Congress that
was given to it in the Corporation Excise
Tax Act of 1909." Therefore, since I had
no earnings in 1992 that would have been
taxable as "income" under the Corporation
Excise Tax Act of 1909, I can only swear to
having "zero" income in 1992. Obviously,
since I know the legal definition of
"income," if I were to swear to having
received any other amount of "income," I
would be committing perjury under both 18
U.S.C.
1621 and U.S.C. 7206.
Thus, not
wishing to commit perjury under either
statute, I can only swear to have "zero"
income for 1992.
7.
Please note that my 1992 return also constitutes a claim for refund pursuant to
IRCode § 6402.
8.
I am also putting IRS on notice that my
corrected 1992 tax return and claim for
refund does not constitute a "frivolous"
- 16 return pursuant to IRCode § 6702. My
amended return and claim for refund is based
on 9 court decisions, 9 Internal Revenue
Code sections, 3 Privacy Act Notice
provisions and numerous other references.
As such, it can not [sic] be termed
"frivolous" on any basis as that term is
defined and understood.
In addition, my
return is not designed to "delay or impede
the administration of Federal Income Tax
laws," since it is designed to be my final
statement under those "laws." Further, no
IRS employee has any delegated authority to
impose a "frivolous" penalty, or is there
any legislative regulation implementing
IRCode § 6702; thus the statute is benign.
9.
Finally, I shall hold any and all IRS
employees who disregard the statutes,
court decisions, Privacy Act Notice
provisions and other references
contained in this document accountable
pursuant to 26 U.S.C. 7214 and 18
U.S.C. 241. Section 7214 makes it a
crime for IRS agents to seek to extract
"other or greater sums than authorized
by law" and to engage in "extortion and
willful oppression under color of law."
To the extent that IRS employees
capriciously, wantonly, and arbitrarily
disregard the court decisions,
statutes, and other references contained in this document, they will be
in criminal violation of these statutes
and are, accordingly, being put on such
notice.
Signed
William S. Webber, Jr.
William S. Webber, Jr.
Date September 3, 1997
¹The word "income" is not defined in the
Internal Revenue Code (See U.S. v. Ballard, 535
F.2d 400, 404). But, as stated above, it can
only be a derivative of corporate activity.
The Supreme Court has held this numerous times.
"Whatever difficulty there may be about a precise
and scientific definition of 'income' it imports,
as used here * * * the idea of gain or increase
arising from corporate activities." See Doyle
- 17 v. Mitchell, 247 U.S. 179.
"Certainly the term
'income' has no broader meaning in the 1913 Act
than in that of 1909 (See Stratton's Independence
v. Howbert, 231 U.S. 399, 416, 417), and we
assume that there is no difference in its meaning
as used in the two acts." Southern Pacific Co.
v. John Z. Lowe, Jr., 247 U.S. 330, 335.
The document attached to Mr. Webber's 1993 "amended return"
is virtually identical to the above.
OPINION
Petitioners make eight frivolous contentions in their
posttrial briefs.
First, petitioners allege that the
expenses disallowed by respondent are "ordinary and
necessary expenses" incurred during the taxable year in
carrying on their trades or businesses and are deductible
under section 162.
Respondent disallowed all the expenses
claimed on the Schedules C filed by Ghalardi and
Mr. Webber, as well as the cost of goods sold claimed on
Mr. Webber's Schedule C, because petitioners neither
substantiated any of the amounts claimed nor showed that
the expenses or costs of goods sold were allowable.
Petitioners' contention is frivolous because, at trial,
they introduced no testimony or documents to substantiate
any of the expenses or costs of goods sold claimed by
either petitioner.
Second, petitioners assert that the notices of
deficiency issued to them are not reflected in a computer
- 18 summary of their accounts, designated the "Individual
Master File Tax Module", for 1992 or 1993.
Petitioners
introduced a copy of the computer summary of Mr. Webber's
account for 1992 and 1993, but they did not introduce a
computer summary of Ghalardi's account.
Based upon the
computer summary of Mr. Webber's account, petitioners argue
"that there has never been an official filing of a notice
of deficiency for either year" and that the subject
"Notices of Deficiency are invalid and fraudulent."
Petitioners cite no authority for their contention.
Third, petitioners argue that "even if the deficiency
notices sent by IRS were valid, any additional assessments
that they would have created would be invalid."
According
to Mr. Webber, this is true because respondent "has no
delegated authority to prepare returns for Petitioner and,
therefore, no legal deficiency notices are possible in the
instant case where Petitioner did not self-assess himself."
Fourth, petitioners argue that "any returns provided
by Respondent that were prepared by a revenue officer in
the San Jose office of Internal Revenue will not conform
to 26 USC 6065 because such returns are not authorized by
law nor are they affirmed under penalties of perjury."
Similarly, petitioners argue that respondent's agent
violated the law "by failing to provide a lawful signature
on his information reports" as required by section 6065.
- 19 Petitioners charge that, by completing the statements of
income tax examination changes that are attached to the
notices of deficiency and by filing those statements as
"substitute returns" for petitioners under section 6020(b),
respondent's agent has "made an attempt to extort sums"
from petitioners in violation of section 7214.
Fifth, petitioners assert that under our system of
taxation, "the only way Internal Revenue can legally
collect an income tax from an individual citizen * * *
is if the individual voluntarily files a form 1040,
self assesses an amount of tax, and then does not pay."
Petitioners assert that "there is no section in the
Internal Revenue Code which establishes an income tax
liability".
Sixth, petitioners assert that the meaning of the
term "gross income" for purposes of the Internal Revenue
Code "means 'gains and profits' derived from corporate
activities".
In responding to a request for admissions
from respondent, Mr. Webber employed this meaning of the
word "income".
For example, Mr. Webber denied that
"nontaxable income" was deposited into certain checking
accounts because, according to him, "the word 'income'
infers corporate profit and I had no corporation,
therefore, I had no 'income.'"
- 20 Seventh, petitioners complain about the bias exhibited
by both respondent's agent and the Court.
For example,
petitioners make the following complaint:
The Judge has surrendered the position of
indifference and supported Internal Revenue in
these cases. Judge Whalen was witnessed by at
least two people in the course of preparing to
hear this matter to have referred to Petitioner
Webber as a "tax protestor." Although this
accusation was denied by the Judge on the record,
witnesses could collaborate [sic] the expressed
bias. Throughout the trail [sic] Judge Whalen
held contempt for the Pro per litigant by
demanding a presence and a knowledge of procedure
that would be expected ONLY of an accredited
officer of the Court. The deportment of the
Judge in this hearing surely violated the Maxim
of Jurisprudence noted in CIV § 3512, which
states, "One must not change his purpose to the
injury of another."
Finally, Mr. Webber contends that he filed his 1993
return on October 17, 1994, which was timely because
October 15, 1994, fell on Saturday.
The notice of
deficiency states that Mr. Webber's return was filed on
October 19, 1994.
This contention is frivolous because
Mr. Webber introduced no evidence regarding the manner in
which his 1993 return was filed or the date on which such
filing took place.
Accordingly, there is no basis in the
record to overturn respondent's determination on this
point.
Each of the contentions raised by petitioners is
frivolous or groundless and none of them merit discussion.
- 21 See Wilcox v. Commissioner, 848 F.2d 1007, 1008
1988)
(9th Cir.
(stating that paying taxes is not voluntary), affg.
T.C. Memo. 1987-225; Carter v. Commissioner, 784 F.2d 1006,
1009 (9th Cir. 1986)
(rejecting taxpayer's argument that
the income tax is voluntary); Abrams v. Commissioner, 82
T.C. 403, 407 (1984)
(stating that gross income under
section 61 means all income from whatever source derived);
Rowlee v. Commissioner,
(1983)
80 T.C.
1111,
1116-1117,
1120
(rejecting taxpayer's assertion that he is not a
"person liable" for tax and the taxpayer's allegations of
bias); Stone v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 1998-314 (stating
that section 6065 applies to returns and other documents
filed with Commissioner but does not apply to notices of
deficiency); Janus v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 1996-195
(finding that forms included in the notices of deficiency
detailing the adjustments made by Commissioner did not
serve as substitute returns under section 6020 and that
nothing in the Internal Revenue Code requires the Secretary
to file a return pursuant to section 6020 before assessing
a deficiency); Hill v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 1992-140
(describing taxpayer's assertion that he owes no income
tax in the absence of a voluntary self-assessment as an
"outdated protester-type argument"); Lewis v. Commissioner,
T.C. Memo. 1992-76 (dismissing taxpayers' arguments that
tax system is voluntary and that self-assessment is
- 22 required before a notice of deficiency can be issued as
"stale tax protester contentions"); Ebert v. Commissioner,
T.C. Memo. 1991-629 (rejecting taxpayer's assertion that
there is no section of the Internal Revenue Code that makes
taxpayer liable for the taxes claimed), affd. without
published opinion 986 F.2d 1427 (10th Cir. 1993); Rice
v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 1978-334 (stating that
the allegation that the conduct of agents of the Internal
Revenue Service in issuing the notice of deficiency
violates section 7214 is a matter over which the Tax Court
has no jurisdiction); Spencer v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo.
1977-145
(stating that section 6065 does not require
notices of deficiency issued by Commissioner to be signed
under penalties of perjury).
In view of the fact that
all of petitioners' arguments are frivolous or groundless,
we will require Mr. Webber to pay to the United States a
penalty pursuant to section 6673(a) in the amount of
$10,000.
Furthermore, Mr. Webber presented no evidence at
trial and made no argument in his posttrial briefs
regarding respondent's determination of the addition
to tax under section 6651(a)(1) and the penalty under
section 6662(a).
determinations.
Accordingly, we hereby sustain those
- 23 Notwithstanding petitioners' failure to raise an
issue that merits discussion, we must address the notice
of deficiency issued to Ghalardi.
Respondent argues that
Ghalardi was a sham devised by Mr. Webber in an attempt
to shift income to Ghalardi.
There is ample evidence to
support that contention and no evidence to contradict it.
For example, we have found that Mr. Webber formed Ghalardi
and exercised full and complete control over all of
Ghalardi's assets.
There is no evidence in this case that
Ghalardi had any role or economic purpose other than to
shift income from.Mr. Webber and tax avoidance.
We find
that Mr. Webber stood in the same position with respect
to the assets allegedly held by Ghalardi after its
formation as before.
See Zmuda v. Commissioner, 79 T.C.
714, 721 (1982), affd. 731 F.2d 1417 (9th Cir. 1984);
Professional Servs. v. Commissioner, 79 T.C. 888, 925
(1982).
Mr. Webber was free to deal with Ghalardi's assets
without restraint and, as a matter of economic reality,
there was no separation of legal title from beneficial
enjoyment and, hence, Ghalardi was a nullity.
Markosian v. Commissioner,
73 T.C.
1235,
See
1244-1245
(1980);
Dahlstrom v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 1991-265, affd.
without published opinion 999 F.2d 1579
(5th Cir.
1993).
Accordingly, we agree with respondent that Ghalardi is a
sham for Federal income tax purposes.
Thus, we sustain
- 24 -
the adjustment to Mr. Webber's 1993 return in which
respondent increased Mr. Webber's taxable income by the
amount of Ghalardi's gross income for the year.
The
notice of deficiency issued to Ghalardi which appears
to have been in the nature of a protective notice of
deficiency, is hereby disapproved.
See Professional
Servs. v. Commissioner, supra; Tatum v. Commissioner,
T.C. Memo. 1988-579, affd. without published opinion
886 F.2d 1313
(5th Cir. 1989).
In the case at docket No.
24817-96, decision will be
entered for petitioner.
In the case at docket No.
24826-96, decision will be
entered for respondent.
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