# T.C. Summary Opinion 2002-95

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- **Collection:** Agency decision
- **Document type:** Agency decision

## Text

T.C. Summary Opinion 2002-95

UNITED STATES TAX COURT
JOYCE H. SAMS, Petitioner v.
COMMISSIONER OF INTERNAL REVENUE, Respondent

Docket No. 12430-00S.

Filed July 19, 2002.

Joyce H. Sams, pro se.
Michele A. Yates, for respondent.

PANUTHOS, Chief Special Trial Judge:

This case was heard

pursuant to the provisions of section 7463 of the Internal
Revenue Code in effect at the time the petition was filed.

The

decision to be entered is not reviewable by any other court, and
this opinion should not be cited as authority.

Unless otherwise

indicated, subsequent section references are to the Internal
Revenue Code in effect for the year in issue, and all Rule
references are to the Tax Court Rules of Practice and Procedure.

- 2 Respondent determined a deficiency in petitioner’s Federal
income tax of $23,243 and a penalty under section 6662(a) of
$4,648.60 for 1996.

After a concession by respondent,1 the

issues for decision are:

(1) Whether $37,828 reported by Joyce

Sams, Inc. (Sams, Inc.), on Form 1120S, U.S. Income Tax Return
for an S Corporation, is taxable to petitioner; (2) whether
petitioner received unreported income of $25,578; (3) whether
petitioner is entitled to deduct expenses of $13,2792 on her
individual return that were claimed by Sams, Inc. and disallowed
by respondent; (4) whether petitioner is entitled to a claimed
loss on Schedule E, Supplemental Income and Loss, of $3,287; (5)
whether petitioner is entitled to claimed Schedule E deductions
of $1,246; (6) whether petitioner is entitled to the claimed net
operating loss (NOL) carryover of $56,699; (7) whether petitioner
is entitled to the standard mileage deduction for business miles
traveled; and (8) whether petitioner is liable for an accuracyrelated penalty under section 6662.
Respondent also determined that petitioner is subject to
self-employment tax and to the alternative minimum tax.

These

adjustments are computational and dependent on the adjustments to
income.

Therefore, we need not separately address these issues.

1

Respondent conceded $9,740 of the original adjustment of
$35,318 of unreported income.
2

Sams, Inc. deducted $35,866 of expenses on its return of
which respondent disallowed $13,279.

- 3 Petitioner resided in Charlotte Hall, Maryland, at the time
she filed her petition.
and are so found.

Some of the facts have been stipulated

For convenience we combine our findings of

fact and conclusions.
Background
Petitioner has worked as a real estate agent licensed by the
State of Maryland since 1980.

Petitioner incorporated Sams, Inc.

in the State of Maryland in 1980 in order to limit her personal
liability from lawsuits which she believed to be potentially
substantial.

Petitioner refiled the articles of incorporation

for Sams, Inc. in 1995.

Petitioner was the president and the

sole shareholder of Sams, Inc., and the only person providing
services purportedly on behalf of Sams, Inc.

Sams, Inc. is an S

corporation for Federal income tax purposes.
During 1996, petitioner also worked as a broker-sales
associate and independent contractor with O’Brien Home Sales,
Inc. and O’Brien Realty, Inc. (collectively referred to as
O’Brien), a real estate agency, pursuant to the terms of an
agent-broker agreement dated March 28, 1991.

Although the body

of the agreement indicates that petitioner is the sales
associate, the signature line indicates that Sams, Inc. is the
sales associate.

- 4 In addition to her work as a real estate agent, petitioner
was involved with other real estate matters in 1996, both as an
individual and purportedly on behalf of Sams, Inc.

On occasion,

petitioner taught real estate classes for O’Brien.

Petitioner

owned two rental properties in Waldorf, Maryland.

In addition,

petitioner also maintained and managed rental property by finding
and placing tenants for Skyview Farm and managed real estate
property for Bill Stallman (the Stallman property).

Petitioner

received rental checks from the tenants of Skyview Farm and the
Stallman property, deposited the checks into her personal
checking (the account), and wrote checks to Skyview Farm and Bill
Stallman for the amount of the rents paid by the tenant minus her
management fee.
On Form 1040, U.S. Individual Income Tax Return, for 1996
petitioner reported income and claimed deductions as follows:
Income
Taxable interest
Rental real estate, royalties,
partnerships, S corporations,
trusts, etc.
Other income (Net operating loss
carryover)

$341
(10,576)

Adjusted gross income (negative)

(66,934)

(56,699)

Petitioner reported income and claimed deductions on
Schedule E attached to her individual return as follows:

- 5 Income
Rents received

Property A

Property B

Total

$10,800

$8,800

$19,600

–0249
7,597
1,457
–0–0–0-

288
222
7,281
1,140
9
188
652

288
471
14,878
2,597
9
188
652

–0-

1,050

1,050

3,915

2,841

6,756

Deductions
Commissions
Insurance
Mortgage interest
Taxes
Utilities
Association dues
Painting and
decorating
Plumbing and
electrical
Depreciation
Total deductions

26,889

Losses

(7,289)

Passive Income and Loss
Nonpassive loss from Sch. K-1,
Shareholder’s Share of Income, Credits,
Deductions, etc.
Nonpassive income from Sch. K-1

(5,249)

Total income or loss

(10,576)

1,962

- 6 Sams, Inc. reported income and claimed deductions on its
Form 1120S for its 1996 tax year as follows:
Income
Gross receipts

$37,828

Deductions
Repairs and maintenance
Interest
Advertising
Other deductions
Total income

2,257
20,010
975
1
12,624
2

1,962

1

The other claimed deductions are as follows: Accounting
($300), dues and subscriptions ($1,118), gifts ($333), insurance
($906), legal and professional ($644), outside services ($3,165),
supplies ($1,472), telephone ($867), utilities ($3,539), and
communications ($280).
2
The income of $1,962 flowed through to petitioner
individually as reflected on a Sch. K-1 issued to her by Sams,
Inc.

Discussion
Generally, the burden of proof is on the taxpayer.
142(a)(1).

Rule

The burden of proof may shift to the Commissioner

under section 7491 if the taxpayer establishes compliance with
the requirements of section 7491(a)(2)(A) and (B) by
substantiating items, maintaining required records, and fully
cooperating with the Secretary’s reasonable requests.

Section

7491 is effective with respect to court proceedings arising in
connection with examinations by the Commissioner commencing after
July 22, 1998, the date of its enactment by section 3001(a) of
the Internal Revenue Service Restructuring and Reform Act of

- 7 1998, Pub. L. 105-206, 112 Stat. 685, 726.
It is not clear from the record when respondent commenced
the audit of petitioner’s individual return; therefore, we cannot
determine whether section 7491 is applicable.

Nevertheless,

petitioner has not established that she complied with its
requirements.

Respondent claims that petitioner showed only

partial cooperation in the examination and Appeals processes and
that she produced only minimal documentation after repeated
requests.

We agree.

Accordingly, even if section 7491 were

applicable, we conclude that the burden of proof remains upon
petitioner.
1.

Allocation of Gross Receipts
The notice of deficiency determined that gross receipts

reported on the return for Sams, Inc. of $37,828 should have been
reported on petitioner’s individual return.

Respondent

disallowed deductions claimed on the return of Sams, Inc. of
$35,866 but allowed Schedule A deductions of $2,5773 and a
Schedule C deduction of $20,010 on petitioner’s individual
return.4

The net disallowance is $13,279 ($35,866 less ($2,577

plus $20,010)).

Respondent reasons that the income and certain

3

Respondent subsequently allowed an additional deduction
for an advertising expense of $20.
4

Respondent concedes that petitioner is entitled to these
deductions if the Court concludes that respondent’s allocation of
income to petitioner is proper.

- 8 deductions should have been reported and claimed on petitioner’s
individual return because:

Petitioner sold real estate for and

received commissions from O’Brien; all payments were made to
petitioner in her name and were either deposited in her
individual bank accounts or endorsed by her; and petitioner did
not receive a salary from Sams, Inc. during the year at issue.
We consider whether the gross receipts were properly
allocated by respondent and are taxable to petitioner under
either the assignment of income doctrine and section 61 or under
section 482, the regulations, and the case law thereunder.5
Gross income includes all income from whatever source
derived.

Sec. 61(a).

Under the assignment of income doctrine

and section 61, salaries, fees, and compensation are taxed to
those who earned them.

United States v. Basye, 410 U.S. 441, 447

(1973); Leavell v. Commissioner, 104 T.C. 140, 149 (1995) (citing
Lucas v. Earl, 281 U.S. 111, 114-115 (1930)).

The application of

the assignment of income doctrine requires an analysis of who
controlled the earning of income and who is the employer.
5

We note that respondent has not alleged that the gross
receipts should be allocated under sec. 269A. The application of
sec. 269A to a personal service corporation (PSC) requires a
finding that the principal purpose for forming or availing of
that PSC is the avoidance or evasion of income tax by reducing
income or securing the benefit of an expense, deduction, credit,
exclusion, or other allowance for any employee-owner which would
not otherwise be available. Sec. 269A(a). There are no facts in
the record that would lead us to conclude that petitioner’s
principal purpose for incorporating Sams, Inc. was avoidance or
evasion of income tax. Therefore, sec. 269A is inapplicable.

- 9 Leavell v. Commissioner, supra at 149.

In determining whether

the taxpayer was an employee of his personal service corporation
as opposed to an employee of a professional sports club, the
Court in Leavell considered whether the service recipient had the
right to control the “manner and means” by which the services
were performed.

Id.

The employee must be just that--an employee

of the corporate employer.

Johnson v. Commissioner, 78 T.C. 882,

891 (1982), affd. without published opinion 734 F.2d 20 (9th Cir.
1984).

Also, there must be a “contract or similar indicium”

between the corporation and the person recognizing the
corporation’s controlling position.

Id. at 891.

Petitioner has attempted to show that Sams, Inc. actually
conducted business.

Moline Props., Inc. v. Commissioner, 319

U.S. 436, 438-439 (1943).
incorporated in 1980.

For example, Sams, Inc. was

The name of Sams, Inc. appears on the

signature line of the agent-broker agreement with O’Brien.

Sams,

Inc. was the payee on Forms 1099-MISC, Miscellaneous Income,
issued by O’Brien.
These facts do not convince us that petitioner was an
employee of Sams, Inc., and that we should respect her allocation
of income to Sams, Inc.
Sams, Inc.

Petitioner did not receive a salary from

Sams, Inc. had no source of income outside of the

ventures in which petitioner personally participated.
earned the income of Sams, Inc.

Petitioner

See United States v. Basye,

- 10 supra at 447.

Petitioner did not have a contract for employment

with Sams, Inc., which evidences lack of control by Sams, Inc.
See Johnson v. Commissioner, supra at 891.
employees in 1996.

Sams, Inc. had no

In addition, many of the checks deposited

into the account (which is in petitioner’s name) reflect
petitioner individually as the payee, and not Sams, Inc.
Furthermore, petitioner did not maintain records of the expenses
claimed on her individual return separately from the expenses
claimed on the return of Sams, Inc.
We conclude that petitioner was not an employee of Sams,
Inc., and that petitioner, not Sams, Inc., earned the gross
receipts at issue.
employed.

We also conclude that petitioner was self-

Secs. 1401 and 1402.

Therefore, the gross receipts

reported on the return of Sams, Inc. are properly allocated to
petitioner under the assignment of income doctrine.
Based on the above holding, we need not and do not apply
section 482 to these facts.
2.

Unreported Income and Bank Deposits
During the examination of petitioner’s individual return,

respondent’s agent requested petitioner’s books and records,
including a sales journal, general ledger, and a general journal,
none of which petitioner produced.

Petitioner produced to

respondent (and to the Court) bank statements reflecting deposits
to and withdrawals from the account from January 1 through

- 11 December 3, 1996; however, she did not produce a bank statement
from the account for the period December 4 through 31, 1996.
Because petitioner did not produce all of the requested records,
respondent reconstructed petitioner’s income by performing a bank
deposit analysis of her account.

Respondent determined in the

notice of deficiency that petitioner had unexplained deposits in
the account and, therefore, unreported gross income of $35,318.
Subsequent to the issuance of the notice of deficiency respondent
reduced this amount to $25,578 calculated as follows:
Total deposits into account
Returned checks
Deposits from home equity line of credit
Income reported on return

$99,381
(3,375)
(13,000)
(57,428)

Total unexplained deposits

25,578

In addition to the use of the bank deposit methodology,
respondent determined that petitioner received $12,589.55 in
commission income and $1,800 in teaching income from O’Brien,
based upon Forms 1099-MISC issued to Sams, Inc. and filed with
respondent.

Petitioner reported the teaching income of $1,800

but only $10,122 of the commission income in 1996.
Petitioner asserts that the deposits into the account can be
explained from the following sources:
Returned checks
Home equity line of credit
1099-MISC O’Brien commissions
1099-MISC O’Brien teaching
Mack/Middleton interest
Mack/Middleton reimbursement

$3,375
14,700
10,122
1,800
22,140
3,881

- 12 Partnership agreement
Property management rent
Rental income
Miscellaneous

7,500
14,950
1
19,500
1,413

Total

99,381

1
Petitioner alleges that this amount includes a security
deposit; however, she failed to indicate the amount of the
security deposit. Petitioner reported the amount of rental
income on her individual return as $19,600.

a.

Forms 1099-MISC

Respondent determined that the full amounts reported on the
Forms 1099-MISC were includable in petitioner’s gross income in
1996.

Petitioner challenged the accuracy of the information

provided in the Form 1099-MISC concerning commission income of
$12,589.55.

Petitioner admits that she received and deposited

$10,122.05 into the account in 1996 but alleges that the
remaining $2,467.50 was deposited on January 2, 1997, and,
therefore, was not includable in income for 1996.
Under section 6201(d), if a taxpayer in a court proceeding
asserts a reasonable dispute with respect to income reported on
an information return (e.g., Form 1099-MISC) and fully cooperates
with the Secretary (including providing access to and inspection
of all witnesses, information, and documents within the control
of the taxpayer as reasonably requested by the Secretary), then
the Secretary shall have the burden of producing reasonable and
probative information in addition to such information return.
See Tanner v. Commissioner, 117 T.C. 237 (2001); McQuatters v.
Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 1998-88; Dennis v. Commissioner, T.C.

- 13 Memo. 1997-275.
As discussed above, petitioner did not reasonably cooperate
with respondent, and she did not produce all documents within her
control (e.g., a bank statement from December 4 through 31,
1996).

Accordingly, the burden of production as well as the

burden of proof with respect to this issue remains on petitioner.
Petitioner has not provided credible evidence substantiating
her position.

For example, petitioner has not produced a bank

statement for the period December 4 through 31, 1996.

We

conclude that the $12,589.55 reported on the Form 1099-MISC from
O’Brien is includable in petitioner’s gross income in 1996.
b.

Bank Deposit Analysis

Generally, a taxpayer is required to maintain adequate books
and records of income.
Regs.

Sec. 6001; sec. 1.6001-1(a), Income Tax

The Commissioner is authorized to reconstruct a taxpayer’s

income by using any reasonable method that clearly reflects
income, including an indirect method, when a taxpayer has failed
to provide adequate records substantiating income.

Sec. 446(b);

Holland v. United States, 348 U.S. 121 (1954); Clayton v.
Commissioner, 102 T.C. 632, 643 (1994).

The Commissioner may use

bank deposit records to reconstruct a taxpayer’s income.
v. Commissioner, supra at 645.

Clayton

Bank deposits are prima facie

evidence of income, and the taxpayer has the burden of showing
that the determination is incorrect.

Id.

The Commissioner must

- 14 take into account any nontaxable source or deductible expense of
which the Commissioner has knowledge.

Id. at 645-646.

We agree that petitioner’s records were inadequate to
substantiate all of her income and deductions.

We note that the

records petitioner produced to the Court are voluminous but
disorganized.

Petitioner commingled the records of expenses

claimed on her return with the records of expenses claimed on the
return of Sams, Inc.

While we conclude generally that

respondent’s use of the bank deposit methodology was reasonable,
we now consider whether each separate deposit into the account
was gross income to petitioner because it appears that respondent
has not taken into consideration whether each item is from a
nontaxable source or a deductible expense.
Deposits made into the account in 1996 total $99,381.

Of

the deposits, returned checks account for $3,375 of this amount.
The returned checks are not includable in petitioner’s gross
income.
Deposits of $14,700, as reflected in deposit slips, are
withdrawals from petitioner’s home equity line of credit.

These

withdrawals are loans and, therefore, are not includable in
petitioner’s gross income.
Petitioner provided credible evidence that the deposit of
$3,881 is a reimbursement of engineering expenses.

Therefore,

the reimbursement is not includable in petitioner’s gross income.

- 15 Petitioner alleges that only fees of $1,455 from property
management rents of $14,950 deposited into the account are
includable in gross income because she was a collection agent for
which she received a fee.

Petitioner’s bank statements indicate

that deposits of $6,150 from the Skyview Farm tenant and $10,300
from the Stallman property tenant were made into the account.
Canceled checks written on the account indicate that petitioner
paid $5,542 to Skyview Farm and $9,453 to Bill Stallman.

We

conclude that petitioner retained $608 and $847, respectively,
totaling $1,455 of fees received that are includable in
petitioner’s gross income.
Petitioner argues that only one-fourth of the deposit of
$7,500 as shown on the partnership agreement is includable in
gross income.

Although the relevant partnership agreement

indicates that petitioner had a one-fourth interest in the assets
of the partnership capital and for purchases and sales, profits,
losses, and distributions, petitioner did not present any
credible evidence that she distributed any of $7,500 that she
received pursuant to the partnership agreement to the other
partners.

We note that the record contains neither a return for

this partnership nor a Schedule K-1 issued by this partnership to
petitioner reflecting the distribution of income.

We conclude

that the entire deposit of $7,500 is includable in petitioner’s
gross income.

- 16 Petitioner alleges that the remaining $1,412.59 of
miscellaneous deposits are not includable in gross income.
Petitioner claims the deposits are from the following sources:
Party expenses; Southern States store refund; Winnebago
Industries stock dividends; repayment of gift from brother; cash
ATM redeposit; Pagenet phone rebate; Catherine Douglas loan
repayment; Farm Credit crop refund; and reimbursement for gift
purchased by mother.

Petitioner provided copies of checks

received and deposited into the account that reflect these
payments.

We are satisfied that petitioner has provided credible

evidence establishing that these deposits are from nontaxable
sources and are not includable in petitioner’s gross income.
3.

Deductions
Petitioner claims that she is entitled to deductions for

expenses for repairs, dues, gifts, insurance, legal and
professional services, outside services, supplies, telephone and
communications, and utilities of $13,279 that were claimed by
Sams, Inc. and disallowed by respondent.
Under section 162(a), a taxpayer may deduct all ordinary and
necessary expenses paid during the taxable year in carrying on
any trade or business.

Commissions and insurance expenses paid

are deductible under section 1.162-1(a), Income Tax Regs.

The

cost of incidental repairs which neither materially add to the
value of a property nor appreciably prolong its life are

- 17 deductible.

Sec. 1.162-4, Income Tax Regs.

No deduction is generally allowed for amounts paid or
incurred for membership in any club organized for business,
pleasure, recreation, or other social purpose.

Sec. 274(a)(3).

Under section 274(a)(1), no deduction otherwise allowable shall
be allowed for any item with respect to a facility used in
connection with an activity which is of a type generally
considered to constitute entertainment, amusement, or recreation
unless the taxpayer establishes that the item was directly
related to the active conduct of a trade or business or related
to a substantial and bona fide business discussion.

Dues or fees

paid to any social, athletic, or sporting club or organization
shall be treated as an item with respect to facilities.
274(a)(2)(A).

Sec.

In the case of a club, the taxpayer must establish

that the facility was used primarily for the furtherance of the
taxpayer’s trade or business and that the item was directly
related to the active conduct of such trade or business.

Sec.

274(a)(2)(C).
No deduction shall be allowed for an item with respect to an
activity which is of a type generally considered to constitute
entertainment, amusement, or recreation, or with respect to a
facility used in connection with such an activity unless the
taxpayer substantiates the deduction.

Sec. 274(d)(2).

The

taxpayer must substantiate by adequate records or sufficient

- 18 evidence corroborating the taxpayer’s own statement (A) the
amount of the expense, (B) the time and place of the use of the
facility, (C) the business purpose of the expense, and (D) the
business relationship to the taxpayer of persons entertained or
using the facility.

Sec. 274(d).

The taxpayer must establish

that the expenditure was directly related to the active conduct
of the taxpayer’s trade or business.
Income Tax Regs.

Sec. 1.274-2(a)(1)(i),

An expenditure for entertainment that is

directly related to the active conduct of the taxpayer’s trade or
business is one that meets all of the following requirements:
(1) At the time the expenditure was made the taxpayer had more
than a general expectation of deriving some income or other
specific trade or business benefit; (2) during the entertainment
period, the taxpayer actively engaged in a business meeting,
negotiation, discussion, or other bona fide business transaction,
for the purpose of obtaining such income or other specific trade
or business benefit; (3) in light of all the facts and
circumstances, the principal character or aspect of the combined
business and entertainment was the active conduct of the
taxpayer’s trade or business; and (4) the expenditure was
allocable to the taxpayer and a person with whom the taxpayer
engaged in the active conduct of a trade or business during the
entertainment or establishes that he would have engaged in the
active conduct of trade or business were it not for circumstances

- 19 beyond the taxpayer’s control.

Sec. 1.274-2(c)(3), Income Tax

Regs.
A taxpayer must satisfy the same substantiation requirements
of section 274(d) for listed property as defined under section
280F(d)(4).

Listed property includes any cellular telephone (or

similar telecommunications equipment).

Sec. 280F(d)(4)(A)(v).

Under section 274(b) deductions for gifts made by the
taxpayer to an individual are not allowed to the extent that such
expense, when added to prior expenses of the taxpayer for gifts
made to such individual during the taxable year, exceeds $25.
Sec. 1.274-3(a), Income Tax Regs.

The business gift must also be

ordinary and necessary under section 162.
Because petitioner provided supporting canceled checks,
invoices and bills, and other substantiating information, we are
satisfied that petitioner has provided credible evidence and
satisfied the requirements of section 162 and (if applicable)
section 274(a)(1), (2)(A), and (d) concerning the time, place of
use, business purpose of, and business relationship to clients,
with respect to the following claimed expenses:

- 20 Repairs
$2,257
Dues
1,118
Insurance
906
Legal services
644
Services
3,165
Supplies
1,214
Telephone and
1,147
communications (pager)
Utilities
3,539
Accordingly, we conclude that petitioner is entitled to deduct
these expenses.
Petitioner produced canceled checks and other information
concerning her business gifts.

We are satisfied that petitioner

has provided credible evidence and has satisfied the requirements
of section 274(b) and section 1.274-3(a), Income Tax Regs.,
relating to the following business gift expenses:

$5 (Schultz);

$50 (Burns and Henderson); $25 (Wells); $25 (Slater); $25
(Sullivan); $25 (Marsh); $16.28 (Berry); $72 (Rose, Wiley, and
Hytton); and $50 (Dorsey and Gray), for a total of $293.28 that
petitioner is entitled to deduct.
4.

Schedule E Loss
On Schedule E petitioner reported nonpassive income of

$1,962 and claimed a nonpassive loss of $5,249, which respondent
disallowed.

Petitioner indicated that both the loss and income

flowed through from a partnership as reported on a Schedule K-1.
The Schedule K-1 issued by Sams, Inc. reflects income of $1,962
but does not reflect the nonpassive loss of $5,249.

Petitioner

has failed to substantiate the claimed nonpassive loss of $5,249.

- 21 Accordingly, respondent’s determination on this issue is
sustained.
5.

Schedule E Expenses
Respondent disallowed deductions for a commission expense,

insurance expenses, association dues, a utility expense, and $290
of the painting expense claimed on Schedule E of petitioner’s
individual return, for a total of $1,246 of disallowed
deductions.
Petitioner produced copies of canceled checks, bills, and
invoices to substantiate her claimed commission expense,
association dues, and painting expense.

We are satisfied that

petitioner has provided credible evidence relating to the claimed
commission expense of $288, the dues expense of $188, and the
painting expense of $652, and she is entitled to deduct these.
Petitioner has not provided any credible evidence substantiating
the claimed insurance expenses of $471 or the claimed utility
expense of $9.

Accordingly, the claimed deductions for insurance

expenses and utility expense are disallowed.
6.

NOL Carryover
On her 1996 tax return petitioner claimed an NOL carryover

of $56,699 from her 1991 tax year.

Petitioner produced a copy of

the first page of her individual 1991 Federal income tax return,
which reflects a negative adjusted gross income of $25,803.
Petitioner claims that the NOL from 1991 was not eliminated by

- 22 virtue of the Order and Decision entered in Sams v. Commissioner,
docket No. 20161-98S.

Petitioner alleges that she is entitled to

claim the NOL because she never received a copy of the agreement
between her counsel and respondent which formed the basis of the
settlement in that case.
Respondent determined that petitioner is not entitled to the
claimed NOL carryover of $56,699 because all NOL’s available for
petitioner to carryover were eliminated in a prior docketed case,
Sams v. Commissioner, docket No. 20161-98S.

The Court entered an

Order and Decision in Sams v. Commissioner, docket No. 20161-98S,
on February 11, 2000, and ordered and decided that petitioner had
deficiencies in Federal income taxes, additions to tax, and
penalties for the taxable years 1992, 1993, 1994, and 1995.
An individual taxpayer may generally deduct an NOL carryover
for up to 20 years from the tax year of the loss.

Sec.

172(b)(1)(A).
It is not clear from the record how or when the loss was
sustained, how the NOL carryover was computed, or whether the NOL
was computed properly under section 172.

Petitioner’s 1991

return does not reflect the NOL available to be carried forward;
nevertheless, even if it properly reflected the NOL available to
be carried over, submission of the return is not sufficient
evidence of the claimed loss.
633, 639 (1979).

Wilkinson v. Commissioner, 71 T.C.

We conclude that petitioner has not

- 23 substantiated the claimed NOL carryover, and the claimed NOL
carryover is denied.
7.

Standard Business Mileage Deduction
At trial, petitioner claimed that she was entitled to deduct

standard business mileage of $5,249.23.

Although petitioner

attached to her individual return a Form 4562, Depreciation and
Amortization, reflecting 10,761 business miles driven by Vehicle
1 (a Cadillac) and 6,172 business miles driven by Vehicle 2 (a
truck), for a total of 16,933 business miles driven, petitioner
did not actually claim the deduction because she alleges that her
accountant mistakenly failed to claim it.

We consider this

matter as an affirmative issue raised by petitioner.
Under section 274(d)(4), no deduction is allowed with
respect to listed property as defined in section 280F(d)(4)
unless the taxpayer adequately substantiates the expense, as
discussed above.

Listed property includes any passenger

automobile and any other property used as a means of
transportation.

Sec. 280F(d)(4)(A)(i) and (ii).

A taxpayer may

deduct a mileage allowance for ordinary and necessary expenses of
local travel and transportation while traveling away from home.
Sec. 1.274(d)-1(a)(2)(iii), Income Tax Regs.

The Commissioner is

authorized to establish the standard mileage rate that is deemed
to satisfy the substantiation requirements for purposes of
section 1.274-5T(c), Temporary Income Tax Regs., 50 Fed. Reg.

- 24 46017 (Nov. 6, 1985).

Sec. 1.274(d)-1(a), Income Tax Regs.

The

standard business mileage rate for transportation expenses paid
or incurred on or after January 1, 1996, is 31 cents per mile for
all miles of use for business purposes.

Rev. Proc. 95-54, 1995-2

C.B. 450, 452.
Petitioner produced a copy of her daily appointment book
that reflects approximately 17,300 business miles traveled in
1996 to substantiate her claim.

We are satisfied that petitioner

has provided credible evidence substantiating the number of
business miles traveled, and petitioner is allowed a deduction of
$5,249.23 (31 cents times 16,933).
8.

Section 6662 Accuracy-Related Penalty
The accuracy-related penalty is equal to 20 percent of any

portion of an underpayment of tax required to be shown on the
return that is attributable to, among other things, the
taxpayer’s negligence or disregard of rules or regulations or any
substantial understatement of income tax.

Sec. 6662(a) and (b).

“Negligence” includes any failure to make a reasonable attempt to
comply with the provisions of the Code and any failure by the
taxpayer to keep adequate books and records or to substantiate
items properly.
Regs.

Sec. 6662(c); sec. 1.6662-3(b)(1), Income Tax

“Disregard” includes any careless, reckless, or

intentional disregard.

Sec. 6662(c).

A taxpayer has a

substantial understatement of income tax if the amount of the

- 25 understatement exceeds the greater of either 10 percent of the
tax required to be shown on the return for the taxable year or
$5,000.

Sec. 6662(d)(1)(A).

The penalty provided for in section 6662 is not imposed on
any portion of an underpayment if it is shown that there was
reasonable cause for such portion and the taxpayer acted in good
faith with respect to that portion.
1.6664-4(b), Income Tax Regs.

Sec. 6664(c)(1); sec.

Reliance on the advice of a

professional, such as an accountant, does not necessarily
demonstrate reasonable cause and good faith unless the reliance
was reasonable and the taxpayer acted in good faith.
1.6664-4(b)(1) and (c)(1), Income Tax Regs.

Sec.

In the case of

claimed reliance on the accountant who prepared the taxpayer’s
tax return, the taxpayer must establish that correct information
was provided to the accountant and that the item incorrectly
omitted, claimed, or reported in the return was the result of the
accountant’s error.

Ma-Tran Corp. v. Commissioner, 70 T.C. 158,

173 (1978).
Respondent determined that petitioner is liable for the
accuracy-related penalty because of either negligence or
disregard of the rules or regulations or substantial
understatement of income tax.

Petitioner asserts that she is not

liable for the section 6662 penalty because she was not
negligent, she did not disregard the statutes or regulations, she

- 26 properly reported all income and expenses, and she relied on the
advice of a tax professional.
We conclude that petitioner did not act with reasonable
cause or good faith.

We conclude that her reliance on the advice

of a tax professional is not reasonable or in good faith.
Accordingly, petitioner is liable for the accuracy-related
penalty.
Reviewed and adopted as the report of the Small Tax Case
Division.
To reflect the foregoing,
Decision will be entered
under Rule 155.

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/documents/agency%3Atax-court%3Afd65f0028e951ff4. Public record. Not legal advice.
