United States v. Trevitt
United States v. Trevitt
Opinion of the Court
ORDER ON MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT
Plaintiff United States of America (the “Government”) filed the present action to reduce to judgment the federal income tax liabilities of Carmen and Barbara Trevitt (collectively, the “Trevitts”) and to foreclose federal tax liens against certain real property. The parties have settled the foreclosure claim: the property has been sold to a third party, and the net proceeds have been paid to the Government.
This case is currently before the Court on the Government’s Motion for Summary Judgment. The Trevitts were granted a Surreply, and the Government’s Motion is now fully briefed and ripe for the Court to rule on. As set forth below, the Motion for Summary Judgment [Doc. 83] is GRANTED in part, and DENIED in part.
LEGAL STANDARD
Under Rule 56 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, summary judgment must be granted “if the movant shows that there is no genuine dispute as to any material fact and the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.”
The moving party “always bears the initial responsibility of informing the district court of the basis for its motion, and identifying those portions of the pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories, and admissions on file, together with the affidavits, if any, which it believes demonstrate the absence of a genuine issue of material fact” and that entitle it to a judgment as a matter of law.
BACKGROUND
It is undisputed the Trevitts failed to timely file federal income tax returns (Forms 1040) for all tax years from 2002 to 2007. Due to this failure, in 2007 the IRS began an investigation to determine the Trevitts’ income and the amount of taxes they owed for each year.
The IRS determined the Trevitts’ newly assessed tax liabilities to be as follows:
Federal Income Tax Liabilities for Carmen and Barbara Trevitt
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Because the Trevitts refused to agree to a “married filing jointly” election for the remaining years,
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To help dispute the IRS’s assessment, the Trevitts hired an accountant to recalculate their income and tax liabilities. The accountant determined the following amounts represent the Trevitts’ correct tax liabilities:
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The Government now seeks to reduce to judgment the Trevitts’ income tax liabilities. The Government claims the total balance for the Trevitts’ joint and several tax assessment, plus accrued statutory additions, is $276,002.83, and the total balance for Carmen Trevitt’s tax assessment, plus accrued statutory additions, is $411,116.54, as of September 30, 2015.
DISCUSSION
The Court will first discuss the parties’ evidentiary requests and then turn to the validity of the IRS’s tax assessment against the Trevitts.
A. Defendants’ Request to Strike Reply Brief and Affidavit
In their Surreply, the Trevitts request the Court strike the Government’s Reply brief and revenue agent Pamela Caldwell’s affidavit. The Trevitts argue this evidence should not be considered because the Reply brief is ultimately a new motion for summary judgment, and Caldwell’s affidavit was not introduced as a theory in the Government’s original motion. The Court disagrees.
The Government’s Reply brief and Caldwell’s affidavit were properly submitted to the Court in support of its rebuttal to the Trevitts’ Response brief, and the Court finds no reason to exclude either. The Trevitts fail to point to any rule or case law to support their arguments. Moreover, there is ultimately no prejudice to the Trevitts, as the Court allowed them to file a Surreply on January 19, 2016, addressing the Government’s arguments and Caldwell’s affidavit. Accordingly, the Defendants’ request is DENIED.
B. The Government’s Request to Exclude Affidavits
In its Reply, the Government argues the Trevitts failed to support their Response in Opposition to the Motion for Summary Judgment with competent evidence, and requests the Court exclude the Trevitts’ and their accountant’s affidavits. For purposes of summary judgment, the Court will assume, without deciding, the affidavits are admissible. Even considering all the evidence, the Government is still enti-tied to summary judgment, as the affidavits fail to show the assessment against Carmen Trevitt is incorrect. Thus, the Government’s request is DENIED.
II. Motion for Summary Judgment
The Government contends no dispute of material fact exists as to the validity or correctness of the IRS’s tax assessment against the Trevitts, and therefore, the Government is entitled to have the Trev-itts’ income tax liabilities reduced to judgment. The Trevitts counter first that the tax assessment is invalid because the Government did not provide proper notice before making the assessment, and second, that the amount of tax liabilities assessed against them is arbitrary, without foundation, and inflated. The Court must first address the procedural requirements regarding tax deficiencies before discussing the validity of the tax assessment.
A. Notice of Deficiency and Waiver
Under 26 U.S.C. § 6212, “[i]f the Secretary determines that there is a deficiency in respect of any tax imposed by [various parts of the Tax Code], he is authorized to send notice of such deficiency to the taxpayer by certified mail or registered mail.”
On May 18, 2010, Barbara Trevitt signed a Form 870, waiving her right to a notice of deficiency.
I consent to the immediate assessment and collection of any deficiencies (increase in tax and penalties) and accept any overassessment (decrease in tax and penalties) shown above, plus any interest provided by law. I understand that by signing this waiver, I will not be able to contest those years in the United States Tax Court, unless additional deficiencies are determined for those years.32
Shortly after the assessing their taxes, the IRS revenue agent received the delinquent Forms 1040 the Trevitts filed just before signing the waivers. Though the IRS rejected the Forms 1040, it accepted the Trevitts’ “married filing jointly” election, making them jointly and severally liable for their tax liabilities.
The IRS agent adjusted the Trevitts’ tax liabilities based on their election and sent both Barbara and Carmen new Forms 870, but the Trevitts refused to sign the forms.
“While a taxpayer may consent and waive his rights to a notice of deficiency, the waiver applies only to the amount stated therein. The IRS may make additional assessments against a taxpayer but must either provide notices of deficiency to the taxpayer or obtain a waiver of notice prior to making the additional assessments.”
Accordingly, the Government’s Motion for Summary Judgment is DENIED as to the joint and several tax liabilities for 2006 and 2007.
B. Assessment of Tax Liabilities
The Court will now address Carmen Trevitt’s 2002, 2004, and 2005 tax liabilities, as waivers were properly executed for those years before the IRS made an assessment.
“In reducing an assessment to judgment, the Government must first prove that the assessment was properly made.”
First, Carmen argues he was entitled to depreciation deductions for business equipment ranging from $35,088.00 in 2004 to $33,747.00 in 2007, as well as a deduction of $39,020.00 for selling a partnership interest.
To support his deduction claims and overcome the presumption of correctness, Carmen presents affidavits from J. Russell Lipford, Jr., the accountant hired to recal
A taxpayer cannot overcome the presumption of correctness “by submitting tax returns, uncorroborated oral testimony, or self-serving statements.”
Moreover, to receive deductions “the taxpayer must come forward with evidence to support his entitlement to the deduction and the amount of that entitlement.”
Further, Carmen alleges he is entitled to a deduction for selling a partnership interest, but again, he presents no official records regarding the partnership interest sold to support his claims. The Government also points out that Carmen did not present any evidence regarding the building destroyed by fire, and “the basis in the building to which the casualty loss is attributed.”
Lastly, Carmen’s argument regarding the mischaracterized income funds in 2005 fails as well. Carmen contends the income was stated on a tax form that was ultimately rejected by the IRS and thus should not have been characterized as income funds. However, the $211,329.03 income was reported on a delinquent Form 1040 Carmen submitted himself.
As shown above, Carmen Trevitt has failed to present any admissible evidence to show the IRS’s assessment is arbitrary or without foundation. Accordingly, as there is no genuine issue of material fact regarding the validity of Carmen Trevitt’s tax assessment, Plaintiffs Motion for Summary Judgment is GRANTED as to the tax liabilities for 2002, 2004, and 2005.
III. Penalties
The Trevitts challenge the tax penalties and interest additions for 2002 to 2007, and a 2005 tax penalty against Carmen Trevitt for filing a frivolous tax return. The Trevitts argue the Government failed to meet its burden by not providing a detailed explanation of all the penalties and interest additions assessed against the Trevitts, thus making summary judgment improper. The Government contends the Trevitts face the same evidentiary prob
Under 26 U.S.C. § 7491(c), “the Secretary shall have the burden of production in any court proceeding with respect to the liability of any individual for any penalty, addition to tax, or additional amount imposed by [the tax code].”
As for the 2005 penalty against Carmen Trevitt for filing a frivolous tax return, the Government has also met its burden of production by providing the revenue officers’ declarations explaining the penalty and the certified Forms 4340.
CONCLUSION
Accordingly, the Government’s Motion for Summary Judgment [Doc. 83] is GRANTED in part, and DENIED in part as follows:
1. With respect to the Government’s claims for unpaid taxes, interest, and penalties against the Trevitts for 2006 and 2007, the Motion is DENIED because the tax assessment for 2006 and 2007 is invalid;
2. With respect to the Government’s claims for unpaid taxes, interest, and penalties against the Trevitts for 2003, the Motion is GRANTED; and
3. The Government’s Motion against Carmen Trevitt is GRANTED for federal income tax, penalties, and interest for the taxable periods of 2002, 2004, and 2005, plus a civil penalty for 2005 and a miscellaneous penalty for the taxable period ending August 31, 2011, plus fees, interest, and statutory additions provided by law.
Because the Court finds the 2006 and 2007 assessment invalid, no genuine issue of material fact remains in this Case. Therefore, the Court DIRECTS the Clerk of Court to enter JUDGMENT in favor of the Government for:
a. $18,472.00, plus fees, interest, and statutory additions provided by law against the Trevitts for the 2003 assessment; and
b. $417,582.28, plus fees, interest, and statutory additions provided by law against Carmen Trevitt for the 2002, 2004, and 2005 assessment, and the 2005 and 2011 tax penalties.81
SO ORDERED, this 15th day of July, 2016.
.Based on this settlement agreement, the Court granted the parties’ Joint Motion for Partial Dismissal of Claims on December 23, 2015. Count III of the Government’s Amended Complaint and Branch Banking & Trust Company (BB&T)’s Cross Claim were dismissed with prejudice, and Defendants BB&T, Charles B. Haygood, Jr., Estate of Jessice B. Haygood, Jack L. Haygood, and Annice Haygood Myers, f/k/a Annice H. Trev-itt (collectively, the Haygood Defendants) were dismissed from this action.
. Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(a); see Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 322, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986).
. Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 249, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986).
. See id. at 249-52, 106 S.Ct. 2505.
. Welch v. Celotex Corp., 951 F.2d 1235, 1237 (11th Cir. 1992).
. Celotex Corp., 477 U.S. at 323, 106 S.Ct. 2548 (internal quotation marks omitted).
. See Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(e); see also Celotex Carp., 477 U.S. at 324-26, 106 S.Ct. 2548.
. See Avirgan v. Hull, 932 F.2d 1572, 1577 (11th Cir. 1991).
. Decl. of Pamela Caldwell, f/k/a Pamela C. Charbonneau, [Doc. 93-6] at paras. 2-4.
. Id. at para. 8.
. Id. at para. 12.
. Id. at para. 9; Decl. of Caldwell, Trevitts’ joint Forms 1040, [Docs. 93-11 to -13] at ex. 5-7.
. Decl. of Caldwell, [Doc. 93-6] at para. 13.
. Id. at paras. 13-16.
. PL Mtn. for Summary Judgment, [Doc. 83] 15-16. atp. 7-8.
. See Decl. of Caldwell, [Doc. 93-6] at para. 15-16.
. Id.
. Aff. of J. Russell Lipford, Jr., CPA, [Doc. 86-3] at para. 10. The CPA did not determine the 2002 tax liabilities because he could not find the records to determine what the IRS did. Id. at para. 9.
. Pi. Mto. for Summary Judgment, [Doc. 83] atp. 11.
. Id.
. Second Aff. of J. Russell Lipford, Jr., CPA, [Doc. 102-1] at para. 15 (finding “the amount of the taxes for [2003] to be within reason”).
. 26 U.S.C. § 6212(a).
. Comm'r v. Shapiro, 424 U.S. 614, 618, 96 S.Ct. 1062, 47 L.Ed.2d 278 (1976); Tavano v. Comm'r, 986 F.2d 1389, 1390 (11th Cir. 1993).
. 26 U.S.C. § 6213.
.See Shapiro, 424 U.S. at 616-17, 96 S.Ct. 1062; Bourekis v. Comm'r, 110 T.C. 20, 27 (1998); see also Singleton v. United States, 128 F.3d 833, 839 (4th Cir. 1997) (“The requirement that a notice of deficiency be issued to the taxpayer is not a mere technicality. This notice serves as a jurisdictional prerequisite
. See 26 U.S.C. §§ 6213(b), 6213(d),
. Id. § 6213(d).
. Ulrich v. Comm’r, 585 F.3d 1235, 1237 (9th Cir. 2009) (citing 26 U.S.C. § 6601(c); United States v. Price, 361 U.S. 304, 307-09, 80 S.Ct. 326, 4 L.Ed.2d 334 (1960)).
. See Defs. Surreply, [Doc. 102] at para. 9 (the Trevitts only make this argument for 2006 and 2007 tax liabilities, and did not dispute the 2003 liabilities).
. Decl. of Caldwell, Barbara Trevitt's Form 870, [Doc. 93-9] at ex. 3.
. Id.
. Decl. of Caldwell, Carmen Trevitt's Form 870, [Doc. 93-10] at ex, 4 (emphasis added).
. Decl. of Caldwell, [Doc. 93-6] at paras, 12-16.
. Id. at para. 16. Again, the Court notes the Trevitts do not dispute the 2003 assessment, and the amount did not change based on the marriage filing jointly election. Second Aff. of Lipford, [Doc. 102-1] at para. 15. Thus, the Court will not address the 2003 assessment here.
. Decl. of Caldwell, [Doc. 93-6] at paras. 16-18.
. Id. at para. 18 (emphasis added).
. Grizzetti v. United States, No. 89-2269, 89-1885, 1990 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 4614, at *2 (D.N.J. March 29, 1990); see also Moore v. Cleveland Ry. Co., 108 F.2d 656 (6th Cir. 1940) (finding where the taxpayer did not execute a new form of waiver the IRS had to send notice of deficiency and wait 60 days, the statutorily provided time, before making an assessment); Pork v. Goltzbach, No. 3064, 1961 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 5509, at *3-6, 1961 WL 12353 (E.D.Va. April 14, 1961) (“The Form 870 ... is void and of no effect, as [the form] had been altered by the Internal Revenue Service without permission of plaintiff.”).
. See, e.g., Canada Dry Bottling Co. of Fla., Inc. v. Fahs, 109 F.Supp. 187, 190 (S.D.Fla. 1952) (The Tax Commissioner sent a notice of deficiency after assessing additional deficiencies, even though Plaintiff already signed a waiver); see also Singleton, 128 F.3d at 839 ("[T]he Court holds that the IRS was required to issue a notice of deficiency before making its supplement assessment .... In the absence of this vital procedural step, the IRS assessment was invalid.”); Snyder v. I.R.S., 337 B.R. 542, 547-48 (Bankr.D.Md. 2005); Manko v. Comm’r, 126 T.C. 195 (2006).
. See Grizzetti, No. 89-2269, 89-1885, 1990 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 4614, at *2.
. E.g., Philadelphia & Reading Corp. v. United States, 944 F.2d 1063 (3rd Cir. 1991) ("An assessment of taxes that is not preceded by the statutorily required notice of deficiency or a validly executed and accepted waiver of notice of deficiency is illegal.”); United States v. Charboneau, No. 504CV4420C10GRJ, 2005 WL 2346947, at *4-5 (M.D.Fla. Sept. 26, 2005) (finding the tax assessment invalid where there was no proof the IRS sent a notice of deficiency and no waiver was executed); Marlow v. Comm’r, 99 T.C.M. (CCH) 1462 (2010) ("[W]e make the affirmative finding that the assessments of the taxes without first issuing notices of deficiency were invalid because petitioners never waived the restrictions on the assessments.”).
. See Deck of Caldwell, Carmen Trevitt’s Form 870, [Doc. 93-10] at ex. 4; see also Defs. Surreply, [Doc. 102] at para. 9 (The Trevitts admit they executed waivers for “some amounts” of tax liabilities). A waiver was properly executed for Barbara Trevitt for those years as well; however, the Government only seeks to reduce to judgment Carmen Trevitt’s tax liabilities for 2002, 2004, and 2005.
. United States v. White, 466 F.3d 1241, 1248 (11th Cir. 2006) (citing Palmer v. United States, 116 F.3d 1309, 1312 (9th Cir. 1997)); see also United States v. Chambers, No. 3:09-cv-961-J-34JRK, 2014 WL 2136041, at 5 (M.D.Fla. May 22, 2014) ("A tax assessment made by the IRS constitutes a determination that a taxpayer owes the Federal Government a certain amount of unpaid taxes, and such a determination is entitled to a legal presumption of correctness.” (quoting United States v. Fior D’Italia, Inc., 536 U.S. 238, 242, 122 S.Ct. 2117, 153 L.Ed.2d 280 (2002))).
. White, 466 F,3d 1241, 1248 (11th Cir. 2006); see also United States v. Chtla, 871 F.2d 1015, 1015 (11th Cir. 1989).
. White, 466 F.3d at 1248.
. Bone v. Comm'r, 324 F.3d 1289, 1293 (11th Cir. 2003); Olster v. Comm'r, 751 F.2d 1168, 1174 (11th Cir. 1985); see also Amey v. Monge, Inc. v. Comm’r, 808 F.2d 758, 761 (11th Cir. 1987) (In unreported income cases, the situation where the burden shifts back to the Commissioner “is rare and only occurs where the Commissioner has introduced no substantive evidence, and the evidence shows that the claimed tax deficiency arising from unreported income was derived by the government from unreliable evidence.”)
. Decl. of Revenue Officer Connie Bailey, Forms 4340, [Docs. 83-3 to -9] at exs. 1-6; Decl. of Baily, [Doc. 83-2] at para. 6-8; Decl. of Caldwell, [Doc. 93-6] at para. 2-3.
. Second Aff. of Lipford, [Doc, 102-1] at para. 12.
. Aff. of Lipford, [Doc. 86-3] at para. 11.
. Id. at paras. 10-14.
. Second Aff. of Lipford, [Doc. 102-1] at para, 9. Lipford claims he could not find the IRS's 2002 report and, thus, could not recalculate the Trevitts taxes the same way he did the other years. Aff. of Lipford, [Doc. 86-3] at para. 14. Lipford suggests taking an average of the other tax years to determine the 2002 liabilities. However, the IRS must assess each year independently and cannot use the average of other tax years. See Wolfington v. Comm’r, 107 T.C.M. (CCH) 1235 (2014) (citing Auto. Club of Mich. v. Comm’r, 353 U.S. 180, 77 S.Ct. 707, 1 L.Ed.2d 746 (1957); Comm’r v. Sunnen, 333 U.S. 591, 598, 68 S.Ct. 715, 92 L.Ed. 898 (1948)). Moreover, there is a Form 4340 for 2002 and Carmen Trevitt cannot overcome the presumption of correctness based on this argument.
. Aff. of Lipford, [Doc. 86-3] at para. 10.
. Id. at para. 9.
. See Second Aff. of Lipford, Forms 1040, [Docs. 102-3 to -5] at exs. B-D,
. Christensen v. Comm’r, 43 T.C.M. (CCH) 1270 (1982) (finding petitioners could not rely upon newly-prepared income tax returns prepared by their accountant to overcome the presumption when the accountant simply relied upon records supplied by petitioners and provided no showing as to the accuracy or completeness of those records).
. Id. (citing Mays v. United States, 763 F.2d 1295, 1297 (11th Cir. 1985)),
. Id. (citing Buaiz v. United States, 521 F.Supp.2d 93, 97 (D.D.C. 2007)).
. Chambers, No. 3:09-cv-961-J-34JRK, 2014 WL 2136041, at *10 (quoting Olster, 751 F.2d at 1174-75) (internal quotation marks omitted).
. See United States v. Barnes, 883 F.Supp.2d 1156, 1165 (M.D.Fla. 2011), aff'd in part, vacated in part on other grounds, by 509 Fed.Appx. 837 (11th Cir. 2012) (“The ‘evidence’ [presented] is conclusory, unsubstantiated, based upon hearsay, and lacking in specificity, and thus cannot be considered as competent evidence creating a genuine issue of material fact so as to preclude entry of summary judgment in favor of the Plaintiff.''); see also id.
. See e.g„ Mays, 763 F.2d at 1295-97 (taxpayer’s computer printout summarizing business expenses and net worth failed to overcome the presumption of correctness where these self-serving statements did not refer to any original records and no documentation or other evidence was presented); United States v. Copeland, No. 07-80965-CIV, 2009 WL 6042911, at *2 (S.D.Fla. Decl. 8, 2009) (the CPA's completed tax forms were not enough for Defendant to overcome the presumption of correctness where Defendant does not submit any records to substantiate the forms).
. Amey & Monge, Inc., 808 F.2d at 761; see also Gatlin v. Comm'r, 754 F.2d 921,. 923-24 (11th Cir. 1985) ("Because the taxpayer is privy to the facts that substantiate a deduction, he must bear the burden of proving his right to, and amount of, a claimed deduction.”); Chambers, No, 3:09-cv-961-J-34JRK, 2014 WL 2136041, at 13 ("A taxpayer may deduct all ordinary and necessary expenses paid or incurred during the taxable year in carrying on trade or business if the taxpayer maintains sufficient records to substantiate the expenses.”) (quoting Basdlyk v. Comm'r, 97 T.C.M. (CCH) 1516 (2009)).
. INDOPCO, Inc. v. Comm’r, 503 U.S. 79, 84, 112 S.Ct. 1039, 117 L.Ed.2d 226 (1992) (quoting Interstate Transit Lines v. Comm'r, 319 U.S. 590, 593, 63 S.Ct. 1279, 87 L.Ed. 1607 (1943)) (internal quotation marks omitted); see also Longino v. Comm'r, 593 Fed.Appx. 965, 968 (11th Cir. 2014) (per curiam) ("But to shift the burden of proof to the Service, [petitioner] had to present ‘credible evidence' that he was entitled to a deduction, ... comply with the requirements to 'substantiate any item,’ ... and maintain ‘all required records.’ ” (internal citations omitted)).
.The IRS revenue agent explained she relied on third party payer information and bank records to determine the Trevitts’ tax liabilities and applied the standard deductions offered to all taxpayers because she was without the benefit of filed tax returns or any affirmatively claimed tax deductions. Decl. of Caldwell, [Doc. 93-6] at paras. 5-6.
: See Gilmartin v. Comm’r, 32 T.C.M. (CCH) 1158 (1973) (finding petitioner was not entitled to an allowance for depreciation where he was unable to establish the basis of the property).
. Id. ("In the computation for any allowance for depreciation, the essential elements of basis, useful life, salvage value, and amount of depreciation previously claimed must be known.”); see also Bolin v. Comm’r, 26 T.C.M. (CCH) 62 (1967) ("Petitioners offered very little evidence with respect to the basis for depreciation of the [property] involved or their useful lives in the business, and the presumptive correctness of respondent’s determinations thereof must stand.”).
. Pl.’s Reply, [Doc. 93] atp. 15.
. 26 C.F.R. § 1.165-1 (a).
. Pickering v. Comm'r, 37 T.C.M. (CCH) 1765 (1978) (citing 26 C.F.R. §§ 1.165-1 to - 7(b)(1)).
. See Oliver v. Comm'r, 73 T.C.M. (CCH) 2035 (1997) (finding where the Commissioner determined in the notice of deficiency the insurance reimbursement exceed petitioners’ sustained loss and resulted in a casualty gain, the petitioner was unable to prove otherwise when he offered no evidence to show otherwise).
. Decl. of Caldwell, Form 1040, [Doc. 93-17] at ex. 11.
. See Blodgett v. Comm’r, 394 F.3d 1030, 1040 (8th Cir. 2005) ("A tax return is generally considered inadmissible hearsay with the exception that the return may constitute an admission by the taxpayer.”).
. 26 U.S.C. § 7491(c).
. Decl. of Bailey, [Doc. 83-2] at para. 7.
. See Decl. of Bailey, Forms 4340, [Docs. 83-3 to -9] at exs. 1-9.
. See e.g., United States v. Sadler, No. 13-7207, 2015 WL 4610950, at *3 (E.D.Penn. Aug. 3, 2015) (finding the Forms 4340 met the Government’s burden of production (citing Hughes v. United States, 953 F.2d 531, 539-40 (9th Cir. 1992)); McLaine v. Comm’r, 138 T.C. 228, 245-46 (2012) (holding that a Form 4340 "satisfie[s] [the Commissioner’s] burden of production under section 7491(c)” with respect to additions to tax for failure to timely pay)).
. Decl. of Bailey, [Doc. 83-2] at para. 6-7; Decl. of Caldwell, [Doc. 93-6] at paras. 21-23; Decl. of Caldwell, Attached Exhibits [Docs. 93-16 to -18], exs. 9-12.
. Decl. of Caldwell, [Doc. 93-6] at paras. 21-23.
.I.R.C. § 6702 (providing for a civil penalty of $5,000 if a person: “files what purports to be a return of a tax imposed by this title but which — (A) does not contain information on which the substantial correctness of the self-assessment may be judged, or (B) contains information that on its face indicates that the self-assessment is substantially incorrect, and (2) the conduct referred to in paragraph (1)-(A) is based on a position which the Secretary has identified as frivolous under subsection (c), or (B) reflects a desire to delay or impede the administration of Federal tax laws.”). The IRS determined the Form 1040 was frivolous for seeking over a $200,000 refund based on taxes Carmen Trevitt falsely claimed he paid.
. There is also 2011 miscellaneous penalty for highway diesel fuel use against Carmen Trevitt, which the Trevitts do not seem to dispute. Nonetheless, the Government has also produced a Form 4340 and a revenue agent's declaration regarding the penalty. Therefore, the Government has met its burden of production as to this penalty as well.
. See Longino, 593 Fed.Appx. at 970.
. See Sadler, No. 13-7207, 2015 WL 4610950, at *4.
.$411,116.65 for the taxable periods of 2002, 2004, and 2005; $4,244.13 for the civil penalty in 2005; and $2,221.50 for the miscellaneous penalty in 2011.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- United States v. Carmen D. TREVITT, Jr., Barbara B. Trevitt
- Cited By
- 3 cases
- Status
- Published