Phillips v. Comm'r
Opinion
An appropriate order will be issued, and decision will be entered for respondent.
MORRISON,
I. Whether the IRS's motion to amend its answer should *225 be granted. We will grant the motion.
II. Whether Mr. Phillips' bowling activities were engaged in for profit. We hold that his bowling activities were not engaged in for profit.
III. Whether, even if Mr. Phillips' bowling activities were engaged in for profit, he would be entitled to any of the deductions claimed on his Schedule C. We hold that he would not be so entitled.
IV. Whether Mr. Phillips is liable for an accuracy-related penalty under
Some facts have been stipulated, and they are so found. Mr. Phillips was a resident of Maryland when he filed the petition. He was a U.S. postal worker until he retired sometime after 2008. Before 2004 he worked an evening shift. In 2004 he was transferred to a sales and services associate position, which required him to work a day shift. He was a day-shift worker during 2008, the year at issue.
Mr. Phillips is a self-taught bowler who began bowling in the early 1990s. His gross winnings over the years were:
| 2000 | $50,000 to $65,000 |
| 2001 | -0- |
| 2002 | 0 to 3,700 |
| 2003 | 13,000 |
| 2004 | 0 to 300 |
| 2005 | 0 to 300 |
| 2006 | -0- |
| 2007 | -0- |
| 2008 | -0- |
Mr. Phillips testified that he incurred approximately *226 $30,000 in expenses from bowling yearly; we find that his annual expenses exceeded his gross winnings for each year after 2000. Thus, he has not made a net profit from bowling since 2000.
*218 After he changed jobs within the postal service in 2004, he was unable to devote as much time to bowling as before.
On his Form 1040, U.S. Individual Income Tax Return, for the year 2008 Phillips reported that he earned $67,171 in wages from his postal service position. Mr. Phillips attached a Schedule C, for the "business or profession" of "bowling". He reported that he earned no gross receipts from bowling and that he incurred $28,243 in expenses. The expenses were subdivided on his Schedule C as follows:
| Fees | $18,200 |
| Telephone | 310 |
| Airline ticket | 250 |
| Toll | 25 |
| Subtotal | 18,785 |
| Car and truck expenses | 5,311 |
| Rent or lease (vehicles, machinery, and | 530 |
| equipment) | |
| Travel, meals and entertainment | 3,617 |
| Travel (2,665) | |
| Deductible meals | |
| and entertainment (952) | |
| *219 Subtotal | 9,458 |
| Total | 28,243 |
Mr. Phillips' tax-return preparer refused to sign the 2008 return because he was afraid of an audit.
On June 27, 2011, the IRS mailed Mr. Phillips a notice of deficiency disallowing Mr. Phillips' deduction for "other expenses" *227 and determining a deficiency of $3,437. Mr. Phillips filed the petition on September 20, 2011. The IRS filed an answer on November 9, 2011. Neither the notice of deficiency nor the answer addressed the deductibility of the remaining $9,458 of the reported Schedule C expenses. These $9,458 of reported Schedule C expenses will be referred to as the "remaining expenses".
On April 12, 2012, the IRS sent Mr. Phillips a letter requesting documents establishing that Mr. Phillips was engaged in the trade or business of bowling in 2008 and that Mr. Phillips was entitled to the deductions he claimed on his Schedule C. The letter requested that Mr. Phillips mail these documents to the IRS by May 15, 2012.
On April 19, 2012, the parties spoke on the phone. Mr. Phillips stated that he would provide documents only to a Tax Court Judge. The IRS informed Mr. *220 Phillips that it would seek to amend its answer to assert that all deductions claimed on his Schedule C should be disallowed.
On May 3, 2012, the IRS mailed a second letter requesting that Mr. Phillips mail the documents to the IRS by May 15, 2012. The letter reiterated that the IRS would seek to amend its answer to assert that all deductions claimed *228 on his Schedule C should be disallowed. Mr. Phillips responded in a phone call and indicated that he would provide some bank statements to the IRS, but the IRS never received any bank statements.
On July 13, 2012, the IRS served on Mr. Phillips a formal request for production of documents pursuant to
At the meeting Mr. Phillips provided seven pages from five statements from his PNC Bank account ending in 0965 for the year 2008. On each page Mr. Phillips placed checkmarks next to payments listed on the bank statements that he *221 later testified were related to his "trying to make money". None of these checkmarks were obviously related to bowling expenses.
Mr. Phillips also provided the IRS with score sheets from amateur bowling tournaments in which he competed in 2005, flyers from organizations *229 holding amateur bowling tournaments in 2012, and records from 2010-12, including hotel and casino invoices from Las Vegas, Nevada. None of these additional materials directly involve activities or expenses in the year at issue, 2008. The materials that Mr. Phillips produced to the IRS at the meeting (the seven pages of bank statements from 2008 and the score sheets, flyers, and invoices from other years) were received as evidence at trial.
At trial Mr. Phillips admitted that some of the checked line items on the seven pages of bank statements were not related to bowling. He was unable to point to any line items that were related to bowling. Mr. Phillips admitted that he did not create or keep any records (other than the seven pages of bank statements) related to any of the expenses reported on his Schedule C. He admitted that some of the reported expenses (both in the "other expenses" category and in the category of the remaining expenses) were for "personal business" and for *222 "gambling". 2 At the end of the trial the IRS moved to amend its answer to assert that all of Mr. Phillips' claimed Schedule C deductions should be disallowed and to assert that Mr. Phillips is liable for the *230 accuracy-related penalty. The motion calculated that the deficiency is $5,800, the understatement is $5,800, the tax required to be shown on his return is $8,388, and the penalty is $1,160.
OPINION
The IRS moved to amend its answer to conform the pleadings to the evidence presented at trial. The amendment would assert an increased deficiency resulting from the disallowance of the deduction of the remaining expenses. The amendment to the answer would also assert that there is a substantial understatement of income tax and that Mr. Phillips is liable for the accuracy-related penalty on grounds of both substantial understatement of income tax and negligence. This Court has held on numerous occasions that it will not consider issues which have not been properly pleaded or otherwise preserved. (1) (2)
Mr. Phillips was aware before trial that the IRS would seek a disallowance of the deductions he claimed for the remaining expenses. The IRS informed Mr. Phillips at various times (in a telephone conversation, in a letter dated May 3, 2012, and in its pretrial memorandum filed September 4, 2012) that it intended to seek permission from the Court to challenge the deductibility of the remaining expenses. At trial it was apparent from Mr. Phillips' testimony that he understood that the IRS intended to make such a challenge.
*225 At trial IRS counsel stated that Mr. Phillips had been informed before trial that the IRS would assert the penalty. Mr. Phillips admitted to us that he was aware that the IRS intended to assert the penalty. Mr. Phillips objected to the IRS's late assertion of the penalty because he claimed he was not told that the percentage of the penalty was 20%. However, he did not claim that he would have prepared for trial differently *234 had he known the percentage.
Mr. Phillips knew that the IRS planned to assert the disallowance of the remaining expenses and that it would assert that he was liable for the penalty. He was on notice and had ample opportunity to plan a defense. Mr. Phillips would not be prejudiced by our allowing the IRS to amend its answer. We will grant the IRS's motion.
The IRS contends that Mr. Phillips did not have a profit motive for his bowling activities. As explained below, the expenses of his bowling activities are deductible only if he had a profit motive.
Generally, the taxpayer has the burden of proving that the IRS's determinations in the notice of deficiency are incorrect.
Courts determine whether an activity is engaged in for profit by examining all the facts and circumstances.
Factors indicating a profit motive include: acting in a "businesslike manner and maintain[ing] accurate books and records", conducting the activity "in a manner substantially similar" to profitable activities of a similar nature, and *229 attempting to improve the activity's profitability by adopting new operating methods and techniques and abandoning unprofitable methods.
Mr. Phillips did not conduct his bowling activities in a businesslike manner. He maintained no books or records, much less accurate ones, and did not make any significant attempts to improve his cashflow from bowling.
Although he did win bowling tournaments in 2000 and 2003, by 2008 he had not won a tournament in three years. Despite this long losing streak, Mr. Phillips did nothing to change his approach to the game; he did not hire a coach, conduct *239 additional research, 7 or attempt to change his technique. Additionally, in his testimony he could not identify a single tournament in which he had participated in 2008. Mr. Phillips did not carry on his bowling activities in a businesslike manner. Thus, this factor weighs against him.
Profit motive may be shown if the taxpayer extensively studied the accepted practices regarding an activity or consulted with experts in such practices.
*230 Mr. Phillips, however, did not seek to gain expertise through extensive study or consultation. He did not hire a coach or seek other means of gaining expertise. Although he did meet with some success early in his participation, he had had no success in recent years. While success is not necessarily indicative of expertise, it is one significant way to gauge Mr. Phillips' level of expertise. Of course, over the years, Mr. Phillips surely acquired some hands-on experience; however, he did not testify that he attempted to acquire additional knowledge of bowling in an attempt to make a profit. This factor *240 weighs against Mr. Phillips.
The amount of time and effort devoted to an activity may indicate a profit motive, particularly if the activity does not include substantial recreational aspects.
The evidence indicates that Mr. Phillips spent minimal time participating in bowling activities during 2008. He testified about his bowling activities in 2008, but tellingly, he was unable to identify the tournaments in which he allegedly participated. He did not indicate how often he practiced, but noted that he practiced less after his postal service shift changed beginning in 2004, four years before the year at issue. Furthermore, he derived only recreational benefit from *231 his bowling activities. This time-and-effort factor weighs heavily against Mr. Phillips.
This factor is neutral and is not applicable in this case, as bowling does not involve holding appreciating assets.
Previous experience in similar activities and successful conversion of unprofitable to profitable enterprises may indicate a profit motive.
A series of years of net income would be a strong indication that the activity is engaged in for profit.
Mr. Phillips had a net profit in 2000, when he won cash prizes of $50,000 to $65,000. Although he had winnings of $13,000 in 2003, bowling was not profitable that year. Mr. Phillips claims he incurred approximately $30,000 in expenses for the year (which would have exceeded $13,000 in expenses). But even if his 2003 expenses were only $13,000, that would mean he earned zero for *232 the year and that bowling was not profitable for seven straight years leading up to, and including, the year at issue, 2008. Even though there was evidence that Mr. Phillips bowled in years before and after 2008, this does not mean that the purpose of his bowling was profit.
Mr. Phillips argued that the 2008 recession impaired his ability to make a profit. His failure to profit from bowling for seven straight years, however, erodes *242 his argument that the 2008 recession was responsible for his lack of profitability. His long history of losses does not support the finding of a profit motive. Thus, this factor weighs against Mr. Phillips.
The amount of profits earned in relation to the amount of losses incurred and the amount of the investment may indicate a profit motive.
*233 Mr. Phillips earned substantial profits in only one year while claiming to invest nearly half of his postal service salary in his bowling activities. 8 While the opportunity to earn substantial profit can be indicative of a profit motive,
Having substantial income from other sources may indicate that the activity is not engaged in for profit, especially where losses from the activity generate substantial tax benefits or where there are recreational elements involved.
During the year at issue Mr. Phillips earned more than $67,000 as a postal worker. Combined with the recreational nature of his bowling activities and the substantial deductions he claimed from them, this fact weighs against Mr. Phillips.
The presence of personal or recreational elements in an activity may indicate the absence of a profit motive.
Mr. Phillips' bowling activities undoubtedly included a personal recreational element. Mr. Phillips' continuation of his bowling activities for nearly 20 years despite a failure to systematically profit from the activities indicates that his bowling activities were a hobby. If bowling was not a recreational activity, Mr. Phillips would not have continued to participate given the lack of revenue. This factor weighs against Mr. Phillips.
None of the factors weigh towards the existence of a profit motive, and all relevant factors weigh against the existence of a profit motive. Mr. Phillips earned a profit in only one tax year. He did not conduct the activities in a businesslike manner or make an effort to increase the profitability of his bowling activities. He decreased the amount of time and effort he expended in 2004 after changing shifts at his primary place of employment where he earned a substantial income. We *235 therefore conclude that Mr. Phillips did not engage in his bowling activities for profit.
If, contrary to our finding
The taxpayer generally has the burden of proving that the determinations in the notice of deficiency are incorrect.
Taxpayers are required to maintain records sufficient to establish the amounts of allowable deductions and to enable the IRS to determine the correct tax liability.
The only documentary evidence from the year at issue that Mr. Phillips provided to support his expenses was seven pages from five bank statements from 2008 on which he placed checkmarks next to payments that pertained to his "trying to make money." 12 It is not apparent from the bank statements that any of *238 payments indicated with checkmarks were associated with bowling; most were ATM withdrawals or purchases made with Mr. Phillips' check card. For instance, on the statement dated January 19 through February 19, 2008, Mr. Phillips made 15 checkmarks for payments over a five-day period. Nine were for ATM withdrawals in Atlantic City, New Jersey, totaling $1,604. The withdrawals are simply labeled "ATM Withdrawal Park Pl & Boardwlk," and for each one the statement shows the amount withdrawn and the date of the transaction. The remaining six checkmarks on the January 19, 2008 statement were for check card purchases of unspecified *249 goods or services from Bally's Hotel or Trump Plaza Hotel and totaled $2,069. Without more evidence, we cannot tell whether these withdrawals and purchases were related to Mr. Phillips' bowling activities. 13*250 At trial each time Mr. Phillips was asked to identify specific expenses related to bowling, he responded by referring to the bank statements in a general way but never directed the Court's attention to any specific transactions. As explained *239 below, the lack of documentary evidence for "other expenses", combined with the noncompelling nature of Mr. Phillips' testimony, leads to the conclusion that he cannot deduct any of the "other expenses". We discuss each of the subcategories of "other expenses" in turn: (1) the $18,000 in bowling tournament fees, (2) the $310 in telephone expenses, and (3) the $250 in airfare and $25 in tolls.
Mr. Phillips provided no documentary evidence supporting any portion of the $18,200 deducted for bowling fees. He was unable to name any tournaments or provide the number of tournaments in which he participated in 2008 and did not testify how much he paid to enter any tournaments. There is no basis in the record for estimating the amount Mr. Phillips spent on bowling fees during 2008.
Mr. Phillips did not provide any evidence supporting the $310 in telephone expenses. At no point during his testimony did Mr. Phillips discuss his telephone expenses or indicate that any telephone expenses were related to bowling. It is *240 unclear whether the expenses correspond to a cellular phone or a landline. 14*251 There is no basis in the record for estimating the amount Mr. Phillips spent on telephone expenses for his bowling activities during 2008.
The airfare and toll expenses are travel expenses and are subject to strict substantiation requirements under
The IRS contends that Mr. Phillips is not entitled to any of the remaining Schedule C deductions, which consist of: $5,311 in car and truck expenses, $3,617 in travel, meals, and entertainment expenses, and $530 in rent or lease expenses. The IRS concedes that it bears the burden of proof on these issues because
The IRS has met its burden of proof in respect to all of *253 the remaining Schedule C deductions by showing that Mr. Phillips did not meet the strict substantiation requirements of
*242 Cars and trucks are included as listed property under
Mr. Phillips' travel, meal, and entertainment expenses are likewise subject to the strict substantiation requirements of
*243 In regard to the rent or lease expenses, Mr. Phillips testified that his claimed expense in this category was for renting a car while traveling. This expense is also subject to the strict substantiation requirements of
Generally, an "understatement" is the excess of the tax required to be shown on the return over the tax shown on the return.
Negligence is "a lack of due care or a failure to do what a reasonable and prudent person would do under the circumstances."
An exception to the accuracy-related *256 penalty applies to any part of an underpayment for which the taxpayer had reasonable cause and acted in good faith.
Under
The underpayment is due to a substantial understatement of income tax. There is an understatement of $5,800, which is more than $5,000, and is also more *245 than 10% of the tax required to be shown on the return for 2008 (i.e., 10% of $8,388). Therefore, it is a substantial understatement.
The underpayment is also due to negligence. Mr. Phillips was negligent in claiming business expenses for his bowling activities. He made no effort to comply with the Federal income tax laws. He did not maintain any records. He admitted that at least some of his reported expenses were related to bowling. He was unable to point to expenses related to bowling. *257 He provided no evidence to substantiate any of his claimed expenses.
Mr. Phillips is not eligible for the good-faith exception of
Mr. Phillips' underpayment was due to a substantial understatement of income tax and to negligence. Therefore, Mr. Phillips is liable for a 20% accuracy-related penalty under
*246 We have considered all arguments the parties have made, and to the extent that we have not addressed them, we find them to be irrelevant, moot, or without merit.
To reflect the foregoing,
Footnotes
1. All section references are to the Internal Revenue Code as in effect for 2008. All Rule references are to the Tax Court Rules of Practice and Procedure.↩
2. We find to be true all facts that we describe in this paragraph as having been admitted by Mr. Phillips. Additionally, we find that Mr. Phillips created and kept no records regarding his 2008 bowling activities or bowling expenses.↩
3. Under
sec. 6214(a) , this Court has jurisdiction to consider a claim by the IRS for an increased deficiency, or an addition to tax, at any time before the entry of decision. ,Henningsen v. Commissioner , 243 F.2d 954, 959 (4th Cir. 1957)aff'g 26 T.C. 528 (1956) ; .Law v. Commissioner , 84 T.C. 985, 989↩ (1985)4.
Sec. 183(b)(1) allows certain types of deductions for which a profit motive is not required. All of Mr. Phillips' bowling deductions are the type that require a profit motive.See secs. 162 ,183(c) . Thus, no deductions are allowed undersec. 183(b)(1) .Sec. 183(b)(2) allows deductions that would be allowable if the activity were engaged in for profit to the extent that the gross income from the activity exceeds the deductions allowable pursuant tosec. 183(b)(1) . Mr. Phillips earned no gross income from his bowling activities. Thus, no deductions are allowed undersec. 183(b)(2)↩ .5. Under
sec. 183(d) , an activity is presumed to be engaged in for profit if, over the five consecutive years ending with the year at issue, gross income is derived from the activity for three or more of the years. The five consecutive years ending with 2008 are 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008. The preponderance of the evidence shows that Mr. Phillips had zero gross winnings in at least three of the years (2006, 2007, and 2008). Therefore, Mr. Phillips' bowling activities are not presumed to be engaged in for profit undersec. 183(d)↩ .6. These factors are not exclusive, and no one factor is dispositive.
Sec. 1.183-2(b), Income Tax Regs. ; ,Hendricks v. Commissioner , 32 F.3d 94, 98 (4th Cir. 1994)aff'g T.C Memo. 1993-396↩ .7. He had read a book about bowling when he first began bowling 20 years ago.↩
8. Mr. Phillips testified that only some of the expenses he attributed to bowling were related to bowling, and that many were, in fact, a result of personal recreation and gambling.↩
9. Our holding that there was no profit motive for Mr. Phillips' bowling activities means that Mr. Phillips was not carrying on a trade or business.
See Carol Duane Olson, "Toward a Neutral Definition of 'Trade or Business' in the Internal Revenue Code",54 U. Cinn. L. Rev. 1199, 1210 (1985-86) ("I.R.C. section 183↩ only applies when the activity is not a 'trade or business' in the first place[.]").10. Alternatively, he could have been engaged in "the production or collection of income", in which case he could deduct the ordinary and necessary expenses of these activities under
sec. 212(1)↩ .11. The
Cohan doctrine is generally recognized by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, to which this case could be appealed.See ,Pridgen v. IRS , 2 Fed. Appx. 264, 274 (4th Cir. 2001)aff'g T.C. Memo. 1999-188 ; ,Gatling v. Commissioner , 286 F.2d 139, 144 (4th Cir. 1961)aff'g T.C. Memo. 1959-224↩ .12. Mr. Phillips also introduced into evidence a number of documents from years not at issue.
See supra↩ pp. 6-7. The bowling schedules were not specific to Mr. Phillips' involvement, and the hotel receipt made no mention of bowling. They thus do not support that he incurred bowling expenses during the year at issue.13. The remaining four bank statements included similar charges ranging from $200 to $2,520 in total ATM withdrawals and $315 to $2,067 in total check card purchases.
14. If the telephone expense relates to a cellular telephone, it is subject to the strict substantiation requirements of
sec. 274(d) because cellular phones are listed property insec. 280F(d)(4)(A)(v) . Mr. Phillips did not substantiate the date, time, and business purpose of any use of the telephone. If the telephone expense relates to a landline, it is subject tosec. 262(b)↩ , which disallows deductions for the first telephone line. Mr. Phillips provided no evidence that the line was not his only landline. Thus, he would not be eligible to claim a deduction for this expense on his Schedule C.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.