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Designated Orders: 8/21 – 8/25/2017

Posted on Sep. 5, 2017

PT returns from a long holiday weekend as Professor Patrick Thomas discusses some recent Tax Court designated orders. Les

Substantively, last week was fairly light. In this post, we discuss an order in a declaratory judgment action regarding an ESOP revocation and a CDP summary judgment motion. Judge Jacobs also issued three orders, which we won’t discuss further.

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Additionally, Judge Panuthos, in his first designated order of this series, discusses a recalcitrant petitioner (apparently, a Texas radiologist) whose representative, without clear reason, rejected an IA of $10,000 per month—notwithstanding that the petitioner’s current net income totaled nearly $45,000 per month. In related news, I appear to have chosen the wrong profession.

Avoid Sloppy Stipulations – Adverse Consequences in a Declaratory Judgment Proceeding

Dkt. # 15988-11R, Renka, Inc. v. C.I.R. (Order Here)

This is not Renka’s first appearance on this blog (see Stephen’s prior post here, order here). Renka initially filed a petition for a declaratory judgment in 2011 regarding the Service’ revocation of its ESOP’s tax-exempt status, which resulted from events occurring in 1998 and 1999.

The current dispute before Judge Holmes involved the administrative record. In cases involving qualified retirement plans (of which ESOPs are but a subset), a few different standards apply. If a declaratory judgment action involves an initial or continuing qualification of the plan under section 401(a), Tax Court Rule 217(a) ordinarily constrains the court to consider only evidence in the Service’s administrative record. However, as Judge Holmes notes, a revocation of tax-exempt status, as occurred in Renka, allows a broader consideration of evidence. Stepnowski v. C.I.R., 124 T.C. 198, 205-7 (2005).

But in Renka, the parties stipulated to the administrative record, and so when Renka attempted to introduce evidence outside the record, the Service objected. While Renka complained that they didn’t specifically state that the stipulated records constituted the entire administrative record, Judge Holmes wasn’t having it. Indeed, Tax Court Rule 217(b) requires the parties to file the entire administrative record—which, the parties purportedly did.

Where justice requires, the court may use its equitable authority to allow evidence not ordinarily contemplated by the Rules. Such a rule includes Rule 91(e), which treats stipulations as conclusive admissions. Renka’s equitable argument is, unfortunately, fairly weak; it merely argues that the documents it proposes to introduce fall under the definition of “administrative record” under Rule 210(b)(12). But they don’t even do that—the documents related to an “entirely different ESOP”, which was not at issue in this declaratory judgment action.

In the end, Judge Holmes keeps the evidence out. Take-away point here: while parties are required to stipulate under Rule 91(a) (and indeed, sanctions exist for failing to do so under Rule 91(f)), they must craft and qualify their stipulations carefully. Otherwise, important evidence could remain outside the case, as here.

CDP Challenge – Prior Opportunities and Endless Installment Agreements

Dkt. # 11046-16L, Helms v. C.I.R. (Order Here)

Here’s a typical pro se CDP case with a few twists. The petitioner owed tax on 2007 and 2008, though had also owed on prior years that were not part of this case. After filing his tax returns late, the petitioner began a Chapter 13 bankruptcy in 2012. The Service filed proofs of claim for both the 2007 and 2008 years; 2008 was undergoing an audit, so the liability wasn’t fixed at the time. Ultimately, the bankruptcy plan was dismissed for failure to make payments, and the Service resumed collection action (the liabilities were not dischargeable in bankruptcy).

Three years after the bankruptcy’s dismissal, the Service issued a Notice of Intent to Levy and the Petitioner requested a CDP hearing. In the Appeals hearing, the Petitioner more or less explained that he wanted both an accounting of the liability and to settle the liability. The Service requested a Form 433-A and other delinquent returns, which he did submit.

Instead of an Offer in Compromise, the Service offered an Installment Agreement of approximately $2,000 per month; after the Petitioner submitted additional expenses, the Service lowered the amount to about $800 per month. But after that, the Petitioner didn’t respond, the Service issued a Notice of Determination, and the Petitioner timely filed a Petition.

The Service filed for summary judgment and, while the Petitioner didn’t formally respond, he did serve the Service with a response, which they incorporated into their reply. The Court incorporated these arguments as those raised by the Petitioner, which the Court interpreted as arguments (1) challenging the liability and (2) challenging the Installment Agreement because the Petitioner believed it would last “indefinitely.”

Judge Gustafson held that the Petitioner wasn’t eligible to challenge the liability because he already had a prior opportunity during his Chapter 13 bankruptcy proceeding to dispute the liability, but chose not to do so. Though unmentioned by Judge Gustafson, the Petitioner may have also had an opportunity to dispute the 2008 liability, since it arose from an examination. Regardless, the bankruptcy proceeding, once the Service filed its proofs of claim, provided this prior opportunity. See IRM 8.22.8.3(8)(4).

Finally, Judge Gustafson held that the Service had committed no abuse of discretion in proceeding with the levy. Even though Petitioner potentially had valid concerns regarding an indefinite Installment Agreement, he did not raise that issue with Appeals, and so forfeited that argument in the Tax Court. The Service really didn’t have another choice but to issue the Notice of Determination, failing communication from the taxpayer (here, the taxpayer was silent for 3 weeks). Moreover, Installment Agreements ordinarily last only until the liability is satisfied, the taxpayer defaults on the plan, or the statute of limitations on assessment expires.

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