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33 T.C. 365

Harkins v. Commissioner

United States Tax Court

Decided November 30, 1959

United States Tax Court · decided 1959-11-30

On September 16, 1953, petitioner filed a declaration of estimated tax for the taxable year 1953 in which she estimated her tax to be $ 6,666.67, which amount was not based on petitioner's 1952… Held: that petitioner has failed to meet the burden of proving error in respondent's determinations here in issue.

Cited by 5 later decisions — most recently September 1963

Key passage — most relied on by later courts

““In the case of a failure to make and file a declaration of estimated tax within the time prescribed, unless such failure is shown to the satisfaction of the Commissioner to be due to reasonable cause and not to willful neglect, there shall be added to the tax 5 per centum of each installment due but unpaid, and in addiction, with respect to each such installment due but unpaid, 1 per centum of the unpaid amount thereof for each month (except the first) or fraction thereof during which such amount remains unpaid. In no event shall the aggregate addition to the tax under this subparagraph with respect to any installment due but unpaid, exceed 10 per centum of the unpaid portion of such installment. For the purposes of this sub-paragraph the amount and due date of each installment shall be the same as if a declaration had been filed within the time prescribed showing an estimated tax equal to the correct tax reduced by the credits under sections 32 and 35.”

quoted by 1 later decision, including Stellor v. United States

Relies on Commissioner v. Acker

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

Decision will be entered under Rule 50 · Decided 1959-11-30

View the full empirical analysis of this case →

¶1OPINION.

Fisher, Judge:

¶2Respondent determined deficiencies in income tax and additions to tax against petitioner for the taxable year 1953 as follows:

Additions to tax, I.R.C. 19S9
Year Deficiency Sec. 294(d)(1)(A) Sec. S94(d)(0)
1953. — __$1,726.48 $2,737.51 $1,425

¶3The issues (other than those disposed of by stipulation of the parties) are whether or not respondent erred in determining additions to tax for the year 1953 under the provisions of sections 294(d) (1) (A) and 294(d) (2) of the Code of 1939.

¶4All of the facts are stipulated and are incorporated herein by reference.

¶5Petitioner, Eose S. Harkins, was a resident of Augusta, Georgia, during the year 1953. She derived taxable income from rents, dividends, and the operation of a retail women’s apparel store, known as Crosby’s during the year 1953.

¶6On September 16, 1953, petitioner filed a declaration of estimated tax for the taxable year 1953 (Form 1040-ES) with the district director of internal revenue for the district of Georgia, in which she estimated her income tax liability for the year 1953 to be $6,666.67. She paid $5,000 at the time of filing such declaration. The declaration filed September 16, 1953, was the only declaration of estimated tax filed by petitioner for the year 1953.

¶7Petitioner filed a United States individual income tax return, Form 1040, for the taxable year 1953 with the district director of internal revenue for the district of Georgia showing a tax liability of $28,771.12. Of this amount, $5,000 was shown on the tax return as having been paid by petitioner on a declaration of estimated tax.

¶8The declaration filed by petitioner on September 16, 1953, was not based on petitioner’s 1952 income or income tax return. Eighty per cent of petitioner’s tax liability for 1953 substantially exceeded the amount stated in her declaration of estimated tax for that year.

¶9Eespondent determined additions to tax under section 294(d) (1) (A), based on the failure of petitioner to file a timely declaration of estimated tax for 1953. Petitioner failed to offer any evidence that the filing of her declaration was timely, or that her failure to file a timely declaration was due to reasonable cause and not to willful neglect. Eespondent’s determination is prima facie correct, and his determination in this respect must be sustained in view of petitioner’s failure to meet the burden of proving error.

¶10Petitioner filed a declaration of estimated tax for the year 1953 on September 16 of that year. The amount of estimated tax declared was $6,666.67, which was less than 80 per cent of her tax liability for 1953. Eespondent determined additions to tax under section 294(d) (2) for substantial underestimate of estimated tax, allowing credit in his computation for the estimated tax declared. Petitioner has demonstrated no error of law or fact in such determination, and we must, therefore, sustain respondent’s determination.

¶11We realize that the result under section 294(d) (2) may, at first glance, appear to be anomalous in. the light of the decision of the Supreme Court in Commissioner v. Acker, 361 U.S. 87 (1959), in which no declaration of estimated tax was filed by the taxpayer. The Court held that additions to tax under section 294(d) (2) were not to be applied on the theory of substantial underestimate of estimated tax on a zero estimate basis in cases in which no declaration at all was filed. In the instant case, a declaration (then due as well as overdue) was filed on September 16, 1953, and an estimated tax was declared thereon for which petitioner received appropriate credit. Under the circumstances of the instant case, we can find no basis in the statute for relieving petitioner of the additions to tax under section 294(d) (2).

¶12Decision will be entered under Bule SO.

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