Welcome to TaxView with Chris Moss CPA
What is a substitute tax return? No your identity has not been stolen and a false return filed by the perpetrator. In fact, a substitute tax return is what the Government has the authority to file for you when you don’t file your tax return on time. Yes, isn’t that nice of the IRS to file your income tax return for you, and better yet, all at no charge! But wait a minute. Before you all start calling me asking how to get the government to file this free substitute tax return for you, let me make clear that a substitute return is not the real deal, it is more like a knock off return. You all know what knock offs are, those fake replicas of an authentic brand of luxury goods or service, often times not worth purchasing even at any price due to lack of quality and poor workmanship. The same holds true for a substitute tax returns, usually poorly prepared by the IRS and in worse cases substantially inaccurate, not reflective of your true net income and tax owed and unfortunately presenting you with a very large tax bill with even larger interest and penalties that is simply in many cases not correct. So if you have an outstanding tax return that has not yet been filed, or perhaps a few such returns, or if you are in any way just curious, then stay with us on TaxView with Chris Moss CPA to find out how you can get hit with a substitute knock off return and what you need to do to “return” the return back to sender where it belongs.
According to the Government’s own IRS website, the IRS warns us all: “…If you fail to file, we may file a substitute return for you. This return might not give you credit for deductions and exemptions you may be entitled to receive. We will send you a Notice of Deficiency proposing a tax assessment. You will have 90 days to file your past due tax return or file a petition in Tax Court. If you do neither, we will proceed with our proposed assessment….” Seems fair enough. In my view you get a pretty good deal. Either file or go to Tax Court. Although not everything with the IRS is quite what it seems to be especially when you go through the bizarre world of US Tax Court case law.
Gloria Spurlock did not file her tax returns for 1995 96 and 97 and in fact did go to US Tax Court in Spurlock v IRS 118 TC No 9 (2002). Judge Ruwe points out that under IRS Code Section 6020(b)(1), the Government has the authority to execute a return “If any person fails to make any return required by any internal revenue law or regulation made thereunder at the time prescribed therefor, or makes, willfully or otherwise, a false or fraudulent return”. IRS wins Gloria loses. Sandra Stern also didn’t file a tax return and decided to go to Tax Court, Sandra Stern vs IRS TC 2002-212. Judge Beghe says: “…the above-quoted language of section 6020(b) makes clear that the Commissioner is not charged with preparing a perfectly accurate return. The Commissioner is required only to do the best he can with the information available to him, in the absence of a return prepared and filed by the taxpayer…” IRS wins Sandra loses.
The next case is even more interesting: Sam Kornhauser, a practicing attorney no less, didn’t file his 2007 tax return nor did he file one for 2008. The IRS prepared a substitute 2008 return and sent him the 90 day letter. Within the 90 day period Kornhauser signed a tax return and submitted it to the IRS for processing. However, the IRS did not process the return. Kornhauser appealed to US Tax Court, Kornhauser v IRS 2013-230. Judge Haines’ Opinion allowed into evidence Kornhauser’s “income” but not his deductions. Surprise, Surprise. Judge Haines says: “…It seems Kornhauser disputes the tax liability because the substitute return failed to take into account certain “deductions and credits”. Kornhauser’s only evidence to support his deductions and credits was his testimony as well as documents and records contained in exhibits…” Unfortunately for Kornhauser the Court did not feel the evidence Kornhauser presented to the Court or even his own sworn testimony to be credible. The Court concluded “….we find Kornhauser’s testimony to be self-serving and uncorroborated and do not accept it”. IRS wins Kornhauser loses.
In conclusion, there are certainly going to be times in your life that your tax return is going to be filed late, even years after the deadline, perhaps for reasons beyond your control. A death in the family, divorce, loss of job, natural weather disaster to name a few. So make sure you tax attorney communicates with the IRS that your return is running late and keep in constant touch with the Government until your return is eventually filed. In my view best practice in cases like this requires proper, regular, and effective written and verbal communication with the IRS to allow for cooperation not confrontation, and assistance not interference. Finally, for whatever reason, if you choose not to file your tax return without communicating to the IRS via your tax attorney, expect the IRS to file a substitute tax return for you. If you try to contest the substitute tax return in US Tax Court I bet you a Lobster dinner at the Palm that the Government wins every time. Happy tax return filings and remember, there is no substitute. Thanks for joining Chris Moss CPA on TaxView
Kindest regards
Chris Moss CPA
What is a substitute tax return? No your identity has not been stolen and a false return filed by the perpetrator. In fact, a substitute tax return is what the Government has the authority to file for you when you don’t file your tax return on time. Yes, isn’t that nice of the IRS to file your income tax return for you, and better yet, all at no charge! But wait a minute. Before you all start calling me asking how to get the government to file this free substitute tax return for you, let me make clear that a substitute return is not the real deal, it is more like a knock off return. You all know what knock offs are, those fake replicas of an authentic brand of luxury goods or service, often times not worth purchasing even at any price due to lack of quality and poor workmanship. The same holds true for a substitute tax returns, usually poorly prepared by the IRS and in worse cases substantially inaccurate, not reflective of your true net income and tax owed and unfortunately presenting you with a very large tax bill with even larger interest and penalties that is simply in many cases not correct. So if you have an outstanding tax return that has not yet been filed, or perhaps a few such returns, or if you are in any way just curious, then stay with us on TaxView with Chris Moss CPA to find out how you can get hit with a substitute knock off return and what you need to do to “return” the return back to sender where it belongs.
According to the Government’s own IRS website, the IRS warns us all: “…If you fail to file, we may file a substitute return for you. This return might not give you credit for deductions and exemptions you may be entitled to receive. We will send you a Notice of Deficiency proposing a tax assessment. You will have 90 days to file your past due tax return or file a petition in Tax Court. If you do neither, we will proceed with our proposed assessment….” Seems fair enough. In my view you get a pretty good deal. Either file or go to Tax Court. Although not everything with the IRS is quite what it seems to be especially when you go through the bizarre world of US Tax Court case law.
Gloria Spurlock did not file her tax returns for 1995 96 and 97 and in fact did go to US Tax Court in Spurlock v IRS 118 TC No 9 (2002). Judge Ruwe points out that under IRS Code Section 6020(b)(1), the Government has the authority to execute a return “If any person fails to make any return required by any internal revenue law or regulation made thereunder at the time prescribed therefor, or makes, willfully or otherwise, a false or fraudulent return”. IRS wins Gloria loses. Sandra Stern also didn’t file a tax return and decided to go to Tax Court, Sandra Stern vs IRS TC 2002-212. Judge Beghe says: “…the above-quoted language of section 6020(b) makes clear that the Commissioner is not charged with preparing a perfectly accurate return. The Commissioner is required only to do the best he can with the information available to him, in the absence of a return prepared and filed by the taxpayer…” IRS wins Sandra loses.
The next case is even more interesting: Sam Kornhauser, a practicing attorney no less, didn’t file his 2007 tax return nor did he file one for 2008. The IRS prepared a substitute 2008 return and sent him the 90 day letter. Within the 90 day period Kornhauser signed a tax return and submitted it to the IRS for processing. However, the IRS did not process the return. Kornhauser appealed to US Tax Court, Kornhauser v IRS 2013-230. Judge Haines’ Opinion allowed into evidence Kornhauser’s “income” but not his deductions. Surprise, Surprise. Judge Haines says: “…It seems Kornhauser disputes the tax liability because the substitute return failed to take into account certain “deductions and credits”. Kornhauser’s only evidence to support his deductions and credits was his testimony as well as documents and records contained in exhibits…” Unfortunately for Kornhauser the Court did not feel the evidence Kornhauser presented to the Court or even his own sworn testimony to be credible. The Court concluded “….we find Kornhauser’s testimony to be self-serving and uncorroborated and do not accept it”. IRS wins Kornhauser loses.
In conclusion, there are certainly going to be times in your life that your tax return is going to be filed late, even years after the deadline, perhaps for reasons beyond your control. A death in the family, divorce, loss of job, natural weather disaster to name a few. So make sure you tax attorney communicates with the IRS that your return is running late and keep in constant touch with the Government until your return is eventually filed. In my view best practice in cases like this requires proper, regular, and effective written and verbal communication with the IRS to allow for cooperation not confrontation, and assistance not interference. Finally, for whatever reason, if you choose not to file your tax return without communicating to the IRS via your tax attorney, expect the IRS to file a substitute tax return for you. If you try to contest the substitute tax return in US Tax Court I bet you a Lobster dinner at the Palm that the Government wins every time. Happy tax return filings and remember, there is no substitute. Thanks for joining Chris Moss CPA on TaxView
Kindest regards
Chris Moss CPA
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