TAX COURT OPINION

Case: Stephen S. Kyereme
Docket Number: 3464-07
Judge: Colvin
Opinion Type: bench
Filed: 04/23/2008
Pages: 4

UNITED STATES T, Washington, D. C. lC COURT 20217 STEPHEN S . KYEREME, Petitioner V . Docket No . 3464-07 COMMISSIONER OF INTERNAL REVENUE, Respondent . I ADM . RECOR D SERVICE 4-Z - - JUDGE W A Ll O R D E R Pursuant to Rule 152(b), Tax Cou t Rules of Practice and Procedure, it is ORDERED that the Clerk of the Co rt shall transmit herewith to petitioner and to respond- t a copy of the pages of the transcript of the trial of the abo e case before Judge Thomas B . Wells at Columbia, South Car lina, on March 21, 2008, containing his oral findings of fact a d opinion rendered at the conclusion of trial . In accordance with the oral findings of fact and opinion, decision will be entered for responden . (Signed ) Thomas B . Wells Judg e Dated : Washington, D . C . April 23, 2008 iVED APR 2 4160 2 1 Bench Opinion by Judge Thom s B . Wells 2 March 21, 200 8 3 Kyereme v . Commissioner Docket No . 3464-07 4 THE COURT : The Co rt has decided to render 5 oral findings of fact and opinion in this case and th e 6 following represents the Cou is oral findings of fact 7 and opinion . The oral findi gs of fact and opinio n 8 shall not be relied upon as recedent in any other 9 case . 10 This is the case o Stephen S . Kyereme , 11 Petitioner, versus Commissio er of Internal Revenue, 12 Respondent, docket number 3464-07 . This bench opinion 13 is made pursuant to the autho ity granted by Section 14 7459(d) and Rule 152 . 15 All section referen es are to the Internal 16 Revenue Code as in effect for the year in issue, and 17 all rule references are to th Tax Court Rules o f 18 Practice and Procedure . 19 Respondent determin d a deficiency against 20 Petitioner for his 2004 taxab e year in the amount of 21 $20,007 and additions to tax nder 6662(a) in th e 22 amount of $4,001 . 23 Some of the facts an certain documents have 24 been stipulated. this benc h We incorporate- in 25 opinion -a .- the facts so stipu ated . At the time the 78~3 Heritage Reporting Corporatio n (202) 628- 888 3 1 petition was filed, Petition r was a resident of 2 Columbia, South Carolina . 3 In general, Respon ent's determinations i n 4 the notice of deficiency are entitled to a presumption 5 of correctness, and Petition r bears the burden o f 6 rebutting that presumption b a preponderance of the 7 evidence -- Welch v . Helveri g , 290 U .S . 111 (1933) ; 8 Rule 142(a) -- unless Petitio er meets the 9 requirements of Section 7491( ) . Petitioner has not 10 claimed the benefits nor met he requirements o f 11 Section 7491(a), and therefor , the burden of proof 12 remains on Petitioner . 13 Petitioner stated a trial that his sol e 14 argument is set forth in the tatement he attached to 15 his return for his 2004 taxab e year . In tha t 16 statement, Petitioner argues hat he is disabled and 17 that the withdrawal of his re irement therefore should 18 not be taxed on the grounds o "equity/fairness/good 19 conscience . " 20 Petitioner's argume t has no merit . This 21 Court is without general equi y powers . Petitioner 22 has offered no credible evide ce that shows tha t 23 Respondent's determinationSof tax liability in the TBh/' 24 notice of deficiency are inco rect . Accordingly, w e 25 find that Petitioner has faile to carry his burden of Heritage Reporting Corporatio n (202) 628- 888 1 proof . Consequently, we sustain Respondent' s 2 determinations of tax in full. T W 3 As to the addition to tax, Petitioner bears T"/34 3 4 4 the burden of proof . Rule 142(a) Under Sectio n 5 7491(c), Respondent must pro uce evidence that it is 6 appropriate to impose a penal y . However, Petitioner 7 bears the burden of proof . H' bee v . Commissioner , 8 116 T .C . 438, 446 (2001) . 9 The record shows th t Respondent has met his 10 burden of production under Se tion 7491(c) that a 11 penalty in the instant case i appropriate . 12 Petitioner failed to offer an credible evidence on 13 this issue . Consequently, we sustain Respondent on 14 the addition to tax in the am unt determined b y 15 Respondent . 16 To reflect the fore oing, decision will be 17 entered for Respondent . The f regoing represents the 18 Court's oral findings of fact nd opinion in thi s 19 case . This concludes this cas . Thank you . 20 (Whereupon, at 10 :40 a .m ., the bench opinion 21 in the above-entitled matter w s concluded . ) 22 23 24 25 Heritage Reporting Corporation (202) 628-4$88