BOBBY J. PRATER, Pеtitioner v. COMMISSIONER OF INTERNAL REVENUE, Respondent
Docket No. 22188-06L.
UNITED STATES TAX COURT
Filed August 22, 2007.
T.C. Memo. 2007-241
Paul R. Tom, for petitioner.
Elizabeth Downs, for respondent.
MEMORANDUM OPINION
MARVEL, Judge: This matter is before the Court on respondent‘s motion for summary judgment, filed under
Background
This is an appeal from respondent‘s determination upholding the proposed use of a levy to collect petitioner‘s unpaid Federal income tax liabilities for 1999, 2000, 2003, and 2004. Petitioner resided in Hominy, Oklahoma, when the petition was filed.
Petitioner filed income tax returns for 1999, 2000, 2003, and 2004. Petitioner did not pay all of his reported tax liabilities. Respondent assessed the tax owed. On May 1, 2006, respondent sent petitioner a Final Notice of Intent to Levy and Notice of Your Right to Hearing for the years at issue. Petitioner timely submitted a Form 12153, Request for a Collection Due Process Hearing. In his request, petitioner asserted that a levy would cause him “irreparable harm” and requested payment of his tax liabilities through an installment agreement.
On August 16, 2006, Settlement Officer Norman E. Chapman (Officer Chapman) sent petitioner a letter acknowledging petitioner‘s request for a
On September 18, 2006, Officer Chapman held petitioner‘s
On October 31, 2006, the petition was filed. Petitioner alleges that although he was unable to obtain аll of the requested information before the September 18, 2006, telephone conference, he now possesses the necessary financial information. Petitioner thus requests that the Court remand his case to the Appeals Office to consider an installment agreement.
On May 10, 2007, we issued рetitioner a notice setting his case for trial during the Court‘s October 15, 2007, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, trial session. On May 10, 2007, respondent filed a motion for summary judgment. On Mаy 11, 2007, we ordered
Discussion
I. Summary Judgment
Summary judgment is a procedure designed to expedite litigation and avoid unnecessary, time-consuming, and expensive trials. Fla. Peach Corp. v. Commissioner, 90 T.C. 678, 681 (1988). Summary judgment may be granted with respect to all or any рart of the legal issues presented “if the pleadings, answers to interrogatories, depositions, admissions, and any other acceptable mаterials, together with affidavits, if any, show that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and that a decision may be rendered as a matter оf law.”
II. Section 6330
Following a hearing, the Appeals Office must make a determination whether the prоposed levy action may proceed. The Appeals Office is required to take into consideration: (1) Verification presented by the Secretary that the requirements of applicable law and administrative procedures have been met, (2) relevant issues raised by the taxpayer, and (3) whether the proposed levy action appropriately balances the need for
Petitioner does not dispute his underlying tax liabilities for any of the relevant years. Accordingly, we shall review respondent‘s determination for abuse of discretion.
In his petition, petitioner alleges that he now has the financial information requested by Officer Chapman and thаt the Court should remand his case to the Appeals Office for consideration of payment through an installment agreement. Respondent asserts that the Appeals officer did not abuse his discretion by rejecting an installment agreement because petitioner did not provide the requеsted financial information at the
We conclude that there is no genuine issue of material fact requiring a trial in this case, and we hold that respondent is entitled to the entry of a decision sustaining the proposed levy as a matter of law.
An appropriate order and decision will be entered.
