Romano-Murphy v. Commissioner of IRS

The IRS sent petitioner a Letter 1153 (notice of proposed assessment) informing her that, pursuant to 26 U.S.C. 6672(a), she - as the chief operating officer of NPRN - was personally responsible for the company’s unpaid trust fund taxes for the second quarter of 2005. The IRS then made an assessment against her in the amount of $346,732.38. The court held that a taxpayer is entitled to a pre-assessment administrative determination by the IRS of her proposed liability for trust fund taxes if she files a timely protest. Therefore, in this case, the IRS erred by not making such a determination for petitioner after she filed a timely protest. The court vacated the judgment of the tax court and remanded so that it can address whether the IRS’ error, under the circumstances, is harmless or requires setting aside the 2007 assessment (or some lesser form of corrective action). View "Romano-Murphy v. Commissioner of IRS" on Justia Law