James J. and Sandra A. Gales - Page 10


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                                       OPINION                                         
          I.  Advance Commissions                                                      
               A.  Introduction                                                        
               During 1992 and 1993, petitioner James J. Gales (petitioner)            
          was engaged as national marketing director by International                  
          Marketing Agencies, Inc. (IMA).  IMA sold insurance as the agent             
          of certain insurance companies.  Petitioner both supervised the              
          sale of insurance by others and sold insurance himself.                      
          Petitioner’s engagement by IMA was governed by an agreement (the             
          agreement) that provided, among other things, for the payment to             
          petitioner of commissions in advance of his earning those                    
          commissions under the agreement.  IMA reported all payments made             
          to petitioner during 1992 and 1993 (the 1992 and 1993 payments,              
          respectively) as miscellaneous income.  Petitioners reported                 
          those amounts on their 1992 and 1993 returns but deducted amounts            
          in excess of amounts stated by IMA to have been earned during                
          each of those years.  We must determine whether the amounts                  
          deducted, “advance commissions” (advance commissions), constitute            
          gross income.  Petitioner argues that advance commissions were               
          amounts lent by IMA to petitioner.                                           
               Petitioners bear the burden of proof, Rule 142(a), which                
          they must carry by a preponderance of the evidence; e.g., UFE,               
          Inc. v. Commissioner, 92 T.C. 1314, 1321 (1989).                             










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