- 11 - Petitioners further argue that section 6652(c)(1) penalties are analogous to 6651(a)(2) additions to tax because “There is a scaling of the penalty * * * that is tied to gross revenue--a more appropriate measure of size for an exempt organization than tax liability.” The section 6651(a)(2) addition to tax is calculated as follows: “there shall be added to the amount shown as tax on such return 0.5 percent of the amount of such tax if the failure is for not more than 1 month, with an additional 0.5 percent for each additional month.” (Emphasis added.) The section 6652(c)(1) penalty is calculated as follows: $20 for each day during which [failure to file] * * * continues. The maximum penalty under this subparagraph * * * shall not exceed the lesser of $10,000 or 5 percent of the gross receipts of the organization for the year. In the case of an organization having gross receipts exceeding $1,000,000 for any year * * * the first sentence of this subparagraph shall be applied by substituting “$100” for “$20” and, in lieu of applying the second sentence of this subparagraph, the maximum penalty under this subparagraph shall not exceed $50,000. [Emphasis added.] As is clear from the above-emphasized language, a section 6651(a)(2) addition to tax is directly tied to the amount of tax due. On the other hand, a section 6652(c)(1) penalty is not tied to the amount of tax due, but instead it is a flat daily rate of accumulation. While the flat daily rate and the cap on the penalty are scaled depending on the gross revenue of the organization, they are not directly tied to the amount of tax due. Thus, the manner in which the section 6652(c)(1) penaltyPage: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Next
Last modified: May 25, 2011