252
Souter, J., dissenting
concern regarding a restaurant's difficulty in trying to supervise its employees' reporting of their tips, they do not suggest that the aggregate estimate method is an unreasonable way of ascertaining unpaid FICA taxes for which the employer is indisputably liable (particularly when one recalls that the taxpayer generally remains free to challenge the accuracy of the calculation at issue, even though this taxpayer has waived its right to do so). Rather, as we have shown, the relevant Code provisions and case law support the use of aggregate estimates. See supra, at 242- 244, 248-249.
We conclude that Fior D'Italia's discussion of IRS "abuse" is insufficient to show that the agency's use of aggregate estimates is prohibited by law. In saying this, we recognize that Fior D'Italia remains free to make its policy-related arguments to Congress.
III
For these reasons, and because Fior D'Italia has stipulated that it does not challenge the accuracy of the IRS assessment in this case, the judgment of the Court of Appeals is
Reversed.
Justice Souter, with whom Justice Scalia and Justice Thomas join, dissenting.
The Court holds that the Internal Revenue Service's statutory authorization to make assessments for unpaid taxes is reasonably read to cover a restaurateur's FICA taxes based on an aggregate estimate of all unreported employee tips. I believe that reading the statute so broadly saddles employers with a burden unintended by Congress, and I respectfully dissent.
I
Taxes on earned income imposed by the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) pay for employees' benefits under the Social Security Act, 49 Stat. 622, as amended, 42 U. S. C.
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