the customer's insurance company. In several cases, supplemental work was required afterwards, which meant that a separate repair order was prepared. During the last month of the year, the taxpayer would record the initial income as stated on the original repair orders but would ignore the supplemental payments. They would record those as income when the supplemental payments were received. A comparison of the year ending cash receipts journal with the subsequent year's cash receipt journal often revealed the same customer names. When questioned about why the supplemental payments were not recorded with the original repair order, the taxpayer responded that supplemental payments were not assured of being paid. (In this case, the supplemental payments were almost 100 percent guaranteed of being paid since the insurance companies approved them in the first place.) In this situation, the accrual basis taxpayer should have recorded the entire sale since all work was completed. Although this is essentially a timing

difference, this can result in a significant adjustment in the first taxable year corrected.

INVENTORIES

See Cost of Sales Section for discussion of inventories.

BUILDING AND OTHER DEPRECIABLE ASSETS

As mentioned above, a comparative analysis of the balance sheets for prior and subsequent years may reveal assets dropping off either by being sold or distributed to shareholders or partners. In other cases, an actual analysis of a fixed assets schedule may reveal the personal assets of the shareholder of partner listed on the corporate or partnership balance sheet. Further development may reveal that these assets are being financed by the corporation or partnership. In addition, expenses incurred to maintain these assets may be paid them as well.

 

In one case, an examiner encountered a boat which was

listed on the fixed assets schedule but not included in the total value of the assets per the tax return. The boat was registered to the corporation but not

depreciated and expenses for maintenance were not paid by the corporation. The boat was used by the shareholders for personal trips as well as entertaining service managers. No corporate adjustments were made

 

 

4-3

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