alleging that the tax on an additional understatement of income in the amount of $22,448 is also due to fraud. This additional understatement of income is based on evidence establishing that it was part and parcel of the overall diversion of funds to Mr. Burke. As such, it is part of the overall fraud. We therefore sustain the increased addition to tax resulting from the increased deficiency for 1986. Alleged Joint Returns The next issue for decision is whether Mrs. Burke is jointly liable for the deficiencies in tax. This initially depends upon whether Mrs. Burke tacitly consented to the filing of joint Federal income tax returns for the years in issue. If we find that she did, then section 6013(d)(3), which establishes that spouses who file a joint tax return are jointly and severally liable for any tax that is due on the return, is applicable. Mrs. Burke did not personally sign the alleged joint returns at issue. However, this Court has recognized that a joint return is not necessarily invalid because one spouse did not sign the return. Estate of Campbell v. Commissioner, 56 T.C. 1, 12 (1971); Federbush v. Commissioner, 34 T.C. 740, 757 (1960), affd. per curiam 325 F.2d 1 (2d Cir. 1963); Heim v. Commissioner, 27 T.C. 270, 273 (1956), affd. 251 F.2d 44 (8th Cir. 1958). The issue turns on whether the spouse "intended to file and be bound by the particular return in question." Shea v. Commissioner, 780 F.2d 561, 567 (6th Cir. 1986), affg. in part, revg. in part, and remanding T.C. Memo. 1984-310; accord Januschke v. Commissioner, 48 T.C. 496, 500 (1967); Helfrich v. Commissioner, 25 T.C. 404, 407 (1955). Once it is established that one spouse did not sign the joint return, the burden shifts to respondent to produce additional evidence of that spouse's intent. O'Connor v. Commissioner, 412 F.2d 304, 309 (2d Cir. 1969), affg. in part and revg. in part T.C. Memo. 1967-174; Estate of Krock v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 1983-551.Page: Previous 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Next
Last modified: May 25, 2011