- 81 - Commissioner, 6 T.C. 1158, 1165 (1946), affd. 162 F.2d 513 (10th Cir. 1947). On this record, we conclude that petitioners Glassley and Houser did not act in good faith reliance on professional advice. In each case, the record shows that they acted on their fascination with the idea of participating in a jojoba farming venture and their satisfaction with tax benefits of expensing their investments, which were clear to them from the promoter's presentation. They passed the offering circular by their accountants for a "glance", and Dr. Houser spoke with his brother, an attorney, though apparently not a person knowledgeable about tax matters or agriculture. The facts here do not establish consultation with an expert. Cf. Durrett v. Commissioner, 71 F.3d 515 (5th Cir. 1996), affg. in part, revg. in part T.C. Memo. 1994-179. Petitioners Glassley and Houser have not established that their purported reliance on the advice of their accountants (and brother) actually occurred or was reasonable, in good faith, and based on full disclosure. Hence, such alleged reliance is not sufficient to shield them from liability for the negligence additions to tax. An addition to tax for negligence is correctly assessed in cases where deductions claimed on returns are not supported by the facts. Sandvall v. Commissioner, supra; Marcello v. Commissioner, supra. Petitioners claimed deductions for purported research and experimental expenditures that we have found to havePage: Previous 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 Next
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