- 22 - spouse relief. Friedman v. Commissioner, 53 F.3d at 532; accord Resser v. Commissioner, supra at 1540; McComb v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 1994-577; Langberg v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 1994- 223. Petitioner knew about her husband's companies and also of the land development transaction on which the deduction was based. She participated at corporate meetings. Moreover, she testified her husband would have been truthful with her if asked about the deductions on the return. In light of the foregoing, petitioner fails to meet her burden of proof to show that she did not know, and did not have reason to know, there was a substantial understatement of tax as a result of the erroneous Schedule C deduction. B. Omitted Income Items Mrs. Meyer knew, or should have known, of the income- producing transaction her spouse failed to report on their joint 1989 return based on: (1) Petitioner's improved family lifestyle and (2) her involvement in the financial affairs of her family as well as her husband's companies. See supra pp. 20-21. Where personal living expenses to sustain petitioner's lavish lifestyle and deposits to her accounts during 1989 greatly exceeded the adjusted gross income of $16,247 reported on the 1989 return, a reasonably prudent taxpayer in Mrs. Meyer's position should have known of the substantial understatement of income. See Estate of Jackson v. Commissioner, 72 T.C. 356, 361 (1979). Petitioner herself deposited checks and paid expenses in amounts exceedingPage: Previous 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 Next
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