- 16 - Section 6662(c) defines "negligence" as any failure to make a reasonable attempt to comply with the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code. The term "disregard" includes any careless, reckless, or intentional disregard of Treasury rules or regulations. Sec. 6662(c). Taxpayers are expected to maintain adequate records to substantiate claimed deductions, and failure to maintain adequate records may constitute negligence. Sec. 6001; Schroeder v. Commissioner, 40 T.C. 30, 34 (1963). Even though a taxpayer's records may be lost, the burden is generally still on the taxpayers to substantiate deductions claimed with receipts and other sufficient documentation and evidence. Petitioner in this case has failed to meet his burden with regard to the adjustments that we have sustained and has failed to convince us as to the cause for his inability to provide at trial additional books and records relating to his scrap metal recycling business. With the exception noted below, we sustain respondent's determination of the accuracy-related penalties for 1990 and 1991 with respect to all adjustments that we have sustained. We believe, however, that the accuracy-related addition to tax in this case is not properly attributable to those portions of petitioner's tax deficiencies for 1990 and 1991 that relate to the disallowed home office expense deductions that petitioner claimed and that we have disallowed. Petitioner did not demonstrate a careless, reckless, or intentional disregard forPage: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Next
Last modified: May 25, 2011