Reza and Connie M. Rezazadeh - Page 19

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          both business and other purposes, the travel expenses are                   
          deductible only if the travel is primarily related to the                   
          taxpayer's trade or business.  Sec. 1.162-2(b)(1), Income Tax               
          Regs.  If a trip is primarily personal in nature, the travel                
          expenses are not deductible even if the taxpayer engaged in some            
          business activities at the destination.  Id.  Whether travel is             
          related primarily to the taxpayer's trade or business or is                 
          primarily personal is a question of fact.  Sec. 1.162-2(b)(2),              
          Income Tax Regs.  The amount of time during the period of the               
          trip that is spent on personal activity, compared to the amount             
          of time spent on activities directly relating to the taxpayer's             
          trade or business, is an important factor in determining whether            
          the trip is primarily personal.  Id.  The taxpayer must prove               
          that the trip was primarily related to the trade or business.               
          Rule 142(a).                                                                
               At trial, petitioners presented evidence indicating that               
          Mrs. Rezazadeh spent 50 of the 60 days she was in Bogota,                   
          including weekends and holidays, doing research, which included             
          collecting, studying, organizing, and tabulating over 700 pages             
          of material.  While Mrs. Rezazadeh did spend some time visiting             
          relatives while she was in Bogota, the Court is satisfied that              
          her trip to Bogota was primarily for business and not personal              
          purposes.  Accordingly, petitioners are entitled to deduct those            







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Last modified: May 25, 2011