- 32 - understated his Federal income tax for that year. See sec. 6662(b)(2). As relevant herein, section 6662(a) imposes an accuracy- related penalty equal to 20-percent of an underpayment that is due to a substantial understatement of income tax. See sec. 6662(d). An individual substantially understates his or her income tax when the reported tax is understated by the greater of 10-percent of the tax required to be shown on the return or $5,000. Sec. 6662(d)(1)(A). Tax is not understated to the extent that the treatment of the item related thereto is based on substantial authority or is adequately disclosed in the return or in a statement attached to the return. Sec. 6662(d)(2)(B). However, in the case of a tax shelter, (1) adequate disclosure will not serve to avoid the penalty, and (2) substantial authority will avoid the penalty only if the taxpayer reasonably believed that the tax treatment of the item by the taxpayer was more likely than not the proper treatment. Sec. 6662(d)(2)(C). Petitioner reported zero tax on his 1989 return. The correct amount due, as stipulated by the parties, was $34,823. Therefore, petitioner understated his income tax in an amount greater than $5,000 or 10-percent of the tax required to be shown on his return. Petitioner makes no argument with regard to substantial authority or adequate disclosure, and we think that no such argument can be persuasively made. Moreover, for the reasonsPage: Previous 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 Next
Last modified: May 25, 2011