The Kroger Company and Subsidiaries - Page 21

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            e.g., sec. 1.446-1(a)(2), (c)(1)(ii), Income Tax Regs.  The                               
            Supreme Court has made clear, however, that GAAP does not enjoy a                         
            presumption of accuracy that must be rebutted by the                                      
            Commissioner.  Thor Power Tool Co. v. Commissioner, supra at 540.                         
            The Commissioner’s supervisory power under section 446(b),                                
            permitting her to reject a taxpayer’s method if it “does not                              
            clearly reflect income”, and to substitute a method that, “in the                         
            opinion of the * * * [Commissioner], does clearly reflect                                 
            income”, was described by the Supreme Court in another case as                            
            leaving “[m]uch latitude for discretion”, which “should not be                            
            interfered with [by the courts] unless clearly unlawful.”  Lucas                          
            v. American Code Co., 280 U.S. 445, 449 (1930) (quoted with                               
            approval in Thor Power Tool Co. v. Commissioner, supra at 532).                           
                  B.  Standard of Review                                                              
                  When the Commissioner determines that a taxpayer's method of                        
            accounting does not clearly reflect income, the taxpayer has a                            
            heavy burden to show that the Commissioner abused her discretion.                         
            E.g., Asphalt Products Co. v. Commissioner, 796 F.2d 843, 848                             
            (6th Cir. 1986), affg. in part and revg. in part Akers v.                                 
            Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 1984-208, revd. per curiam on another                            
            issue 482 U.S. 117 (1987).  An appeal in this case will likely                            
            lie in the Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.  That court                            
            has said:                                                                                 
                  � 446 gives the Commissioner discretion with respect to                             
                  two determinations.  The Commissioner first determines                              
                  whether the accounting method chosen by a taxpayer                                  




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