Donald N. and Rosemarie F. Merino - Page 35

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          returns for the years 1978, 1979, 1980, and 1981.  The direct               
          reductions claimed on petitioners' tax returns for those years,             
          from the investment tax credits alone, equaled 170 percent of               
          their cash investment.  Therefore, like the taxpayers in Provizer           
          v. Commissioner, supra, "except for a few weeks at the beginning,           
          petitioners never had any money in the * * * [Northeast                     
          transaction]."  The record shows that petitioner was on notice              
          that the Northeast transaction was a sham transaction primarily             
          intended to generate tax benefits, and that his decision to                 
          invest was tax driven, not economically driven.  See Zfass v.               
          Commissioner, 118 F.3d 184 (4th Cir. 1997), affg. T.C. Memo.                
          1996-167.  We hold, upon consideration of the entire record, that           
          petitioners are liable for the negligence additions to tax under            
          section 6653(a) for 1978, 1979, and 1980, and under section                 
          6653(a)(1) and (2) for 1981.  Respondent is sustained on this               
          issue.                                                                      
          B.  Section 6659--Valuation Overstatement                                   
               In the amended answer, respondent asserted that petitioners            
          were liable for the section 6659 addition to tax on the portion             
          of their underpayment attributable to valuation overstatement.              
          Because the section 6659 addition to tax was raised for the first           
          time in the amended answer, respondent has the burden of proof.             
          Rule 142(a); Vecchio v. Commissioner, 103 T.C. at 196; Bagby v.             
          Commissioner, 102 T.C. at 612.                                              






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