Richard and Brenda Nelon - Page 14

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          general, a taxpayer's negligence, whether slight or gross, is not           
          enough to prove fraud.  Kellett v. Commissioner, 5 T.C. 608, 616            
          (1945).                                                                     
          Respondent maintains that petitioner's failure to file                      
          timely income tax returns was part of a pattern of fraud.                   
          Although a taxpayer's failure to file is prima facie evidence of            
          negligence for purposes of section 6653(a), see Emmons v.                   
          Commissioner, 92 T.C. 342, 350 (1989), affd. 898 F.2d 50 (5th               
          Cir. 1990), it is insufficient in and of itself to prove fraud.             
          Rowlee v. Commissioner, supra at 1123.                                      
               The record here simply does not show any affirmative acts of           
          concealment or misrepresentation so as to constitute fraud, such            
          as filing false information or attempting to mislead respondent.            
          Zell v. Commissioner, 763 F.2d 1139, 1146 (10th Cir. 1985), affg.           
          T.C. Memo. 1984-152.  For respondent to sustain her position as             
          to the fraud addition to tax, it is not enough that respondent              
          can show the taxpayer to be devious.  See Kreps v. Commissioner,            
          351 F.2d 1, 7 (2d Cir. 1965), affg. 42 T.C. 660 (1964); Shaw v.             
          Commissioner, 27 T.C. 561, 569-570 (1956), affd. 252 F.2d 681               
          (6th Cir. 1958); Gano v. Commissioner, 19 B.T.A. 518, 532-533               
          (1930).  The evidence must be clear and convincing.  In the                 
          instant case, we find that the evidence falls short of being                








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