- 17 - No accuracy-related penalty is imposed with respect to any portion of the understatement as to which the taxpayer acted with reasonable cause and in good faith. Sec. 6664(c)(1). At trial, when questioned about discrepancies between figures in the tax returns and the amounts the parties stipulated, Mohan Roy claimed that he relied on his accountant to prepare the Federal tax returns--presumably referring to both the corporate and personal returns. However, reliance on an accountant to prepare tax returns is not sufficient by itself to establish reasonable cause. See Metra Chem Corp. v. Commissioner, 88 T.C. 654, 662 (1987). The taxpayer must also show that: (1) The taxpayer provided the return preparer with complete and accurate information from which the tax return could be properly prepared; (2) an incorrect return was the result of the preparer's mistakes; and (3) the taxpayer in good faith relied on the advice of a competent tax return preparer. Jackson v. Commissioner, 86 T.C. 492, 539-540 (1986), affd. 864 F.2d 1521 (10th Cir. 1989); Hotel Continental, Inc. v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 1995-364, affd. without published opinion 113 F.3d 1241 (9th Cir. 1997). Both the corporate and the individual petitioners have failed to prove that they acted with reasonable cause and in good faith. Rule 142(a). Thus, we hold that the corporate petitioner is liablePage: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Next
Last modified: May 25, 2011