- 14 - petitioner was not a party. These documents have little, if any, probative value bearing on petitioner's failure to file returns. Moreover, even if petitioner relied on the substantive advice of an attorney, it is entirely unnecessary to be a "tax expert to know that tax returns have fixed filing dates and that taxes must be paid when they are due." United States v. Boyle, supra at 251. While petitioner may have honestly believed that she did not have to file tax returns, that belief was not reasonable. Petitioner has not shown that her failure to file returns for the years at issue was due to reasonable cause. Accordingly, petitioner is liable for additions to tax under section 6651(a)(1) in 1992 and 1993. Section 6654 imposes an addition to tax for failure to make estimated tax payments. Where prepayments of tax, either through withholding or quarterly estimated tax payments during the course of the year, do not equal the percentage of total liability required to be paid as estimated tax, the addition is automatically imposed unless the taxpayer proves that one of several statutory exceptions applies. Sec. 6654; Habersham-Bey v. Commissioner, 78 T.C. 304, 319-320 (1982); Grosshandler v. Commissioner, 75 T.C. 1, 20-21 (1980). Petitioner has made no such showing and is liable for section 6654 additions to tax in 1992 and 1993.Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Next
Last modified: May 25, 2011