Sam E. Scott - Page 22

                                                    - 22 -22                                                      

             percent of his vested interest in the partnership's salary                                           
             reduction plan, which should have indicated to him that the                                          
             distribution was not limited to the proceeds from the check he                                       
             received and negotiated.                                                                             
                    Petitioner failed to make a bona fide and reasonable estimate                                 
             of his tax liability when he filed Form 4868.  See Crocker v.                                        
             Commissioner, supra at 908.  He underestimated his tax liability by                                  
             two-thirds.  Cf. Boatman v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 1995-356.  His                                  
             failure to obtain the necessary information to estimate properly                                     
             his tax liability, as well as his failure to properly investigate                                    
             the law regarding his tax issues, does not excuse the error in                                       
             petitioner's estimate. Arnaiz v. Commissioner, supra.  Petitioner's                                  
             mistaken belief that he was entitled to a loss deduction for the                                     
             value of accounts receivable and work in progress "left on the                                       
             table" when he departed Heidelberg & Woodliff does not constitute                                    
             reasonable cause for failure to make a proper estimate.  See Mayhew                                  
             v. Commissioner,  T.C.  Memo.  1994-310.    Thus,  we  sustain                                       
             respondent's voiding of the tax filing extensions obtained by                                        
             petitioner.                                                                                          
                    Because petitioner's reliance on the filing extensions                                        
             constituted his sole defense to the section 6651 (a)(1) addition to                                  
             tax, petitioner has not shown that his failure to timely file his                                    
             1991 tax return was due to reasonable cause and not willful                                          
             neglect.  See Crocker v. Commissioner, supra at 913.  Accordingly,                                   
             we hold that petitioner is liable for the section 6651(a)(1) 25-                                     



Page:  Previous  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  19  20  21  22  23  24  Next

Last modified: May 25, 2011