- 15 - business property in an attempt to evade paying income tax. Mr. Bryan Kinney, owner of the garage apartment that petitioners claimed as their personal residence, testified that petitioners never lived in such apartment. In addition, when initially asked by Ms. Page, respondent's auditing agent, petitioner wife refused to answer the simple question of where she lived. Finally, both petitioner wife's 1991 and 1992 Forms W-2 show her home address as 1419 Zunis Avenue. These factors, among others, convince us that petitioners did use such address as a personal residence. Petitioners have presented no credible evidence refuting this finding. We therefore sustain respondent's determination that petitioners are liable for the fraud penalty for that portion of the underpayment attributable to disallowed household-related expenses which petitioners claimed as business deductions. The fifth issue for decision is whether petitioners are liable for the section 6662(a) accuracy-related penalty for negligence. Respondent's determination of negligence is presumed to be correct, and petitioners bear the burden of proving that the penalty does not apply. Rule 142(a); Welch v. Helvering, 290 U.S. 111, 115 (1933); Bixby v. Commissioner, 58 T.C. 757, 791-792 (1972). Section 6662(a) imposes a 20-percent penalty on the portion of the underpayment attributable to any one of various factors, one of which is negligence or disregard of rules or regulations. Sec. 6662(b)(1). Respondent determined that petitioners arePage: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Next
Last modified: May 25, 2011