- 25 - that which would be expected from someone who was motivated primarily by a profit objective. Throughout all the years of continuous losses, petitioners did not materially alter their mode of operation. Petitioners maintained two full-time jobs and had access to sufficient property with which they could maintain a number of racehorses that they personally enjoyed breeding and racing. Based on the entire record, we are not convinced that petitioners' primary objective was to make a profit. Rather, the evidence is more consistent with the conclusion that petitioners enjoyed breeding and racing their horses and, therefore, were willing to sustain continuing losses despite the improbability of profits. Consequently, we hold that petitioners' horse racing and breeding activity was not primarily engaged in for profit within the meaning of section 183(c). Respondent also determined additions to tax under section 6651(a)(1) for petitioners' failure to file their 1987 through 1990 returns. Section 6651(a)(1) imposes an addition to tax of 5 percent of the amount of the tax due for each month a return is delinquent, up to a maximum of 25 percent. The addition to tax is not applicable if it is shown that the failure is due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect. Sec. 6651(a)(1); United States v. Boyle, 469 U.S. 241, 245 (1985). Petitioners have the burden of proving that their failure to file was due toPage: Previous 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 Next
Last modified: May 25, 2011