- 13 - neglect. Sec. 6651(a)(1); Rule 142(a); United States v. Boyle, 469 U.S. 241, 245 (1985). A failure to file timely a Federal income tax return is due to reasonable cause if the taxpayer exercised ordinary business care and prudence, and, nevertheless, was unable to file the return within the prescribed time. Sec. 301.6651-1(c)(1), Proced. & Admin. Regs. Willful neglect means a conscious, intentional failure or reckless indifference. United States v. Boyle, supra at 245. As to the accuracy-related penalty, section 6662(a) imposes such a penalty equal to 20 percent of the portion of an underpayment that is attributable to, among other things, negligence. In order to avoid this penalty, petitioners must prove that they were not negligent, i.e., that they made a reasonable attempt to comply with the provisions of the Code, and that they were not careless, reckless, or in intentional disregard of rules or regulations. Sec. 6662(c); see also Bixby v. Commissioner, 58 T.C. 757, 791-792 (1972). Petitioners were negligent if they displayed a lack of due care or failed to do what a reasonable and prudent person would do under similar circumstances. Allen v. Commissioner, 925 F.2d 348, 353 (9th Cir. 1991), affg. 92 T.C. 1 (1989). On the basis of our careful review of the record, we hold that petitioners are liable for both the addition to tax and the accuracy-related penalty determined by respondent. Petitioners filed their 1992 tax return on April 19, 1995, and they have not provided a satisfactory explanation for their failure to filePage: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Next
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