William O. Harrison - Page 37

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             part and revg. in part a Memorandum Opinion of this Court;               
             Haywood Lumber & Mining Co. v. Commissioner, 178 F.2d 769,               
             771 (2d Cir. 1950), modifying 12 T.C. 735 (1949); Orient                 
             Inv. & Fin. Co. v. Commissioner, 166 F.2d 601, 603-604                   
             (D.C. Cir. 1948); Furman v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 1998-               
             157.                                                                     
                  The only argument made by respondent regarding                      
             petitioners' reliance on their accountants is the                        
             following:                                                               

                       Petitioners cannot simply lay the blame                        
                  on accountants or bookkeepers for failing to                        
                  obtain the information necessary to make a proper                   
                  estimate.  "It is the taxpayer's obligation to                      
                  supply his or her accountant with complete and                      
                  accurate records from which to make a reasonable                    
                  estimate of the tax liability."  Boatman v.                         
                  Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 1995-356 (citing Estate                    
                  of Duttenhofer v. Commissioner, 49 T.C. 200, 205                    
                  (1967), aff'd, 410 F.2d 302 (6th Cir. 1969)).                       
                  Neither can petitioners avoid the I.R.C. � 6651                     
                  (a)(1) penalty by attempting to lay the blame                       
                  on a representative for failing to timely file                      
                  a return.  "To demonstrate reasonable reliance,                     
                  it must be shown that the advisor had sufficient                    
                  knowledge of the taxpayer's relevant financial                      
                  circumstances to make an informed decision."                        
                  Stovall v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 1983-450                        
                  (citing Yale Avenue Corp. v. Commissioner, 58                       
                  T.C. 1062 (1972) and Railroad Realty Co. v.                         
                  Commissioner, 25 T.C. 458 (1955)).                                  

             We find no support in the record for respondent's argument.              
             Petitioners' accountants had a longstanding relationship                 








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