- 33 - portion of the underpayment due to fraud shall be added to the tax. Section 6653(b)(1)(B) also provides for an additional addition to tax of 50 percent of the interest payable under section 6601 for that part of the underpayment that is due to fraud. If respondent proves that any part of the underpayment is due to fraud, the entire underpayment shall be treated as due to fraud unless petitioner can show by a preponderance of the evidence that part of it is not due to fraud. Sec. 6653(b)(2). Fraud is defined as an intentional wrongdoing designed to evade tax believed to be owing. Edelson v. Commissioner, 829 F.2d 828, 833 (9th Cir. 1987), affg. T.C. Memo. 1986-223. Respondent has the burden of proving fraud by clear and convincing evidence. Sec. 7454(a); Rule 142(b). To satisfy this burden, respondent must prove that petitioner intended to evade taxes known to be owing by conduct intended to conceal, mislead, or otherwise prevent the collection of taxes. Parks v. Commissioner, 94 T.C. 654, 661 (1990). The existence of fraud is a question of fact to be resolved upon consideration of the entire record. DiLeo v. Commissioner, 96 T.C. 858, 874 (1991), affd. 959 F.2d 16 (2d Cir. 1992). Fraud is not presumed and must be established by independent evidence of fraudulent intent. Edelson v. Commissioner, supra. Fraud may be shown by circumstantial evidence because direct evidence of the taxpayer's fraudulent intent is seldom available. GajewskiPage: Previous 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 Next
Last modified: May 25, 2011