Ramon and Irma Ortiz - Page 18

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               Fraud may not be found under "circumstances which at the               
          most create only suspicion."  Davis v. Commissioner, 184 F.2d 86,           
          87 (10th Cir. 1950); Katz v. Commissioner, 90 T.C. 1130, 1144               
          (1988).  Merely underreporting or failing to report income is               
          insufficient to establish fraud.  Merritt v. Commissioner, 301              
          F.2d 484, 487 (5th Cir. 1962), affg. T.C. Memo. 1959-172.                   
          However, a pattern of consistent underreporting of income may be            
          strong evidence of fraud, especially when accompanied by other              
          circumstances showing intent to conceal.  Mazzoni v.                        
          Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 1970-37, affd. 451 F.2d 197, 202 (3d               
          Cir. 1971); see Holland v. United States, 348 U.S. at 137.  Fraud           
          is an intentional wrongdoing by a taxpayer that is 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.                   
               The existence of fraud is a question of fact to be resolved            
          upon consideration of the entire record, DiLeo v. Commissioner,             
          96 T.C. at 874; Gajewski v. Commissioner, 67 T.C. 181, 199                  
          (1976), affd. without published opinion 578 F.2d 1383 (8th Cir.             
          1978), and the taxpayer's entire course or pattern of conduct.              
          Spies v. United States, 317 U.S. 492, 499 (1943); Stone v.                  
          Commissioner, supra at 224; Otsuki v. Commissioner, supra at 105-           
          106;.  Because direct proof of fraudulent intent is rarely                  
          available, fraud may be shown by circumstantial evidence and                
          reasonable inferences drawn from the facts.  Miller v.                      
          Commissioner, 94 T.C. 316, 333 (1990); Stephenson v.                        




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