- 10 - sec. 6001. Under certain circumstances, where a taxpayer establishes entitlement to a deduction but does not establish the amount of the deduction, the Court is permitted to estimate the amount allowable. See Cohan v. Commissioner, 39 F.2d 540 (2d Cir. 1930). However, there must be sufficient evidence in the record to permit the Court to conclude that a deductible expense was incurred in at least the amount allowed. See Williams v. United States, 245 F.2d 559, 560 (5th Cir. 1957). In estimating the amount allowable, the Court bears heavily against the taxpayer whose inexactitude is of his or her own making. See Cohan v. Commissioner, supra at 544. Section 274(d) overrides the Cohan doctrine in the case of travel expenses, meals and lodging while away from home, and "listed property". Sanford v. Commissioner, 50 T.C. 823, 827 (1968), affd. per curiam 412 F.2d 201 (2d Cir. 1969); sec. 1.274- 5T(a), Temporary Income Tax Regs., 50 Fed. Reg. 46014 (Nov. 6, 1985). Section 274(d) imposes stringent requirements to which taxpayers must strictly adhere. Under section 274, a taxpayer must substantiate the amount, time, place, and business purpose of the expenditures and must provide adequate records or sufficient evidence to corroborate his own statement. See sec. 1.274-5T(c)(1), Temporary Income Tax Regs., 50 Fed. Reg. 46016 (Nov. 6, 1985). Adequate records are defined as an account book, diary, log, statement of expense, trip sheets, or similarPage: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Next
Last modified: May 25, 2011