Compact Equipment Company - Page 20




                                       - 20 -                                         
          circumstantial evidence and reasonable inferences drawn from the            
          facts.  See Spies v. United States, 317 U.S. 492, 499 (1943);               
          Bradford v. Commissioner, 796 F.2d 303, 307 (9th Cir. 1986),                
          affg. T.C. Memo. 1984-601.                                                  
               Over the years, courts have developed a nonexclusive list of           
          factors that demonstrate fraudulent intent.  These badges of                
          fraud include:  (1) Understatement of income, (2) inadequate                
          records, (3) failure to file tax returns, (4) implausible or                
          inconsistent explanations of behavior, (5) concealment of income            
          or assets, (6) failure to cooperate with tax authorities, (7)               
          presence of illegal activities, (8) an intent to mislead which              
          may be inferred from a pattern of conduct, (9) lack of                      
          credibility of the taxpayer’s testimony, (10) filing false                  
          documents, and (11) dealing in cash.  See Spies v. United States,           
          supra at 499; Douge v. Commissioner, 899 F.2d 164, 168 (2d Cir.             
          1990), affg. an order of this Court; Laurins v. Commissioner, 889           
          F.2d at 913; Bradford v. Commissioner, supra at 307-308;                    
          Recklitis v. Commissioner, 91 T.C. 874, 910 (1988).  Although no            
          single factor is necessarily sufficient to establish fraud, the             
          combination of a number of factors constitutes persuasive                   
          evidence.  See Solomon v. Commissioner, 732 F.2d 1459, 1461 (6th            
          Cir. 1984), affg. per curiam T.C. Memo. 1982-603.  A taxpayer’s             
          intelligence, education, and tax expertise are also relevant for            
          purposes of determining fraudulent intent.  See Stephenson v.               






Page:  Previous  9  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  19  20  21  22  23  24  25  26  27  28  Next

Last modified: May 25, 2011