Janet N. Drummond - Page 15




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          taxes.  See Stoltzfus v. United States, 398 F.2d 1002, 1004 (3d             
          Cir. 1968); Parks v. Commissioner, 94 T.C. 654, 661 (1990); see             
          also Laurins v. Commissioner, 889 F.2d 910, 913 (9th Cir. 1989),            
          affg. Norman v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 1987-265.  The existence           
          of fraud is a question of fact to be resolved upon consideration            
          of the entire record.  See DiLeo v. Commissioner, 96 T.C. 858,              
          874 (1991), affd. 959 F.2d 16 (2d Cir. 1992); Recklitis v.                  
          Commissioner, 91 T.C. 874, 909 (1988); Gajewski v. Commissioner,            
          67 T.C. 181, 199 (1976), affd. without published opinion 578 F.2d           
          1383 (8th Cir. 1978).  Fraud is never presumed or imputed and               
          should not be found in circumstances which create at most only              
          suspicion.  See Toussaint v. Commissioner, 743 F.2d 309, 312 (5th           
          Cir. 1984), affg. T.C. Memo. 1984-25; Petzoldt v. Commissioner,             
          92 T.C. 661, 700 (1989); Katz v. Commissioner, 90 T.C. 1130, 1144           
          (1988).  Direct evidence of the requisite fraudulent intent is              
          seldom available.  See Petzoldt v. Commissioner, supra at 699;              
          Rowlee v. Commissioner, 80 T.C. 1111, 1123 (1983).  Consequently,           
          respondent may prove fraud by circumstantial evidence.  See                 
          Toussaint v. Commissioner, supra at 312; Marsellus v. Commis-               
          sioner, 544 F.2d 883, 885 (5th Cir. 1977), affg. T.C. Memo. 1975-           
          368; Rowlee v. Commissioner, supra at 1123.                                 
               The courts have identified a number of badges of fraud from            
          which fraudulent intent may be inferred.  Those badges include              
          (1) understatement of income; (2) acts designed to conceal                  





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