Louis A. Pietro and Virginia R. Pietro - Page 6




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          that $55 per hour (i.e., about half the attorney rate) would be             
          reasonable.  We agree.  See, e.g., Powers v. Commissioner, supra            
          at 493 (awarding paralegal fees at about half the attorney rate).           
          Accordingly, petitioners are entitled to a rate of $55 per hour             
          (i.e., for 44.7 hours).                                                     
               Petitioners incurred $163 of reimbursable litigation costs             
          relating to photocopies, postage, Tax Court filing fee, faxes,              
          and telephone calls.  An unsubstantiated $3.50 expense and an               
          $11.50 Federal Express expense shall not be reimbursed.  See                
          Cassuto v. Commissioner, 93 T.C. 256, 275 (1989) (declining to              
          reimburse Federal Express expense absent proof of necessity),               
          affd. in part and revd. in part on another ground 936 F.2d 736              
          (2d Cir. 1991).                                                             
               We award petitioners $9,681.                                           
               Any other contention made by the parties is irrelevant,                
          moot, or meritless.                                                         
               To reflect the foregoing,                                              
                                                  An appropriate order and            
                                             decision will be entered.                















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