Don L. and Lora Christensen - Page 20




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          persons under the circumstances.  Consequently, the Court holds             
          that petitioners are liable for the negligence additions to tax             
          under section 6653(a)(1) and (2) for each of the years at issue.            
          Respondent is sustained on this issue.                                      
               The second issue is whether petitioners are liable for the             
          addition to tax under section 6661(a) for a substantial                     
          understatement of tax for 1982.  Section 6661(a), as amended by             
          the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1986, Pub. L. 99-509,              
          sec. 8002, 100 Stat. 1951, provides for an addition to tax of 25            
          percent of the amount of any underpayment attributable to a                 
          substantial understatement of income tax for the taxable year.  A           
          substantial understatement of income tax exists if the amount of            
          the understatement exceeds the greater of 10 percent of the tax             
          required to be shown on the return, or $5,000.  Sec.                        
          6661(b)(1)(A).  Generally, the amount of an understatement is               
          reduced by the portion of the understatement which the taxpayer             
          shows is attributable to either (1) the tax treatment of any item           
          for which there was substantial authority, or (2) the tax                   
          treatment of any item with respect to which the relevant facts              
          were adequately disclosed on the return.  Sec. 6661(b)(2)(B).  If           
          an understatement is attributable to a tax shelter item, however,           
          different standards apply.  First, in addition to showing the               
          existence of substantial authority, a taxpayer must show that he            
          reasonably believed that the tax treatment claimed was more                 





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