- 6 - petitioner’s admission that he knows now, and knew in 1991, that his returns were due on April 15 following the tax year. Petitioner’s only apparent theory for avoiding liability for the late-filing additions is that he relied on his accountant to make sure his returns were timely filed. However, the Supreme Court made it clear in United States v. Boyle, 469 U.S. 241, 249- 50 (1985), that a taxpayer cannot avoid late-filing additions to tax merely by showing that he relied on an agent to file his tax return. Petitioner also failed to introduce any evidence to show that the delay was caused by his accountant’s neglect, as opposed to petitioner’s own neglect. Therefore, we hold that petitioner is liable for the late- filing additions to tax as determined by respondent. Issue 2. Accuracy-Related Penalty Under Section 6662 Section 6662(a) imposes a 20-percent penalty on the underpayment of tax attributable to, among other things, the taxpayer’s “negligence”, sec. 6662(b)(1), or “substantial understatement of income tax”, sec. 6662(b)(2). Negligence is defined to include the “failure to make a reasonable attempt to comply” with the tax laws. Sec. 6662(c). A “substantial understatement” is an understatement for the taxable year exceeding the greater of 10 percent of the proper tax, or $5,000. Sec. 6662(d)(1)(A). Petitioner’s tax return for 1991 showed tax due of $468.Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Next
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