Austin L. Mitchell and Rebecca A. Mitchell - Page 10




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          decided to forgo income from haying or pasture rental in an                 
          attempt to reduce the farm’s operating costs and that                       
          petitioner’s attempt to reduce cash losses shows that he had a              
          profit motive, citing Nickerson v. Commissioner, 700 F.2d 402               
          (7th Cir. 1983), revg. T.C. Memo. 1981-321.  We disagree.                   
          Although he listed the activity as a livestock/hay operation on             
          his 1995, 1996, and 1997 Schedules E, petitioner produced no hay            
          or livestock and made no attempt to derive income from hay or               
          livestock during the years in issue.  Further, there is no                  
          evidence that petitioner had a bona fide plan to ever make a                
          profit from planting and growing trees.  This factor favors                 
          respondent.                                                                 
               2.   The Expertise of the Taxpayers or Their Advisers                  
               Efforts to gain experience, a willingness to follow expert             
          advice, and preparation for an activity by extensive study of its           
          practices may indicate that a taxpayer has a profit objective.              
          Sec. 1.183-2(b)(2), Income Tax Regs.  A taxpayer’s failure to               
          obtain expertise in the economics of an activity indicates that             
          he or she lacks a profit objective.  Burger v. Commissioner, 809            
          F.2d 355, 359 (7th Cir. 1987), affg. T.C. Memo. 1985-523;                   
          Golanty v. Commissioner, 72 T.C. 411, 432 (1979).                           
               Petitioner contends that he had the necessary expertise to             
          operate a farm because he was born and raised on the Mitchell               
          farm, he had extensive conversations with other farmers in the              






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