- 26 - careless, reckless, or intentional disregard. See sec. 6662(c). Negligence also includes any failure by the taxpayer to keep adequate books and records or to substantiate items properly. See sec. 1.6662-3, Income Tax Regs. An individual taxpayer’s understatement is substantial 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. See sec. 6662(d)(1)(A). The accuracy- related penalty is not to be imposed if it is shown that there was reasonable cause for the underpayment and that the taxpayer acted in good faith. See sec. 6664(c)(1). Petitioners have the burden of showing that they are not liable for the accuracy- related penalties. See Welch v. Helvering, 290 U.S. 111 (1933). In support of his determination, respondent contends that petitioners allowed the accumulation of substantial amounts of losses from Omega’s farm activity to reduce the income produced by Omega’s recycling business. Respondent’s contention that Omega’s farming activity was continued for the purpose of using losses to reduce Omega’s highly profitable recycling business income is supported by the facts. The size of Omega’s expenditures compared to the meager revenue it received without attempting to increase receipts or cut expenses, on this record, supports no other conclusion. Over a 6-year period, Omega’s farm activity generated losses totaling $833,564, with gross receipts totaling only $25,820. There is no other apparent motivation inPage: Previous 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 Next
Last modified: May 25, 2011