- 7 - by an individual". There is no exception for relief based upon reasonable cause and lack of willful neglect. Subject to certain exceptions provided by statute, this addition to tax is otherwise automatic if the amounts of the withholdings and estimated tax payments do not equal statutorily designated amounts. Niedringhaus v. Commissioner, 99 T.C. 202, 222 (1992). Petitioner's situation does not fall within any of these statutory exceptions. Respondent, therefore, is sustained on the sections 6651(a)(1) and 6654 additions to tax. Finally, respondent moved for a penalty against petitioner under section 6673. Section 6673(a)(1) authorizes this Court to require a taxpayer to pay a penalty to the United States, in an amount not to exceed $25,000, whenever it appears that proceedings have been instituted or maintained by such taxpayer primarily for delay, or that the taxpayer's position in a proceeding is frivolous or groundless. A petition in the Tax Court is frivolous "if it is contrary to established law and unsupported by a reasoned, colorable argument for change in the law." Coleman v. Commissioner, 791 F.2d 68, 71 (7th Cir. 1986). At trial, petitioner acknowledged that she had filed income tax returns up to 1994. She had been employed for 23 years as a schoolteacher and was retired during the years at issue. She quite frankly testified at trial that her views on the Internal Revenue Service had "soured" after she and her husband were madePage: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Next
Last modified: May 25, 2011