- 6 - return from petitioner for the year in issue. We find that respondent met his burden of production under section 7491(c), and, as a result, petitioner must come forward with evidence sufficient to persuade the Court that respondent’s determination that petitioner is liable for the section 6651(a)(1) addition to tax is incorrect. See Rodriguez v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 2003-105. In order to determine whether a tax return is valid, we follow the test enunciated in Beard v. Commissioner, 82 T.C. 766, 777 (1984), affd. 793 F.2d 139 (6th Cir. 1986) (Beard test): First, there must be sufficient data to calculate tax liability; second, the document must purport to be a return; third, there must be an honest and reasonable attempt to satisfy the requirements of the tax law; and fourth, the taxpayer must execute the return under penalties of perjury. We have applied the Beard test to determine whether a return is valid for purposes of section 6651(a)(1). See, e.g., Cabirac v. Commissioner, 120 T.C. 163, 169 n.10 (2003); Beard v. Commissioner, supra at 780; Unroe v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 1985-149; Counts v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 1984-561, affd. 774 F.2d 426 (11th Cir. 1985). The critical requirement that there must be “an honest and reasonable attempt” to satisfy the tax law is clearly not met. Petitioner’s attachment of two pages of tax-protester arguments to the Form 1040 contained arguments that have been consistently rejected by courts. Further, petitioner’s denial of tax liability and refusal to self-assess on the Form 1040 does notPage: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Next
Last modified: May 25, 2011