- 25 - and in good faith depends on the pertinent facts and circum- stances, including the taxpayer's efforts to assess such tax- payer’s proper tax liability, the knowledge and experience of the taxpayer, and the reliance on the advice of a professional, such as an accountant. Sec. 1.6664-4(b)(1), Income Tax Regs. Reli- ance on the advice of a professional, such as an accountant, does not necessarily demonstrate reasonable cause and good faith unless, under all the circumstances, such reliance was reasonable and the taxpayer acted in good faith. Id. In this connection, a taxpayer must demonstrate that its reliance on the advice of a professional concerning substantive tax law was objectively reasonable. Chamberlain v. Commissioner, 66 F.3d 729, 732-733 (5th Cir. 1995), affg. in part and revg. in part T.C. Memo. 1994- 228; Goldman v. Commissioner, 39 F.3d 402, 408 (2d Cir. 1994), affg. T.C. Memo. 1993-480. In the case of claimed reliance on the accountant who prepared the taxpayer's tax return, the taxpayer must establish that correct information was provided to the accountant and that the item incorrectly omitted, claimed, or reported in the return was the result of the accountant's error. Westbrook v. Commissioner, 68 F.3d 868, 881 (5th Cir. 1995), affg. T.C. Memo. 1993-634; Weis v. Commissioner, 94 T.C. 473, 487 (1990); Ma-Tran Corp. v. Commissioner, 70 T.C. 158, 173 (1978). In the instant case, respondent determined that there was an understatement of $5,004,095 in petitioner’s 1993 return that wasPage: Previous 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 Next
Last modified: May 25, 2011