Curtis Earl Moore - Page 10

                                        - 9 -                                         
          that are relevant to our analysis, including but not limited to:            
          (1) The alleged innocent spouse’s level of education; (2) the               
          spouse’s involvement in the family’s business and financial                 
          affairs; and (3) the culpable spouse’s evasiveness and deceit               
          concerning the couple’s finances.  Id. at 284.                              
               In the present case, we conclude that petitioner did not               
          have actual knowledge of the understatement of tax attributable             
          to the Schedule C deductions of Wee Ones Child Care.                        
          Petitioner’s knowledge of Wee Ones Child Care as the source of an           
          erroneous item is not sufficient to establish actual knowledge.             
          Moreover, we find that a reasonably prudent person in                       
          petitioner’s circumstances would not know of the understatement.            
          Petitioner was employed full time outside the home as a                     
          maintenance supervisor.  Petitioner has limited education.  Ms.             
          Moore ran Wee Ones Child Care, maintained the books and records             
          and prepared the tax returns.  Thus, petitioner had no direct               
          involvement in the business, other than as a handyperson and as a           
          provider of startup costs.  We are thus convinced that petitioner           
          satisfies the requirements of section 6015(b)(1)(C).                        
               The last of the three remaining elements of section                    
          6015(b)(1), whether it is inequitable to hold a spouse liable for           
          a deficiency, is determined by “taking into account all the facts           
          and circumstances”.  The equitable factors we consider under                
          section 6015(b)(1)(D) are the same as those we consider under               






Page:  Previous  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  Next

Last modified: May 25, 2011