Roy and Antonette Barnes - Page 26

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          both counts.  We do not believe that Cochran abused her                     
          discretion by rejecting petitioners’ offer-in-compromise simply             
          because she may have established a due date for submission of               
          information.  As a matter of fact, petitioners’ counsel by their            
          own admission acknowledge that Cochran had regularly granted                
          counsel’s repeated requests for extensions made in part because             
          counsel was mired from their acceptance of many of these cases              
          involving other partners of the Hoyt partnerships.  Nor do we               
          believe that Cochran abused her discretion by rejecting                     
          petitioners’ offer-in-compromise simply because she may not have            
          discussed with petitioners the contents of the notice of                    
          determination (and given them a chance to dispute it) before                
          issuing the notice of determination to them.  Cf. Fargo v.                  
          Commissioner, 447 F.3d at 712-713 (holding that Appeals has no              
          duty to negotiate with a taxpayer before rejecting the taxpayer’s           
          offer-in-compromise).  We also disagree with petitioners that               
          Cochran had an affirmative duty to attempt unilaterally to find             
          additional facts in support of their case as soon as she came to            
          the conclusion that their offer-in-compromise should be denied.             
               We hold that Appeals did not abuse its discretion in                   
          rejecting petitioners’ $32,000 offer-in-compromise.  In so                  
          holding, we express no opinion as to the amount of any compromise           
          that petitioners could or should be required to pay, or that                
          respondent is required to accept.  The only issue before us is              






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