- 12 - and the accuracy-related penalties are appropriate. See Higbee v. Commissioner, 116 T.C. 438, 446 (2001). Once respondent meets his burden of production, petitioner must produce sufficient evidence to persuade the Court that respondent’s determination is incorrect. Id. at 447. Section 6651(a)(1) provides for an addition to tax of 5 percent of the tax required to be shown on the return for each month or fraction thereof for which there is a failure to file, not to exceed 25 percent. The addition to tax for failure to file a return timely will be imposed if the return is not filed timely unless the taxpayer shows that the delay was due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect. Sec. 6651(a)(1). In the instant case, the parties stipulated that petitioners filed the 2000 tax return on March 19, 2002. Consequently, we must determine whether petitioners have shown that the delay was due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect.7 A delay is due to reasonable cause if the taxpayer exercised ordinary business care and prudence and was nevertheless unable to file the return within the prescribed time. Sec. 301.6651- 1(c)(1), Proced. & Admin. Regs. “[W]illful neglect” is defined 7We note that the parties have made no contentions and offered no evidence as to whether petitioners filed a written statement with respondent pursuant to sec. 301.6651-1(c)(1), Proced. & Admin. Regs.Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Next
Last modified: May 25, 2011