- 16 - B.T.A. 424 (1939); Wilson v. Commissioner, 76 T.C. 623, 634 (1981). The Commissioner must show that the taxpayer intended to evade taxes by conduct calculated to conceal, mislead, or otherwise prevent the collection of taxes. Stoltzfus v. United States, supra; Marcus v. Commissioner, 70 T.C. 562, 577 (1978), affd. without published opinion 621 F.2d 439 (5th Cir. 1980). Fraud is a question of fact that must be considered based on an examination of the entire record and the taxpayer’s entire course of conduct. Petzoldt v. Commissioner, 92 T.C. 661, 699 (1989); Recklitis v. Commissioner, 91 T.C. 874, 910 (1988); Rowlee v. Commissioner, 80 T.C. 1111, 1123 (1983). Fraud is never presumed and must be established by independent evidence of fraudulent intent. Petzoldt v. Commissioner, supra at 699; Recklitis v. Commissioner, supra at 910. Fraud is never imputed or presumed, and courts will not sustain fraud on circumstances that at most create only suspicion. Olinger v. Commissioner, 234 F.2d 823, 824 (5th Cir. 1956), affg. in part and revg. in part T.C. Memo. 1955-9; Davis v. Commissioner, 184 F.2d 86, 87 (10th Cir. 1950); Green v. Commissioner, 66 T.C. 538, 550 (1976). Mere suspicion does not prove fraud, and the fact that the Court does not find the taxpayer’s testimony wholly credible is not sufficient to establish fraud. Cirillo v. Commissioner, 314 F.2d 478, 482 (3d Cir. 1963), affg. in part and revg. in part T.C.Page: Previous 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Next
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