Estate of Melvine B. Atkinson, Deceased, Christopher J. MacQuarrie, Personal Representative - Page 13




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          issue.  Sec. 6330(d)(1).9  Where the validity of the underlying             
          tax liability is properly at issue, the Court will review the               
          matter de novo.  Sego v. Commissioner, 114 T.C. 604, 610 (2000);            
          Goza v. Commissioner, 114 T.C. 176, 181-182 (2000).  The Court              
          reviews any other administrative determination regarding the                
          proposed levy action for an abuse of discretion.  Sego v.                   
          Commissioner, supra at 610; Goza v. Commissioner, supra at 182.             
               B. Review for Abuse of Discretion                                      
               The estate tax liability was previously litigated and                  
          determined by this Court.  That decision was affirmed by the                
          Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.  See Estate of                   
          Atkinson v. Commissioner, 115 T.C. 26 (2000), affd. 309 F.3d 1290           
          (11th Cir. 2002).  Accordingly, the estate’s underlying tax                 
          liability is not properly at issue, and the administrative record           
          will be reviewed for an abuse of discretion.  An abuse of                   
          discretion has occurred if the “Commissioner exercised * * *                
          [his] discretion arbitrarily, capriciously, or without sound                
          basis in fact or law.”  Woodral v. Commissioner, 112 T.C. 19, 23            
          (1999).                                                                     
               The estate argues that respondent abused his discretion for            
          the following reasons:  (1) The estate’s administrative expenses            
          were not considered adequately by respondent; (2) Ms. Clark had             


               9Determinations made after Oct. 16, 2006, are appealable               
          only to the Tax Court.  See Pension Protection Act of 2006, Pub.            
          L. 109-280, sec. 855, 120 Stat. 1019.                                       





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