Asserting Reasonable Cause Defense to Penalties in a Pleading Does Not Automatically Waive Attorney-Client Privilege

Reliance on a tax professional can constitute reasonable cause, and thus avoid the application of an accuracy-related penalty under Code §6662 or a fraud penalty under Code §6663. When the professional is an attorney, case law indicates that this reliance waives the attorney-client privilege so that the government can determine if such reliance occurred and met the reasonable cause exception. See New Phoenix Sunrise Corp. v. C.I.R., 106 AFTR 2d 2010-7116 (CA 6 2010) and Ad Investment 2000 Fund, LLC, 142 TC 248 (2014).

So will the mere assertion. . .

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