Recent Tax Court decision finds against the abuse defense in an innocent spouse case

Recent Tax Court decision finds against the abuse defense in an innocent spouse case. In a recent Tax Court decision, it was determined that a person claiming innocent spouse relief based upon abuse by her husband failed. The case, Hardin v. Comm. , T.C.M. #684-14, T.C. Memo 2016-141 (7/26/16) stands for the proposition that a taxpayer claiming innocent spouse relief must prove abuse and the Tax Court Judge Chiechi ruled that the burden was not sustained. The alleged abuser and abused both testified before the Tax Court and Judge Chiechi felt that the abused’s testimony was not credible. Moral: Threatened abuse can form the basis of an innocent spouse defense but the facts showing the abuse must be credible.