[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 26, Volume 13]
[Revised as of April 1, 2004]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 26CFR]

[Page 483-484]
 
                       TITLE 26--INTERNAL REVENUE
 
    CHAPTER I--INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY 
                               (CONTINUED)
 
Procedure and Administration--Table of Contents
 
Sec.  1.6662-2  Accuracy-related penalty.

    (a) In general. Section 6662(a) imposes an accuracy-related penalty 
on any portion of an underpayment of tax (as defined in section 6664(a) 
and Sec.  1.6664-2) required to be shown on a return if such portion is 
attributable to one or more of the following types of misconduct:
    (1) Negligence or disregard of rules or regulations (see Sec.  
1.6662-3);
    (2) Any substantial understatement of income tax (see Sec.  1.6662-
4); or
    (3) Any substantial (or gross) valuation misstatement under chapter 
1 (``substantial valuation misstatement'' or ``gross valuation 
misstatement''), provided the applicable dollar limitation set forth in 
section 6662(e)(2) is satisfied (see Sec.  1.6662-5).

The accuracy-related penalty applies only in cases in which a return of 
tax is filed, except that the penalty does not apply in the case of a 
return prepared by the Secretary under the authority of section 6020(b). 
The accuracy-related penalty under section 6662 and the penalty under 
section 6651 for failure to timely file a return of tax may both be 
imposed on the same portion of an underpayment if a return is filed, but 
is filed late. The fact that a return is filed late, however, is not 
taken into account in determining whether an accuracy-related penalty 
should be imposed. No accuracy-related penalty may be imposed on any 
portion of an underpayment of tax on which the fraud penalty set forth 
in section 6663 is imposed.
    (b) Amount of penalty--(1) In general. The amount of the accuracy-
related penalty is 20 percent of the portion of an underpayment of tax 
required to be shown on a return that is attributable to any of the 
types of misconduct listed in paragraphs (a)(1) through (a)(3) of this 
section, except as provided in paragraph (b)(2) of this section.
    (2) Increase in penalty for gross valuation misstatement. In the 
case of a gross valuation misstatement, as defined in section 6662(h)(2) 
and Sec.  1.6662-5(e)(2), the amount of the accuracy-related penalty is 
40 percent of the portion of an underpayment of tax required to be shown 
on a return that is attributable to the gross valuation misstatement, 
provided the applicable dollar limitation set forth in section 
6662(e)(2) is satisfied.
    (c) No stacking of accuracy-related penalty components. The maximum 
accuracy-related penalty imposed on a portion of an underpayment may not 
exceed 20 percent of such portion (40 percent of the portion 
attributable to a gross valuation misstatement), notwithstanding that 
such portion is attributable to more than one of the types of misconduct 
described in paragraph (a) of this section. For example, if a portion of 
an underpayment of tax required to be shown on a return is attributable 
both to negligence and a substantial understatement of income tax, the 
maximum accuracy-related penalty is 20 percent of such portion. 
Similarly, the maximum accuracy-related penalty imposed on any portion 
of an underpayment that is attributable both to negligence and a gross 
valuation misstatement is 40 percent of such portion.
    (d) Effective dates--(1) Returns due before January 1, 1994. Section 
1.6662-3(c) and Sec. Sec.  1.6662-4 (e) and (f) (relating to methods of 
making adequate disclosure) (as contained in 26 CFR part 1 revised April 
1, 1995) apply to returns the due date of which (determined without 
regard to extensions of time for filing) is after December 31, 1991, but 
before January 1, 1994. Except as provided in the preceding sentence and 
in paragraphs (d)(2), (3), and (4) of this section, Sec. Sec.  1.6662-1 
through 1.6662-5 apply to returns the due date of which (determined 
without regard to extensions of time for filing) is after December 31, 
1989, but before January 1, 1994. To the extent the provisions of these 
regulations were not reflected in the statute as amended by the Omnibus 
Budget Reconciliation Act of 1989 (OBRA 1989), in Notice 90-20, 1990-1 
C.B. 328, or in rules and regulations in effect prior to March 4, 1991 
(to the extent not inconsistent with the statute as amended by OBRA 
1989), these regulations will not be adversely applied to a taxpayer who 
took a position based upon such prior rules on a return filed before 
January 1, 1992.
    (2) Returns due after December 31, 1993. Except as provided in 
paragraphs (d)(3), (4) and (5) of this section and the last sentence of 
this paragraph (d)(2), the

[[Page 484]]

provisions of Sec. Sec.  1.6662-1 through 1.6662-4 and Sec.  1.6662-7 
(as revised to reflect the changes made to the accuracy-related penalty 
by the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993) and of Sec.  1.6662-5 
apply to returns the due date of which (determined without regard to 
extensions of time for filing) is after December 31, 1993. These changes 
include raising the disclosure standard for the penalties for 
disregarding rules or regulations and for a substantial understatement 
of income tax from not frivolous to reasonable basis, eliminating the 
disclosure exception for the negligence penalty, and providing guidance 
on the meaning of reasonable basis. The Omnibus Budget Reconciliation 
Act of 1993 changes relating to the penalties for negligence or 
disregard of rules or regulations will not apply to returns (including 
qualified amended returns) that are filed on or before March 14, 1994, 
but the provisions of Sec. Sec.  1.6662-1 through 1.6662-3 (as contained 
in 26 CFR part 1 revised April 1, 1995) relating to those penalties will 
apply to such returns.
    (3) Special rules for tax shelter items. Sections 1.6662-4(g)(1) and 
1.6662-4(g)(4) apply to returns the due date of which (determined 
without regard to extensions of time for filing) is after September 1, 
1995. Except as provided in the last sentence of this paragraph (d)(3), 
Sec. Sec.  1.6662-4(g)(1) and 1.6662-4(g)(4) (as contained in 26 CFR 
part 1 revised April 1, 1995) apply to returns the due date of which 
(determined without regard to extensions of time for filing) is on or 
before September 1, 1995 and after December 31, 1989. For transactions 
occurring after December 8, 1994, Sec. Sec.  1.6662-4(g)(1) and 1.6662-
4(g)(2) (as contained in 26 CFR part 1 revised April 1, 1995) are 
applied taking into account the changes made to section 6662(d)(2)(C) 
(relating to the substantial understatement penalty for tax shelter 
items of corporations) by section 744 of Title VII of the Uruguay Round 
Agreements Act, Pub. L. 103-465 (108 Stat. 4809).
    (4) Special rules for reasonable basis. Section 1.6662-3(b)(3) 
applies to returns filed on or after December 2, 1998.
    (5) For returns filed after December 31, 2002. Sections 1.6662-3(a), 
1.6662-3(b)(2) and 1.6662-3(c)(1) (relating to adequate disclosure) 
apply to returns filed after December 31, 2002, with respect to 
transactions entered into on or after January 1, 2003. Except as 
provided in paragraph (d)(1) of this section, Sec. Sec.  1.6662-3(a), 
1.6662-3(b)(2) and 1.6662-3(c)(1) (as contained in 26 CFR part 1 revised 
April 1, 2003) apply to returns filed with respect to transactions 
entered into prior to January 1, 2003.

[T.D. 8381, 56 FR 67498, Dec. 31, 1991, as amended by T.D. 8617, 60 FR 
45664, Sept. 1, 1995; T.D. 8790, 63 FR 66434, Dec. 2, 1998; T.D. 9109, 
68 FR 75127, Dec. 30, 2003]