Despite their volatility, cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin and Ethereum continue to attract investors and users. To accommodate these customers, a growing number of businesses have begun accepting digital currencies as payment for their products or services. If your company is among them, it is important to understand the tax treatment of such digital assets and to stay abreast of the changing tax and reporting requirements. (more…)
Cryptocurrency Tax Update - Still More Questions Than Answers
There have been a few developments since we last looked at cryptocurrency in April, 2017 (Are Bitcoin Users Cheating on Taxes? (Or Are They Just Confounded by the Rules?)). The IRS has increased tax compliance enforcement but unfortunately, guidance from the Internal Revenue Service has not kept up with the advances in the cryptocurrency world continuing tax reporting challenges.
In 2014 the IRS released their position regarding the taxation of cryptocurrency transactions in Notice 2014-21 (https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/n-14-21.pdf). The IRS notified taxpayers that: (more…)
The IRS Accesses Bitcoin Transactions
By Erika Diebert, CPA, Tax Manager
ASL Technology Group
In November 2017 the IRS was successful in federal court in its quest to gain access to bitcoin transactions. They now have the records for any transaction worth more than $20,000, including exchanging bitcoins for dollars, and sending or receiving bitcoins to/from another user. The time frame of available information covers transactions between 2013 and 2015. The IRS is expecting a large number of bitcoin users to pay taxes owed on unreported transactions. We would be surprised if this was the end of the quest for information by the IRS. With 2016 and 2017 being big years for bitcoin activity, and other successful cryptocurrencies being left out of the November 2017 court order, a lot of possible unreported transactions are not covered by this subpoena. (more…)