Archive for Virtual Currency

Confusion Abounds – What Is Virtual Currency? Issues For Your 2019 Federal Return

Annette Nellen on Virtual Currrency

Likely, most people think of bitcoin, now over 10 years old, when they hear “virtual currency.” If you look at CoinMarketCap, you’ll see over 2,000 cryptocurrencies listed with bitcoin at the top given its market value. Others at the top include Ethereum, Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin, and Monero.

Well, what makes something a virtual currency in the eyes of the IRS? This is even a more important question for this current tax filing season due to a new question on Form 1040 Schedule 1 – At any time during 2019, did you receive, sell, send, exchange, or otherwise acquire any financial interest in any virtual currency?

Schedule 1 is used to report other income, such as business and rental income, as well as deductions for AGI. So a lot of people file it. According to page 81 of the 1040 instructions, if the answer to the question is “no” and you don’t otherwise need Schedule 1, you don’t need to attach it.

This question raises a lot of questions, such as:
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Written by | Posted in Bitcoin Regulation • Virtual Currency

Virtual Currencies: Additional Information Reporting And Clarified Guidance Could Improve Tax Compliance

Government Accountability Office On Virtual Currency

According to the Government Accountability Office, these are the facts:

As virtual currencies like bitcoin grow in popularity, how can IRS be sure that people are paying relevant taxes?

IRS addressed some taxpayer questions in its 2014 and 2019 virtual currency guidance. For example, the guidance says that using virtual currency can produce taxable capital gains.

But IRS could do more to help taxpayers comply. Financial institutions already report information about investment sales to IRS and taxpayers—to make both aware of any taxable income. While some virtual currency transactions are reported, not all are. Our would improve reporting and more.

Examples of Virtual Currency Transactions that Can Produce Taxable Capital Gains

What GAO Found
Taxpayers are required to report and pay taxes on income from virtual currency use, but the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has limited data on tax compliance for virtual currencies. Tax forms, including the information returns filed by third parties such as financial institutions, generally do not require filers to indicate whether the income or transactions they report involved virtual currency.

IRS also has taken some steps to address virtual currency compliance risks, including launching a virtual currency compliance campaign in 2018 and working with other agencies on criminal investigations. In July 2019, IRS began sending out more than 10,000 letters to taxpayers with virtual currency activity informing them about their potential tax obligations.
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Written by | Posted in GAO • Virtual Currency

IRS Tax Form Update On Virtual Currency

DARLENE HART- Cryptocurrency and Taxes

Please note, the IRS released an early draft Form 1040 for the 2019 tax year which contains a new item – 2019 Form 1040, Schedule 1, Additional Income and Adjustments to Income. The checkbox at the top of Schedule 1 asks taxpayers about their interests in virtual currency. Specifically, it states, “At any time during 2019, did you receive, sell, send, exchange, or otherwise acquire any financial interest in any virtual currency?”

The virtual currency issue is a pet project of the IRS, and they are taking steps to identify those with such accounts. If you have virtual currency, make sure to read the instructions and correctly complete this checkbox. If you had any virtual currency transactions, you need to file Schedule 1 and check the ‘Yes’ box even if you have no other reason to file Schedule 1.

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Virtual Currency: IRS Issues Additional Guidance On Tax Treatment And Reminds Taxpayers Of Reporting Obligations

Cryptocurrency And IRS

As part of a wider effort to assist taxpayers and to enforce the tax laws in a rapidly changing area, the Internal Revenue Service today issued two new pieces of guidance for taxpayers who engage in transactions involving virtual currency.

Expanding on guidance from 2014, the IRS is issuing additional detailed guidance to help taxpayers better understand their reporting obligations for specific transactions involving virtual currency. The new guidance includes Revenue Ruling 2019-24 and frequently asked questions (FAQs).

The new revenue ruling addresses common questions by taxpayers and tax practitioners regarding the tax treatment of a cryptocurrency hard fork. In addition, a set of FAQs address virtual currency transactions for those who hold virtual currency as a capital asset.

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Written by | Posted in Cryptocurrency • Virtual Currency

IRS Has Begun Sending Letters To Virtual Currency Owners Advising Them To Pay Back Taxes, File Amended Returns

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The Internal Revenue Service has begun sending letters to taxpayers with virtual currency transactions that potentially failed to report income and pay the resulting tax from virtual currency transactions or did not report their transactions properly.

“Taxpayers should take these letters very seriously by reviewing their tax filings and when appropriate, amend past returns and pay back taxes, interest and penalties,” said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. “The IRS is expanding our efforts involving virtual currency, including increased use of data analytics. We are focused on enforcing the law and helping taxpayers fully understand and meet their obligations.”

The IRS started sending the educational letters to taxpayers last week. By the end of August, more than 10,000 taxpayers will receive these letters. The names of these taxpayers were obtained through various ongoing IRS compliance efforts.

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Written by | Posted in IRS Announcement • IRS Audits • Virtual Currency

Virtual Currency And The IRS

Venar Ayar- Virtual Currency

Virtual currency refers to any digital currency which is only available in an electronic form and not as a physical form of money. Virtual currencies, like Bitcoin, are created by a process known as “mining,” where an individual, using powerful computers, authenticates transactions in what is known as a “blockchain,” or a ledger of digital transactions.

Virtual currencies may be traded on digital trading platforms, such as the third-party Coinbase, and can be used as a form of online payment, held as an investment, or used in loans to other individuals.

The IRS And Virtual Currencies

According to IRS Notice 2014-21, “the sale or exchange of convertible virtual currency, or the use of convertible virtual currency to pay for goods or services in a real-world economy transaction, has tax consequences that may result in a tax liability.”  This means, per IRS determination, virtual currencies, such as Bitcoin, are treated as property, and subject to tax regulations.

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What Does Trading Cryptocurrency Daily Mean For My Taxes?

Cryptocurrency and Taxes

From a technical perspective cryptocurrency is very easy to trade. Sign up to an exchange, deposit some fiat currency, and with just a couple of clicks one can become the new owner of some Bitcoin, Ethereum, or another coin that has taken the world of digital investments by storm. But while cryptocurrency may be easy to acquire, did you know it’s a terrible headache to deal with tax-wise?

It’s true! And this applies especially to cryptocurrency transactions you make frequently. Whether buying, selling, or exchange (trading one crypto for another), when investing in crypto beyond there are a number of factors you really need to keep in mind, especially with the IRS’s new interest in it.

Understand Cryptocurrency

Cryptocurrency is treated as property. This means any profits you make are treated as a capital gain. While your currency may be innovative and digital, the IRS approach to it is historic and old school. You made money from the growth of value in a financial asset, and upon such time as the value of the asset is realized, the government will expect a cut of the profit.

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Written by | Posted in Cryptocurrency • Virtual Currency

Virtual Currency Business Act Proposed Drives Droves Of Investors To Bermuda

TaxConnections, Virtual Currency Legislation

Virtual Currency Business Act Proposed In Bermuda – Regulation Of Virtual Currency Business Driving Many Investors To Bermuda

With interest in virtual currency at an all-time high, virtual currency is here to stay. Kevin Anderson of the Bermuda Monetary Authority, the financial services regulator states the Virtual Currency Business Act (VCBA) has been proposed as a “shining example” for what Bermuda can accomplish.

The Bermuda VCBA defines “virtual currency business” as the provision of the following activities: issuing, selling or redeeming virtual coins, tokens or any other form of virtual currency. This would include an ICO business on behalf of customers. The Act would also cover payment service providers, defined as: “a person whose business includes the provision of services for the transfer of funds.”

It would also cover virtual currency exchanges, virtual currency wallets and virtual currency services vendors, defined as any business providing specific virtual currency-related services to the public. The legislation also addresses the intersection of cryptocurrency and fiat, preventing fraud and market manipulation, the integrity of cryptocurrency owners, clear descriptions of the risks for prospective investors, and the Bermuda Monetary Authority BMA enforcement powers. Review the Consultation Paper at this link.

Want Your Crypto Tax Business To Appear On TaxConnections?

Contact kat@taxconnections.com

 

Written by | Posted in TaxConnections • Virtual Currency • Virtual Currency Legislation

Virtual Currency Transactions Must Be Properly Reported For Tax Purposes

Taxpayers who do not properly report the income tax consequences of virtual currency transactions can be audited for those transactions and, when appropriate, can be liable for penalties and interest.

In more extreme situations, taxpayers could be subject to criminal prosecution for failing to properly report the income tax consequences of virtual currency transactions. Criminal charges could include tax evasion and filing a false tax return. Anyone convicted of tax evasion is subject to a prison term of up to five years and a fine of up to $250,000. Anyone convicted of filing a false return is subject to a prison term of up to three years and a fine of up to $250,000. Read More

Written by | Posted in IRS • Tax Evasion • Virtual Currency

Virtual Currency And Taxes – The View Of The United States Internal Revenue Service

Internal Revenue Service Notice 2014-21

Section   1. Purpose

This notice describes how existing general tax principles apply to transactions using virtual currency. The notice provides this guidance in the form of answers to frequently asked questions.

Section   2. Background

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is aware that “virtual currency” may be used to pay for goods or services, or held for investment. Virtual currency is a digital representation of value that functions as a medium of exchange, a unit of account, and/or a store of value. In some environments, it operates like “real” currency — i.e., the coin and paper money of the United States or of any other country that is designated as legal tender, circulates, and is customarily used and accepted as a medium of exchange in the country of issuance — but it does not have legal tender status in any jurisdiction. Read More

Written by | Posted in IRS • Virtual Currency

Are Virtual Currencies Taxable?

With virtual currencies like Bitcoin becoming more mainstream in recent years, we often get asked if revenue from the sale or exchange of these digital dollars is taxable. The simple answer is, YES – income (or profit) from virtual currency transactions is reportable on your income tax return. However, because this is still a relatively new phenomenon, there are a few things you should be aware of to make sure you don’t get caught with a huge tax bill!

Virtual currency, as generally defined, is a digital representation of value that functions in the same manner as a country’s traditional currency. Bitcoin is one example of a convertible virtual currency which can be digitally traded between users and purchased for, or exchanged into, U.S. dollars, Euros and other real or virtual currencies. There are currently more than 1,500 known virtual currencies. Because transactions in virtual currencies can be difficult to trace and have an inherently anonymous aspect, some taxpayers could be tempted to hide taxable income from the IRS. Read More

Written by | Posted in Bitcoin • IRS • Virtual Currency

IRS Reminds Taxpayers To Report Virtual Currency Transactions

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today reminded taxpayers that income from virtual currency transactions is reportable on their income tax returns.

Virtual currency transactions are taxable by law just like transactions in any other property. The IRS has issued guidance in IRS Notice 2014-21 for use by taxpayers and their return preparers that addresses transactions in virtual currency, also known as digital currency. Read More

Written by | Posted in Income Tax • IRS • Virtual Currency
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