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Topic: Will people be selling after the 1st of the year for tax benefits? - page 3. (Read 4303 times)

legendary
Activity: 2212
Merit: 1008
if you wait until 2014 youre just delaying the tax until next year.

if you have to pay taxes on capital gains shouldnt the IRS have to pay me for capital losses if i lose my investment?
sr. member
Activity: 462
Merit: 250
some may claim their miner's as 'cost basis' as well...  they didn't just appear in your wallet without expenditure.  Electricity as well.  Maybe even maintenance/administration costs too.  All those USBees can be a nice tax write off in this manner






sr. member
Activity: 434
Merit: 250
Do bitcoin profits count for taxes if you only have usd on an exchange but haven't withdrawn?  Bitcoin is very risky - I could make another trade tomorrow and lose it all or the exchanges could shut down and run away with the funds, get seized, or get hacked, and I could lose everything that way. This type of exchange risk isn't there in the stock market. The money I have on exchange is like imaginary cloud money goxbux disneydollars etc that could all be lost - I don't see it as real money that I've actually made yet. So I don't think taxes should need to be paid anyway until you actually withdraw USD back to a bank. What do you guys think?

In fact I lost money from BitFloor - can I deduct that?

All good questions.  It would be much easier for everyone involved if the gov't just taxed fiat leaving the exchange.  I wonder how on Earth people pay their taxes on automated trading algos?  What a nightmare.

Also, what's to stop someone from saying:

- I lost my Bitcoin private keys, thus I have 100% losses.
- Those Bitcoins are not mine, I day traded them for a friend.
- The dollars on Bitstamp (for instance) aren't really dollars.  They are (potential) claims against money in Bitstamp's bank account.

I think the bottom line is the IRS needs to make compliance easier in order to encourage compliance.

If it's true that coinbase.com and the exchanges don't report a 1099 to the IRS then the IRS won't know for the most part. The part that gets tricky is when you buy a Lambo or other extravagant items. In my case, I want to buy a house for the interest benefit. I have to show a certain amount of equity in order to qualify for a loan.

As far as losing private keys, you could certainly make the same point that a gambler makes when he says he may have won over $10,000 at one sitting (gets reported to the IRS) but then lost it at the tables the next couple days and thus owes nothing on the previous day's winnings.
sr. member
Activity: 434
Merit: 250
Do bitcoin profits count for taxes if you only have usd on an exchange but haven't withdrawn?  Bitcoin is very risky - I could make another trade tomorrow and lose it all or the exchanges could shut down and run away with the funds, get seized, or get hacked, and I could lose everything that way. This type of exchange risk isn't there in the stock market. The money I have on exchange is like imaginary cloud money goxbux disneydollars etc that could all be lost - I don't see it as real money that I've actually made yet. So I don't think taxes should need to be paid anyway until you actually withdraw USD back to a bank. What do you guys think?

In fact I lost money from BitFloor - can I deduct that?

Many people think this but it is wrong per US law.  Any transactions are considered taxable, it doesn't matter if you withdrawal the funds or not.  Poker players on Stars or Tilt asked many of the same questions who were in a very similar situation. 

Think of it as day trading.  You add funds to ETrade.  You buy and sell Tesla stock.  You make money on some trades, you lose some.  You never withdrawal funds.  You still owe taxes on all the trades. Smiley

Now of course how does the IRS track offshore trading platforms...that should be the next question...ie, they can't.  The US tax system is mainly based on the honor system.  Until you get audited of course!

I think you're right. However, in my case and in the case of many others, we made just a few transactions and held for a good part after that. So the few times I bought in low and made money and then lost because I kept buying and the price went down, I am about even on completed transactions. However, the early purchases I have kept and haven't cashed out so they are not yet realized gains since I have not transacted them after first buying them.
sr. member
Activity: 280
Merit: 250
If I withdraw btc into cold storage, and they are just in the cloud, then there are no assets in any account in my name. In that case, does the government still consider the btc to belong to me, and that I hold any assets? Also, does the government yet consider Btc a thing or a legitimate asset/currency? Does the gov give btc a value? Where does the value come from?

The real question is, how does the IRS handle people losing their private keys?  In my opinion, it is no different than precious art lost in a house fire.  Total loss.  In that case, what's stopping people from telling the IRS that they lost their keys whenever they get audited?  It is a claim which cannot be refuted.  In that situation, I can't see the IRS being able to collect taxes on anything but fiat transfers back into one's bank account.
hero member
Activity: 728
Merit: 500
If I withdraw btc into cold storage, and they are just in the cloud, then there are no assets in any account in my name. In that case, does the government still consider the btc to belong to me, and that I hold any assets? Also, does the government yet consider Btc a thing or a legitimate asset/currency? Does the gov give btc a value? Where does the value come from?
newbie
Activity: 23
Merit: 0
Yes I plan on selling in early 2014 to fund 2013/2014 Roth IRA contribs.
sr. member
Activity: 280
Merit: 250
Do bitcoin profits count for taxes if you only have usd on an exchange but haven't withdrawn?  Bitcoin is very risky - I could make another trade tomorrow and lose it all or the exchanges could shut down and run away with the funds, get seized, or get hacked, and I could lose everything that way. This type of exchange risk isn't there in the stock market. The money I have on exchange is like imaginary cloud money goxbux disneydollars etc that could all be lost - I don't see it as real money that I've actually made yet. So I don't think taxes should need to be paid anyway until you actually withdraw USD back to a bank. What do you guys think?

In fact I lost money from BitFloor - can I deduct that?

All good questions.  It would be much easier for everyone involved if the gov't just taxed fiat leaving the exchange.  I wonder how on Earth people pay their taxes on automated trading algos?  What a nightmare.

Also, what's to stop someone from saying:

- I lost my Bitcoin private keys, thus I have 100% losses.
- Those Bitcoins are not mine, I day traded them for a friend.
- The dollars on Bitstamp (for instance) aren't really dollars.  They are (potential) claims against money in Bitstamp's bank account.

I think the bottom line is the IRS needs to make compliance easier in order to encourage compliance.
legendary
Activity: 1330
Merit: 1000
dafar consulting
Is there any way to avoid paying taxes?
 

Can I just open a new bank account outside the US and transfer my BTC there?
hero member
Activity: 924
Merit: 1001
As far as I understand it, Coinbase does not kick out a 1099 to the IRS.

Do what you will with that information.

Secondly, even ebay has a policy that they don't report until you've filled two requirements: 

1)  You have done over $20,000 in business, and
2)  You have over 200 transactions within a calendar year.

Its not or.  Its and.

hero member
Activity: 840
Merit: 1000
Show me a man who pays taxes on his Bitcoins and I will show you a fkn loser.

Keep your pennies gentlemen. You will put them to far more positive and productive use than your governments will.
hero member
Activity: 728
Merit: 500
Do bitcoin profits count for taxes if you only have usd on an exchange but haven't withdrawn?  
Yes. But without that USD entering your bank account, how will IRS know?

Question is, will you report each trade?  Wink

Hell, BTC-E doesn't even require dox.....

(ahem, I mean, pay your taxes......)

 Cheesy
This is pretty tricky because I've sent lots of coin between exchanges and arbitraged btc and alt coins. So I'll try telling my accountant "I bought some btc at btce and sent it to mcxnow where I traded worldcoin. Then I bought litecoin and sent to cryptsy where I bought ppc and sent it back to btce. I now have a portfolio of usd, btc, ltc, ftc, and xpm which have weekly fluctations inbetween some value and no value."
legendary
Activity: 3598
Merit: 2386
Viva Ut Vivas
It would be more wise for those who are taking earnings out throughout 2014 to take it out steadily throughout the year.

To take it out on January 1 when the price could jump 10x (as it has done most years) by 2015 would be foolish.
hero member
Activity: 826
Merit: 508
Do bitcoin profits count for taxes if you only have usd on an exchange but haven't withdrawn?  
Yes. But without that USD entering your bank account, how will IRS know?

Question is, will you report each trade?  Wink

Hell, BTC-E doesn't even require dox.....

(ahem, I mean, pay your taxes......)

 Cheesy
full member
Activity: 230
Merit: 100
I sold ~$50k this year (Novemberish) to see what will happen with my taxes. I should know by April 15th if I'm going to continue to live in the US or not as I still own coin. If you guys want, I can start a blog about it or something. Right now I'm just doing as many home improvements and charity donations as I feasibly can.

Or if you could post in this thread. I think I will do the same.

The problem is how many accountants are well-versed in bitcoin, not to mention altcoin transactions? Would your local CPA know how the IRS considers these investment vehicles? Or am I going to have to find a bitcoin accountant online?

I'll try doing Google searches to find out.

I'd also like to find an accountant who understands bitcoin as mine is considering it currency trading ala Forex. I don't know if that is correct or not. I'd be happy to go to someone else who is an expert in this. There were a lot of losses and even more wins.

If names come up, please let us know. I'll also look....
hero member
Activity: 994
Merit: 501
Do bitcoin profits count for taxes if you only have usd on an exchange but haven't withdrawn?  Bitcoin is very risky - I could make another trade tomorrow and lose it all or the exchanges could shut down and run away with the funds, get seized, or get hacked, and I could lose everything that way. This type of exchange risk isn't there in the stock market. The money I have on exchange is like imaginary cloud money goxbux disneydollars etc that could all be lost - I don't see it as real money that I've actually made yet. So I don't think taxes should need to be paid anyway until you actually withdraw USD back to a bank. What do you guys think?

In fact I lost money from BitFloor - can I deduct that?

Many people think this but it is wrong per US law.  Any transactions are considered taxable, it doesn't matter if you withdrawal the funds or not.  Poker players on Stars or Tilt asked many of the same questions who were in a very similar situation. 

Think of it as day trading.  You add funds to ETrade.  You buy and sell Tesla stock.  You make money on some trades, you lose some.  You never withdrawal funds.  You still owe taxes on all the trades. Smiley

Now of course how does the IRS track offshore trading platforms...that should be the next question...ie, they can't.  The US tax system is mainly based on the honor system.  Until you get audited of course!
sr. member
Activity: 434
Merit: 250
Do bitcoin profits count for taxes if you only have usd on an exchange but haven't withdrawn?  Bitcoin is very risky - I could make another trade tomorrow and lose it all or the exchanges could shut down and run away with the funds, get seized, or get hacked, and I could lose everything that way. This type of exchange risk isn't there in the stock market. The money I have on exchange is like imaginary cloud money goxbux disneydollars etc that could all be lost - I don't see it as real money that I've actually made yet. So I don't think taxes should need to be paid anyway until you actually withdraw USD back to a bank. What do you guys think?

In fact I lost money from BitFloor - can I deduct that?

All good questions. I'll try to find out by finding an accountant who has experience with these things.
sr. member
Activity: 434
Merit: 250
I sold ~$50k this year (Novemberish) to see what will happen with my taxes. I should know by April 15th if I'm going to continue to live in the US or not as I still own coin. If you guys want, I can start a blog about it or something. Right now I'm just doing as many home improvements and charity donations as I feasibly can.

Or if you could post in this thread. I think I will do the same.

The problem is how many accountants are well-versed in bitcoin, not to mention altcoin transactions? Would your local CPA know how the IRS considers these investment vehicles? Or am I going to have to find a bitcoin accountant online?

I'll try doing Google searches to find out.
full member
Activity: 224
Merit: 100
I presume we can deduct silk road loses?
hero member
Activity: 728
Merit: 500
Do bitcoin profits count for taxes if you only have usd on an exchange but haven't withdrawn?  Bitcoin is very risky - I could make another trade tomorrow and lose it all or the exchanges could shut down and run away with the funds, get seized, or get hacked, and I could lose everything that way. This type of exchange risk isn't there in the stock market. The money I have on exchange is like imaginary cloud money goxbux disneydollars etc that could all be lost - I don't see it as real money that I've actually made yet. So I don't think taxes should need to be paid anyway until you actually withdraw USD back to a bank. What do you guys think?

In fact I lost money from BitFloor - can I deduct that?
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