Special tax rules require taxpayers to treat gains on certain virtual currency positions as taxable even though they still hold their positions. These rules apply to futures and options that qualify as section 1256 contracts, which is potentially relevant to taxpayers buying, selling and holding Bitcoin futures and options, as well as Ether futures and other virtual currencies. This article reviews a number of issues that arise—or may arise in the future—for taxpayers with virtual currency positions.
Taxpayers who hold virtual currency positions may be subject to the tax straddle rules that require them to defer losses on one offsetting position to the extent of unrecognized gain on other offsetting positions. This article explores guidance (or the lack thereof) relating to actively traded personal property, offsetting positions and other issues as applied to virtual currency holdings.
Under the wash sales rule, taxpayers cannot deduct a loss on the sale of stock or securities if the taxpayer purchases the same or substantially similar assets a short time before or after the sale that triggered the loss. This article examines possible application of the wash sales rule to virtual currencies.
Virtual currencies are not currently accepted as the legal tender or “fiat” currency of any country. In the United States, the IRS has stated its view that convertible virtual currency is property, subject to the general tax rules that apply to property, and is not foreign currency. As such, virtual currency does not qualify for the special tax rules available to foreign currency transactions. This article explores the major consequences of this rule on taxpayers.
Some virtual currency units and positions are treated as securities by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and US courts. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS), however, has told taxpayers that it views convertible virtual currency as property, not foreign currency, for federal tax purposes. Lacking clear guidance from the IRS or the Department of the Treasury, this article addresses issues that may help determine whether Internal Revenue Code provisions that apply to securities might also apply to transactions involving virtual currencies and positions.
Presented below is our summary of significant Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidance and relevant tax matters for the week of August 3, 2020 – August 7, 2020. Additionally, for continuing updates on the tax impact of COVID-19, please visit our resource page here.
August 3, 2020: The IRS published a news release announcing that James Lee will become the new chief of IRS Criminal Investigation on October 1, 2020.
August 4, 2020: The IRS published a notice and request for comments concerning Form 3800 (General Business Credit), which is the form taxpayers file to claim any of the general business credits. Comments are due on or before October 5, 2020.
August 4, 2020: The IRS published corrections to final regulations under Treasury Decision 9896 that were published in the Federal Register on Wednesday, April 8, 2020. The final regulations provide guidance regarding hybrid dividends and certain amounts paid or accrued pursuant to hybrid arrangements, which generally involve arrangements whereby US and foreign tax law classify a transaction or entity differently for tax purposes. The corrections are effective on August 4, 2020.
August 4, 2020: The IRS added new content to Internal Revenue Manual 21.7.2 concerning a new major subsection with COVID-19 related employment tax relief guidance.
August 5, 2020: The IRS released public comments in response to Notice 2020-43, which requested comments on a proposed requirement for partnerships to use only one of two alternative methods (described in the notice) to satisfy the tax capital reporting requirement with respect to partnership taxable years that end on or after December 31, 2020. If adopted, partnerships and certain other persons would no longer be permitted to report partner capital accounts using any other method, including section 704(b) and US generally accepted accounting principles.
August 7, 2020: The IRS released Internal Revenue Bulletin 2020-33, dated August 10, 2020, containing the following: Announcement 2020-10, Announcement 2020-11; Revenue Procedure 2020-37; T.D. 9901, T.D. 9902; REG-127732-19.
August 7, 2020: The IRS announced corrections to Treasury Decision 9900, published in Internal Revenue Bulletin 2020-30 on Monday, July 20, 2020, regarding consolidated net operating loss deductions. The corrections revise the applicability date of the temporary regulations, revise the amended return filing date, and revise a specific regulation’s expiration date.
August 7, 2020: The IRS released for publication in the Federal Register final regulations under sections 162, 164, and 170 affecting taxpayers who make transfers to entities described in section 170(c) for business purposes and taxpayers who receive state or local tax credits in exchange for transfers to such entities or who receive other third party benefits in exchange for transfers to such entities. The final regulations: (1) update the regulations under section 162 to reflect current law regarding the application of section 162 to taxpayers that make payments or transfers for business purposes to entities described in section 170(c); (2) provide safe harbors under section 162 to provide certainty with respect to the treatment of payments made by business [...]
Some virtual currency units and positions are treated as commodities by Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and US courts. The IRS has told taxpayers that it views convertible virtual currency as property, not foreign currency, for federal tax purposes. Lacking clear guidance from either the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) or the Department of the Treasury, this article addresses issues that may help determine whether Internal Revenue Code provisions that apply to commodities might also apply to transactions involving virtual currencies and positions.
If a taxpayer’s virtual currency activities are too infrequent to rise to the level of investment activities or do not qualify as trader or dealer activities, losses associated with virtual currency transactions are not deductible. This article explores tax-law issues that arise in the context of “personal use virtual currency” and reminds taxpayers to be aware of both their intent when acquiring or holding virtual currency and the potential tax implications arising from such activities.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) views convertible virtual currency as property, not foreign currency. As such, taxpayers must record and track the tax basis of each unit of virtual currency held in order to properly report taxable gain or loss when disposing of a unit or units of virtual currency. This article reviews the IRS’s position with respect to the identification and tax basis of such units.
Given limited guidance by US tax authorities regarding taxation of virtual currency activities, taxpayers with such holdings may find themselves in uncharted territory as to whether to take positions that are contrary to IRS pronouncements. This article explores relevant notices, rulings and FAQs, and reviews the types of deference that courts tend to put on different types of IRS interpretations and guidance.
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