You all know about Form 1040, but an interesting question that must be coming to your mind is checking the virtual currency checkbox. Taxpayers have a confusion whether to check it or not. To resolve your query, you have come to the best place at USTAXFiling. Where you will get answers related to virtual currency. So, stay tuned and continue to read till the last so you will get to know all the minute details related to checking the virtual currency checkbox on the 1040 form at USTAXFiling.in.

The recent mod of the 1040 form asks a crucial question: At any time during the 2023 financial year, did you sell, exchange, receive, sell, or otherwise get any financial interest in virtual currency?

Several income taxpayers are not aware of whether they must check yes or no. To assist in clearing up this problem, here is everything that you must understand about virtual currency and what it means for your expat income tax return.

Important Note:

• Like the US dollar, virtual currency can also be exchanged for real-world services and goods.
• The virtual currency has the same objective as conventional money to represent value in a digital form.

What Is Called As Virtual Currency Or VC?

Virtual currency or vc is a type of digital currency or wallet that is used to make any purchases on the net. It is also used to trade other virtual currencies for real-world currency. The well-recognized types of virtual currency are cryptocurrencies like Ethereum and Bitcoin.

The virtual currency has gone through criticism, but it has become a powerful and strong force in the economy. Whether you pay or accept cryptocurrency, are a seasoned currency trader, invest in it, or get a small amount as a gift, it is necessary to know the income tax implications of your scenario.

How Does the IRS Tax Virtual Currency?

Currently, the Internal Revenue Service treats VC as an asset for tax purposes. There are general tax principles applicable to property transactions applicable to transactions using virtual currency. Based on how you use your Virtual currency, it might be categorized as business property, personal property, or even investment property, and they are taxed accordingly.

Take a look at a few common transactions and how they may be income taxed.

Mining Virtual Currency

Mining is a tough process that is used to gain access to new virtual currencies. The process is linked to mining Bitcoin. You might use the fair market value of the currency on the day you get it to value the income. If you mine a virtual currency, you should report it as income.

Also, if you mined the currency as part of your own business or trade, it might be determined as a business asset. If you receive cryptocurrency by mining it, the income should be reported and taxable on Form 1099-NEC. This is subject to self-employment tax and income return tax. You should report it if you don’t get a 1099 form, as the Internal Revenue Service determines this as income taxable. 

Purchasing virtual currency

If you purchase virtual currency using an alternate kind of currency, such as the US dollar, and keep it in a virtual account or wallet, then that is not an income-taxable transaction, and you are not needed to report it. A similar thing is true if you only transfer virtual currency between accounts or several wallets that you own.

If you trade, dispose, or sell cryptocurrency investments in a different way that leads you to identify a gain in taxable accounts, you should pay a tax-free or tax-deferred account like IRA or individual retirement account.

Paying for Services and Goods

Businesses are continuously accepting cryptocurrencies and Bitcoin as payment. If anyone pays you cryptocurrency in exchange for services or goods, the payment is counted as taxable income as if they would have paid you through a credit card, check, digital wallet, or cash.

For tax reporting purposes, you should also include the value the dollar of the cryptocurrency in United States dollars on the day it was received, for instance, if the cryptocurrency value has increased 10 percent between the time you got it. When you sell it, then that cash is added to your income.

Receiving VC as payment

If you get VC or virtual currency as payment for services or goods, you should report it as income. It implies whether you are being paid or trading goods for work as an independent contractor or workforce. You might use the fair market value to value your payment of the virtual currency on the day you receive it.

Selling VC or Virtual Currency

When you spend or sell cryptocurrency, you have a capital transaction resulting in a loss or gain, as you will if you sell stock shares. It is vital to report every time on your income tax return when disposing of virtual currency.

Paying Independent Contractors or workforce

If you use cryptocurrency to pay an independent contractor’s charges or staff wages, it might be subjected to the same income tax and reporting as any other payment made using assets.

• If you are paying staff wages or an independent contractor, the payment might be subjected to self-employment income tax.
• If you are paying a workforce with cryptocurrency, the payment is subjected to federal wage withholding income tax and FUTA and FICA income taxes.

To value the transaction, you may use the market value fair of the virtual currency on the day you pay it to an independent contractor or workforce.

Should you check the cryptocurrency checkbox on the 1040 Form?

When must you check the VC or Cryptocurrency checkbox on the 1040 form? The best answer is that you must check if you have used cryptocurrency in a reportable transaction.

Reportable transactions are:

• Mining cryptocurrency
• Selling cryptocurrency
• Exchanging one cryptocurrency for another
• Using cryptocurrency to pay for services or goods
• Getting virtual currency as payment for services or goods
• Exchanging one cryptocurrency for another
• Receiving cryptocurrency for free is like an airdrop

If you have taken any part in the transactions, you must check Yes on the cryptocurrency checkbox on the 1040 form.

Non-reportable transactions are:

• Purchasing cryptocurrency
• Holding cryptocurrency without disposing of it
• Donating or gifting cryptocurrency
• Transferring virtual currency between accounts or many wallets on your own

If you have taken only part in transactions like these, you must check “NO” on the cryptocurrency checkbox on the 1040 form.

Take Note

The suggestion is generalized, and there is plenty of nuances involved in cryptocurrency taxation. We advise consulting a tax expert if you have engaged with cryptocurrency at all during the year. When you fail to meet reporting needs, it might result in severe charges.

Do you have to report VC or Virtual Currency on FBAR?

All citizens of the United States with a minimum of $10,000 in one or many non-US bank accounts should report it by filing an FBAR or Foreign Bank Account Report. Several Americans staying overseas are needed to fill out the form.

If you have $10,000 in cryptocurrency stored in a foreign exchange or account? Do you have to report too? The answer is no. As per FinCEN notice 2020-2, income taxpayers are not needed to report exchanges, foreign wallets, or even accounts holding only cryptocurrency. Also, a similar notice states that this regulation might change in the future. You might check back with us for further details.

What if you fail to report virtual currency activity?

If you fail to file your activity of virtual currency when needed, you might face a huge of charges that include an incurred interest, IRS audit, or income tax charges. But there are many options in that you might eliminate incurring charges.

The first thing is to contact the disclosing failure and IRS to report income accurately. If the IRS or internal revenue service thinks that you have intentionally neglected to report the activity of virtual activity, they might impose additional charges. It may help you to enter into an agreement with the Internal Revenue Service that might avoid or decrease any charges. It might include criminal prosecution or higher accuracy-related charges.

What are a few best practices for using virtual currency?

To make sure compliance with tax laws when using vc or virtual currency, it is necessary to keep track of records. The following details must be recorded:

• How you received the cryptocurrency
• The date you got the virtual currency
• The purpose for which you hold the investment or currency
• The fair value of the market of the virtual currency on the day you get it.

It is highly advised to get the help of a tax expert to help with remaining tax compliant.

Virtual currency reporting does not need to be complicated.

In this guide, we discussed virtual currency and whether you must check the 1040 form virtual currency checkbox. USTAXFiling.in helps you in the best possible way when it comes to the virtual currency checkbox. USTAXFiling.in has highly experienced and skilled experts so that all your issues are resolved at the earliest—our USTAXFiling.in specialists are available 24 hours so you can call anytime and get help related to income tax filing. So, what are you waiting for? Schedule a call with us right away at USTAXFiling.in your tax consultant now!