Loopholes

Your Questions Answered: The Dubious Anonymity of Virtual Currency Transactions

Question: Bitcoin being treated as property by the IRS was partially related to not being “legal tender in any nation.” Does the fact that El Salvador is now using cryptocurrency have any cascading ramifications for tax/currency treatment of bitcoin in the U.S.?

Answer: The Department of Justice recently issued a news release to strike terror in the hearts of anyone attempting to execute cryptocurrency tax shenanigans. Similarly, the federal court for the Northern District of California entered an order authorizing a John Doe’s summons on Payward Venture Inc. and subsidiaries d/b/a Kraken. The IRS wants to look at the records of U.S. taxpayers who conducted at least the equivalent of $20,000 in transactions in cryptocurrency during the years 2016 to 2020.
What’s with all the sudden interest in crypto, and why are the feds looking to snoop around retroactively? If you’re curious to find out why and how to stay off its radar, keep reading.

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Think Outside the Tax Box provides tax reduction strategies along with practical implementation advice in order to reduce your clients’ federal tax bill with ease.

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CURRENT EDITION

A Compendium Of Year End Tax Tips

Peter J Reilly CPA

As summer turns to fall, the leaves turn and houses start being decorated, the air becomes crisper and the internet fills with year-end tax tip pieces. I call them tip sheets. I just love reading tip sheets, but I’m retired from active practice. Somebody who doesn’t have time on their hands might look at two or three and figure they have seen it all and didn’t learn anything they didn’t know already. I’m here to tell you that if you keep hunting, you might find some gems. But better than that, I will share what I have found in the event you don’t have the time or inclination to look at another twenty or thirty tip sheets.

CTA on Pause! What Tax Pros Need to Know About the Nationwide Injunction and BOI Reporting

Dominique Molina, CPA MST CTS

On December 3, 2024, a U.S. District Court judge issued a nationwide preliminary injunction prohibiting FinCEN from enforcing the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) and its associated Reporting Rule. This injunction halts the January 1, 2025, deadline for Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) reporting, leaving many tax professionals and business entities questioning their compliance obligations. However, this pause is temporary. The government has already filed an appeal, and the injunction could be modified or overturned at any time. FinCEN has acknowledged that reporting companies are not currently required to file BOI reports but may do so voluntarily.

How to Help Your Clients Lower Their Student Loan Payments

Caitlin See, MPA

There are roughly 42.7 million federal student loan borrowers as of Q4 2024, creating an opportunity to provide additional insight to your clients beyond tax preparation. By leveraging certain tax and repayment strategies, you can help your clients reduce their tax liability and lower their student loan payments in one strategic swoop. Here’s how.