IRS Is Carefully Watching Bitcoin and Other Cyber Currency
Big Brother is watching. Always watching. In this case, Big Brother is the IRS and you might be surprised what they’re looking into now. Although, when it comes to the IRS, nothing should surprise us.
Have you ever heard of Bitcoin? It’s one of a handful of virtual currencies that making buying and selling things in the digital age much easier. Essentially, virtual currencies are exactly that: virtual. They are not tangible, their value can fluctuate constantly and they only exist in cyberspace. But that’s not stopping the IRS from taking a closer look at how it can regulate them.
That’s because it appears that virtual currencies could be a new way for tax evaders to hide money “overseas.” Simply put, virtual currencies, like Bitcoin, offer secrecy with no trail to follow. That’s why the IRS has created a team of special agents to focus on tracking these virtual currencies. So if you’re trying to hide money through Bitcoin, beware.
To use Bitcoin you have to have a virtual wallet, as well as public addresses and private keys. What many people who use Bitcoin don’t know is that every transaction they make with Bitcoin is added to a record book known as a block chain. That means to review these transactions the IRS only has to access the block chain. It then follows that chain back to the public address that was used for the original Bitcoin transaction. The IRS then uses whatever measures it takes to link the address to the identity of the user.
That means using these virtual currencies may not actually be as secretive as users thought they were. So if you’re using one or more of these types of currencies, then as always beware of the taxman.
Identity Theft: Has your name been stolen?
Identity Theft: Has your name been stolen? Identity theft—the unauthorized use of an individual’s name or personal information to obtain money or credit—is the fastest-growing white-collar crime. Most probably, more than 700,000 Americans will be victims of it this year, with costs to them averaging over $800 and 175 hours of time spent trying to…
Q & A: IRAs for your Children
Q & A: IRAs for your Children Establishing a retirement plan for a child might, initially, sound a bit strange—or at least premature. Truly, it is not. Establishing an IRA for your children or grandchildren can help them achieve financial independence in retirement and, possibly, for the rest of their lives. That claim may raise…
Land Management: Conservation Easements
Land Management: Conservation Easements Real property–land and the home or other structures on it–often has special significance to the family that owns it, to the surrounding community or to the ecology of the area. It may have played a role in an historical event; provide habitat for wildlife; command a magnificent view; or offer access…
Personal Finance 101
Personal Finance 101 The subject of personal finance is very broad, but as a beginning, I would like to discuss what I consider the foundations of personal finance: Security, Stability, Growth and Protection & Management. Security Security to me means that I am prepared for the “hit by a bus” scenario. I have life insurance…