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.
U.S. Income Tax Issues for Resident & Nonresident Aliens
U.S. Income Tax Issues for Resident & Nonresident Aliens Part 2: United States Tax Laws – A Perspective for Foreign Companies and Individuals Doing Business or Living in the United States Determining U.S. residency status There are two basic tests to determine the U.S. residency of alien individuals: the green card test, and the substantial…
Appendices
Appendices United States Tax Laws – A Perspective for Foreign Companies and Individuals Doing Business or Living in the United States Appendices Flowchart for determining residency status Copies of forms 1001, 1040, 1040NR, 1042, 1042S, 5471, 5472, 8300 and TD F 90-22.1 Appendix 2 Forms 1001- Ownership, Exemption, or Reduced Rate Certificate 1040 US Individual…
Self Employed Refinancing Problems – What Can Business Owners Expect?
Self Employed Refinancing Problems – What Can Business Owners Expect? By Tristan Hunt Self Employed Borrowers at Greatest Risk of Foreclosure It’s a hot topic. Millions of self-employed borrowers who purchased or refinanced a home in the past 5 years under liberal “stated income” or “no documentation” mortgage programs are finding they cannot qualify to…
The Importance of Life Insurance in Estate Planning
Life Insurance for Estate Planning As part of the estate planning process, you may talk to any number of advisors—from lawyers, accountants and trust officers, to financial and retirement planners. These advisors often provide not only valuable services, but also may be in the business of selling investments, annuities and insurance. You will need to…