IRS Is Carefully Watching Bitcoin and Other Cyber Currency

Businessman,Examines,A,Tablet,With,A,Magnifying,Glass.,Concept,Of

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.

Posted in ,
Top Tips for Becoming More Productive

Top Tips for Becoming More Productive

Top Tips for Becoming More Productive Unless you happen to be a sloth, everyone wants to be more productive. Productivity is one of the keys to personal and career success. The problem is, many people just aren’t willing to do what it takes to become more productive. Thus, being productive is easier said than done.…

Where Do Most Americans Fall With Proposed Tax Reform?

Where Do Most Americans Fall With Proposed Tax Reform?

Where Do Most Americans Fall With Proposed Tax Reform? Tax reform is coming. At least that’s what we’ve been led to believe for the better part of a year now. Ever since Donald Trump won the election last November, most of the nation has been expecting tax reform. Here we are a year later and…

What’s the Biggest Mistake By People Who Work a Side Job?

What’s the Biggest Mistake By People Who Work a Side Job?

What’s the Biggest Mistake By People Who Work a Side Job? Everyone wants to make more money. For many that mean picking up a side job to earn a little more cash. There are literally hundreds of side jobs out there but most are only good for a few extra dollars. However, there is a…

Senate’s Tax Bill Would Raise Taxes on Stock Sales

Senate’s Tax Bill Would Raise Taxes on Stock Sales

Senate’s Tax Bill Would Raise Taxes on Stock Sales Capital gains have long been a controversy when it comes to taxes. Many high net worth individuals use capital gains to make the majority of their money. Because the tax rate on gains from stock sales are much lower than taxes on personal income, this is…