The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has been sending letters to taxpayers who are involved in activities that use virtual currency to complete transactions. Though sent as educational notices, these letters may indicate that a person could be subject to a tax audit. Individuals or entities may receive this type of notice if they failed to report income or failed to pay taxes on virtual currency transactions. 

What Is Virtual Currency?

Virtual currency, also known as cryptocurrency, is a digital form of money that is issued and controlled by program developers. People may accept these currencies as a medium of exchange just like U.S. currency, or cryptocurrencies may be converted into cash or other forms of virtual currency. Virtual currency is deemed to be property for federal income tax purposes.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA) implemented many changes that have affected taxpayers, including the deductions that are allowed on federal tax returns. Tax deductions can be used to lower the amount of a person’s income that is subject to taxes, and when used correctly, they can help minimize one’s tax obligations. One area that was affected by the TCJA is the deduction for state and local taxes, which is commonly known as the SALT deduction.

New Limits on SALT Deductions

The TCJA has put a new limit in place for the SALT deduction, and it applies to all homeowners. Previously, SALT deduction limits only applied to those filing as single with a gross income of more than $150,000 or $300,000 to those filing as married filing jointly. Now, the itemized deduction is limited to $10,000 for all taxpayers. According to the White House Office of Management and Budget, this new tax deduction limit will result in $57 billion more in taxes received by the federal government.

The qualified business income (QBI) deduction was created by Section 199A of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 and since then, the IRS has issued additional rules and guidelines on how taxpayers can take this deduction. Because it could significantly reduce a person’s tax burden, qualifying taxpayers should understand how this deduction operates and the limitations of the deduction.

Details of the QBI Deduction

A Section 199A QBI deduction can be taken by owners of pass-through entities engaged in qualified businesses. Such taxpayers can claim up to a 20 percent deduction on all qualified business income.

If you have foreign bank or financial accounts, you should be aware that there appears to be a change in the way penalties are calculated in instances of an unintentional breach of tax law. The change could mean significantly higher financial penalties for those who are not in compliance.

This change was signaled in an opinion rendered by the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California in the case of United States of America v. Jane Boyd. The court ruled that a breach of the filing obligations of the reports of foreign bank and financial accounts, or FBAR, could incur a penalty of up to $10,000 per foreign financial account.

If you have to pay estimated quarterly taxes, it is critical to pay the correct amount. Underpaying can result in a penalty, and overpaying gives what is essentially an interest-free loan to the government that cannot be recouped until a return is filed.

This is especially true in light of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, which substantially changed income taxes. The law altered the tax brackets and tax rates for individual or married taxpayers, made changes to the allowable deductions for business expenses, increased the standard deduction and child tax credit, took away personal exemptions, and limited or ended other deductions. Because of this, many taxpayers will need to adjust the amount of the taxes they remit each quarter via estimated tax payments. 

Who Must Pay Estimated Quarterly Taxes?

Typically, taxpayers have to make estimated tax payments if they expect to owe tax of $1,000 or more when their returns are filed. One common category of taxpayers who should pay estimated quarterly taxes are people who are self-employed. In addition, investors and retirees often need to make these payments because they have a substantial portion of income that is not subject to withholding. Other income that is typically not subject to tax withholding includes interest, capital gains, stock dividends, alimony or spousal support, and income from rental property.