I'm using the downloadable version of TT for 2019. Where do I enter cryptocurrency sales? It asked me at one point if I had sold and I said yes, but it never asked anything else. I've gone through all of the income topics and none of them cover crypto. I've seen reference online to the online version and you go under Federal and the Wages and Income, but those menu items are not within the downloaded version, which looks totally different. HELP!
Your should have received form 1099-B if you sold cryptocurrencies.
You can enter your form 1099-B by following these steps:
There is no left hand column on the downloaded version. It looks completely different than the online version... VERY ANNOYING!
In TurboTax Desktop, to enter cryptocurrency that must be reported as an investment:
Option 1: Step By Step
Option 2: From Forms Mode
For a large number of transactions, enter it in summary form on Form 8949, one total for short-term and one total for long-term. Mail in the pages along with Form 8453 with the Form 8949 box checked.
For short-term transactions, Box C checked on Form 8949 for not being reported to you on Form 1099-B
For long-term transactions, Box F will be checked on Form 8949 for not being reported to you on Form 1099-B
Form 8453 can be found in Open Forms and printed to include with the hard copy details of your transactions.
[Edited 2/14/2020 | 5:46 PM PST]
For some reason, TurboTax Online offers this feature, but CD/Download does not.
@KathrynG3 Thank you for this information. This is the ONLY place that I've been able to find how to do this for 2019.
It's much, much worse process than 2018 but at least it works. No idea why TT would make this functionality hidden in TT Deluxe.
This is terrible - can TurboTax please make it EXTREMELY clear that this feature is not available on Premier Desktop but Online? Why is this available for Online and not Premier Desktop?
Why is the desktop version complete garbage compared to the online version?
Decided to give TurboTax one last chance for 2020 taxes and I already regret it. How hard is it to make a page available to enter this information. Next year its time to move to another solution.
It is still possible to enter cryptocurrency in the CD/Download version. Unless you are mining cryptocurrency and should report it as self-employed income & expenses, you have two options.
In TurboTax Online:
For up to 50 transactions, they can be manually entered.
If you have a large volume of transactions, TurboTax Online allows for importing up to 2,000 transactions automatically for cryptocurrency. For more transactions, use a transaction aggregator. TurboTax will walk you through that process.
For more information, see: How do I report Bitcoin or other cryptocurrency as a capital gain?
So, if I sold cryptos and purchased the download version of TT, I must mail in my return/forms and I can't file electronically?
@JN_123 You should be able to e-file your return even if you are including crypto. Why do you think that you cannot e-file?
@AshleyLO , in this thread, KathrynG3's provided step-by-step instructions regarding entering crypto transactions and she then said, "Mail in the pages along with Form 8453 with the Form 8949 box checked", and "Form 8453 can be found in Open Forms and printed to include with the hard copy details of your transactions."
From many posts, it seems the online version of TT easily handle crypto transactions, but you have to employ a workaround to enter crypto transactions in the downloaded version of TT. Therefore, I interpreted KathrynG3's instructions to mean forms would have to be mailed in if including crypto transactions in the downloaded version of TT.
It's baffling why the two versions are so different. I don't understand why the TT download users can't access an online module to handle crypto transactions and then incorporate the resulting data/forms in their tax file, similarly to how we download and incorporate w2, 1099s, etc.
The tax return itself can still be electronically filed when Form 8453 with transaction detail is mailed.
In either version, if a large volume of transactions were involved and entering a summary of the transactions into the tax return was preferred, the detail would be mailed to the IRS with Form 8453.
Form 8453 is like a cover page telling the IRS what is being submitted. Your statements with all the transaction details are sorted on Forms 8949 based on the type of transaction, covered or non-covered, and the length of time the asset was held, short-term or long-term. TurboTax automatically sorts the summaries or transactions to Forms 8949 as necessary.
For more information, see: Do I need to fill out or mail in Form 8949?
If you detail everything on Form 8949, there is nothing to mail.
If you summarize on Form 8949,
then you must mail in the details.
If you do not get a 1099-B because Coinbase or whoever you use does not provide one, your sales category must be C or F.
Thank you... 2 questions. For reference, I have 200+ crypto transactions (air drops, rewards, buy/sell, etc.) across 20+ coins in multiple exchanges and wallets. With that in mind...
1. I am currently using the downloaded version of TT. If I continue with this version, do you think it's worth paying another provider to do my crypto taxes and then import those forms into TT to finish my taxes? Or,
2. Buy the online TT version, and let TT do it for me?
Thank you!
so many people report problems with Online import ...
BUT
you can use TurboTax Online for free until you decide to file.
THEREFOR you can try Online Import and see if it works for you.
I doubt it will work in your complex situation,
but if it does,
you can download the unfinished tax return to your PC, and finish in TurboTax CD/Download version.
Keep in mind only Sell transactions need to be reported.
An exchange from one currency to another is considered a sale of the first currency.
Aggregating your cryptocurrency activity from multiple exchanges and wallets would be useful in complex situations. TurboTax does partner with CoinTracker with an export feature. Go to 2020 Coin Tracker Pricing Plans where TurboTax Export is listed at all levels.
Since you have already purchased TurboTax CD/Download, you can convert it to TurboTax Online, if you prefer. For more information, see: How do I switch from TurboTax CD/Download to TurboTax Online?
All of these instructions from Turbo Tax are showing a way to access a Cryptocurrency link or page -- and there IS NONE. I've searched it, gone through the Wages and Income then Stocks Bonds Mutual Funds links -- none of it gives an option to enter crypto. I do not have a 1099 because we didn't make money. We simply traded. Where is this entered? I've spoken with multiple representatives who link me back to 2018 and 2019 videos. I need some current help entering crypto trades, please.
Where your cryptocurrency transactions are entered depend on why you have it. If it was earned or if was an investment affect how it is taxed.
For trades or conversions from one cryptocurrency to another, yes, you are correct, this should be reported regardless if any forms were received.
While TurboTax Online has a dedicated section in Investment Income for Cryptocurrency reporting, TurboTax CD/Download does not. The trades can still be reported in the Stocks Bonds Mutual Funds link.
To do this in TurboTax CD/Download, follow these steps:
If you only had a few transactions, select I'll enter one sale at a time.
If you had hundreds or thousands of trades, select I'll enter a summary for each sales category. I strongly encourage using an aggregator service. Several different ones are supported by TurboTax and would help simplify reporting.
In either case, these transactions must be identified by their holding period, short-term (C), which is 1 year or less, or long-term (F), which is more than 1 year. The codes refer to which box will be checked when reporting these details on Form 8949 to the IRS.
For more information including additional cryptocurrency how-to article links, see: I didn’t receive a 1099-MISC, 1099-B, or 1099-K for my Bitcoin or other cryptocurrency earnings, do I have to report them?
In case you are interested, see: How do I switch from TurboTax CD/Download to TurboTax Online?
does each transaction have to be entered manually or is the csv file good enough
If your file is not being imported as you expect, then you can enter the transactions in TurboTax Desktop.
Be prepared with the following information:
You can do a summary of long term and then short term combinations (long term holding is more than one year, short term holding is one year or less). Make one entry for each. You can then send the worksheets or statement with Form 8949 after your return is accepted, attached to Form 8453.
Columns should be similar to Form 8949 (grouped together by holding period):
If you are e-filing your tax return, then mail your statements along with Form 8453 to:
Internal Revenue Service
Attn: Shipping and Receiving, 0254
Receipt and Control Branch
Austin, TX 73344-0254
If you need a blank Form 8453, you can download this pdf, enter your address information and check the box for Form 8949 (this form is really just a cover sheet).