Plain English
Form 8949 is where every taxable disposition of crypto is reported on a US individual tax return — date acquired, date sold, proceeds, cost basis, and gain/loss. The totals flow to Schedule D. Even gains can run into hundreds of pages for an active HNW filer.
How it actually works
Each row is one lot disposition. Short-term (held under a year) and long-term (held over a year) are reported on separate sections with separate tax treatment. Beginning with tax year 2025, broker-reported transactions on Form 1099-DA flow into Box A; non-reported transactions to Box C. Mismatches between your records and 1099-DA become audit flags.
What it means for you
For HNW filers, the goal is exporting clean 8949 detail from your tax software (Koinly, CoinTracker, TaxBit) and matching it line-for-line against any 1099-DA the exchange sends to the IRS. Mismatches must be reconciled in advance, not after a notice. Aim to file early enough to catch and explain discrepancies in the same year.
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Educational content only. Not investment, tax, or legal advice.