As the US Internal Revenue Service prepares for significant changes in digital asset taxation, the head of its digital assets unit, Trish Turner, is departing to join the private sector. Her exit comes at a time when the agency is poised to experience a substantial increase in crypto-related filings, despite facing deep budget and staffing cuts. The IRS has introduced new rules and forms, including the 1099-DA form, which will be sent to millions of investors by their crypto brokers, potentially leading to a surge in newly disclosed crypto taxpayers.
Turner's departure follows those of two other top officials working on crypto, Seth Wilks and Raj Mukherjee, who left earlier this year. The IRS is expected to struggle with the influx of crypto-sector filings, having experienced a long-term decline in staffing from approximately 113,000 to 76,000 employees over the past three decades. Turner will be taking on the role of tax director at CryptoTaxGirl, a firm specializing in crypto transactions, and will also work with the UK-based Asset Reality.
Her move aims to help taxpayers, businesses, and institutions navigate the complex and evolving regulatory landscape surrounding digital assets.