The clean answer
Simple buy-and-hold crypto activity may not require a specialist. Complexity rises quickly once there are multiple wallets, self-custody transfers, staking rewards, mining income, DeFi swaps, bridging, NFTs, or business activity.
A crypto tax CPA helps reconcile records, classify activity, document basis, and connect tax software outputs to a return position a preparer can stand behind.
High-risk crypto tax situations
- Exchange transfers with missing basis.
- Staking, mining, airdrops, rewards, or token incentives.
- DeFi lending, liquidity pools, wrapping, bridges, or derivatives.
- NFT creator income, marketplace sales, or business-held digital assets.
- Foreign exchanges, entity accounts, fund activity, or large realized gains.
What to prepare
- Exchange CSVs and tax reports.
- Wallet addresses and transaction exports.
- Prior-year tax software files and Form 8949 support.
- Notes on staking, mining, DeFi, NFT, or business activity.
- Records showing transfers between your own accounts.