Do I need to file Form 8949 for cryptocurrency sales if I never received a 1099-B?

Yes, you still need to complete Form 8949 even if you didn't receive a 1099-B for your cryptocurrency transactions. The IRS considers crypto to be property, not currency, so all sales must be reported regardless of whether you received tax forms from the exchange. Since you sold at a loss, it's actually beneficial to report it properly because you can use capital losses to offset capital gains or up to $3,000 of ordinary income. For your 8949, you'll need to list each transaction with acquisition date, sale date, proceeds, cost basis, and the resulting gain/loss. In H&R Block, you can select "Did not receive" for the 1099-B question and manually enter your transactions. Make sure you check Box C on the form since these transactions aren't being reported to the IRS on a 1099-B.

After struggling with crypto reporting for my 2023 taxes, I found this amazing tool called taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) that saved me hours of headache. It automatically imported all my transactions from multiple exchanges and calculated everything for my 8949, even without having any 1099-B forms. The best part is it figured out all my cost basis calculations automatically and determined which transactions were short-term vs long-term gains. It even found some wash sales I had no idea about that would have caused problems with the IRS. The software generated a complete Form 8949 that I could just upload directly to H&R Block.

I wanted to follow up about my experience with taxr.ai since I decided to try it after asking about security. I'm seriously impressed - it pulled in all my transactions from the past 2 years across 4 different exchanges and even identified some airdrops I had forgotten about. The Form 8949 generation was automatic and it showed me exactly where I was making mistakes in my manual calculations. I had been way off on some of my cost basis numbers! The detailed tax loss harvesting report also showed me some strategic moves I could make before the end of this tax year. Definitely worth checking out if you're struggling with crypto taxes like I was.

For anyone dealing with crypto tax issues and needing to talk to someone at the IRS (which is basically impossible these days), I found this service called Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) that actually got me through to an IRS agent in about 20 minutes when I'd been trying for weeks. I had issues with a crypto audit letter and couldn't get anyone on the phone. Claimyr somehow bypasses the hold system and rings you when an agent is available. They have a demo video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. Was a lifesaver for resolving my questions about reporting requirements for staking rewards that weren't on any 1099.

Alright, I need to eat some humble pie here. After my skeptical comment about Claimyr, I was still desperate to talk to the IRS about my crypto reporting situation and decided to try it anyway. To my complete shock, I got a call back in 45 minutes with an actual IRS agent on the line. The agent was able to confirm that yes, I still need to file Form 8949 even without a 1099-B, and walked me through how to properly document my basis when the exchange didn't provide it. Saved me from potentially making a massive reporting error. I guess sometimes services actually deliver what they promise!

Don't forget that different cryptocurrency exchanges have different thresholds for issuing 1099 forms. Just because you didn't get one doesn't mean you don't have to report. From my experience last year, Coinbase only sent 1099-MISCs for staking/rewards over $600, not for regular trading. The IRS is really cracking down on crypto reporting - they even added that question on the 1040 form asking if you've transacted in digital assets. Definitely don't skip reporting, even if it was a loss. The 8949 isn't that complicated once you get the hang of it.

I just want to warn everyone not to skip reporting crypto, even if you think the IRS won't know. I did that in 2021 because I had a small loss and didn't get any tax forms, and I got a CP2000 notice last year saying I owed taxes plus penalties. Apparently my exchange DID report my transactions to the IRS using some form I never received. Had to pay about $800 more than I would have if I'd just reported correctly in the first place. Don't make my mistake!

Just to reinforce what others have said - yes, you absolutely need to file Form 8949 even without a 1099-B. I'm a tax preparer and see this situation constantly with crypto clients. The key thing to understand is that cryptocurrency transactions are treated as property sales by the IRS, so every sale triggers a taxable event regardless of whether you received tax documents. Your $3,200 loss is actually valuable - it can offset other capital gains or up to $3,000 of ordinary income. For H&R Block, when it asks about the 1099-B, select "transactions not reported on Form 1099-B" and check box C on Form 8949. You'll need to manually enter each transaction with purchase date, sale date, proceeds, and cost basis. Keep detailed records of all your transactions - the IRS is increasingly focused on crypto compliance and many exchanges do report to them even if they don't send you forms. Don't risk an audit by not reporting. The penalties for underreporting are much worse than the time it takes to fill out the form properly.