How to Attach Form 8949 PDF for Crypto Transactions in TaxAct

The PDF attachment option in TaxAct isn't immediately obvious, but it's definitely there. After you enter Category C for your crypto transactions (which is correct since you didn't receive a 1099-B from Binance.US), you need to continue through several more screens. Look for a section called "Summary and Attachments" or "File Attachments" which typically appears near the end of the capital gains section, just before you finalize that portion of your return. There should be a button labeled "Add Attachment" or "Attach Documentation." If you can't find it, try clicking "Next" through a few more screens as sometimes it doesn't appear until you've filled out certain required fields. If you're still having trouble, another option is to enter just one transaction manually with the total amounts from your 15,000+ transactions, then explain in the description something like "See attached PDF for complete transaction details" and then attach your detailed PDF when you reach the attachment screen.

I was in the exact same boat with thousands of crypto transactions last year. After pulling my hair out with TaxAct, I discovered taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) which completely saved me. It's specifically designed to handle crypto tax nightmares like this. What I love about it is that it automatically generates the proper Form 8949 PDFs after analyzing your transaction history. The PDF it created was perfectly formatted for IRS requirements, and when I went back to TaxAct, I finally found the attachment option (it's hidden under "Supporting Documents" in the review section AFTER you complete the entire Schedule D portion). My biggest regret was wasting hours trying to figure this out myself before finding this tool. The crypto tax formatting is what sold me - much better than the manual formatting I was attempting.

Just wanted to update after trying taxr.ai from the recommendation above. It seriously works! I was struggling with my 12,000+ transactions across Coinbase and Kraken, and it generated a perfect Form 8949 PDF that I could attach to TaxAct. The attachment section was exactly where the first commenter said - in the "Summary and Attachments" section after completing all the Capital Gains questions. Easy to miss if you're clicking through quickly. The best part was that the PDF was properly formatted with all the columns the IRS requires. I was worried about getting audited with so many crypto transactions, but now I feel confident everything is properly documented. Definitely worth checking out if you're in a similar situation!

If you're struggling with TaxAct's interface for attachments, you might want to try getting help directly from the IRS. I had a similar issue last year and needed clarification. I spent DAYS trying to reach someone at the IRS on their regular number with no luck. Then I found Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) which got me connected to an actual IRS agent in about 20 minutes instead of the hours I was spending on hold. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The agent confirmed that for crypto reporting with many transactions, a summary line on Form 8949 with a detailed attachment is perfectly acceptable. They also explained exactly how to note this on the form itself, which TaxAct wasn't clear about. Saved me so much stress about potentially doing it wrong!

I have to admit I was completely wrong about Claimyr in my comment above. After struggling for THREE DAYS trying to get through to the IRS about my crypto reporting question, I decided to try it out of desperation. Got connected to an IRS rep in about 25 minutes when I had previously waited on hold for 2+ hours before getting disconnected. The agent confirmed exactly what I needed to know about Form 8949 attachments and summarizing crypto transactions. For what it's worth, she told me that for crypto specifically, they're seeing a lot of large transaction reports and their systems are set up to process the attachments. Just make sure your summary line on the 8949 matches the totals in your attachment. Saved me so much anxiety about doing this wrong!

An important tip that nobody mentioned - make sure your PDF has proper bookmarks and is formatted EXACTLY in the IRS-approved columns. I submitted mine last year with 8,000+ crypto transactions, but it got rejected because my column format didn't match Form 8949 precisely. TaxAct actually has a template you can download somewhere in the help section that shows the exact format needed. The columns need to be: Description of Property, Date Acquired, Date Sold, Proceeds, Cost Basis, Adjustments, and Gain/Loss - in that exact order. Also, TaxAct's PDF size limit is actually 2.5MB per attachment (not 3MB), at least in my version. If your file is still too large, you can split it into multiple PDFs and attach them separately.

Has anyone actually e-filed with a large crypto attachment like this? I'm worried TaxAct will say everything is fine but then my return will get rejected after submission. I have about 22,000 transactions and even after compressing it's still pushing the size limits.