Today’s IRS guidance will provide certainty for Bitcoin investors, along with income-tax liability that wasn’t specified before. Purchasing a $2 cup of coffee with Bitcoins bought for $1 would trigger $1 in capital gains for the coffee drinker and $2 of gross income for the coffee shop.
“It’s challenging if you have to think about capital gains before you buy a cup of coffee,” he said.
From http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-25/bitcoin-is-property...:
Today’s IRS guidance will provide certainty for Bitcoin investors, along with income-tax liability that wasn’t specified before. Purchasing a $2 cup of coffee with Bitcoins bought for $1 would trigger $1 in capital gains for the coffee drinker and $2 of gross income for the coffee shop.
“It’s challenging if you have to think about capital gains before you buy a cup of coffee,” he said.