IRS Crypto Chief Trish Turner Resigns After 3 Months

Trish Turner, the IRS’s head of digital assets, has stepped down just three months into the job. She’s now headed to the private sector, joining Crypto Tax Girl as tax director.

Turner’s exit comes at a critical time. The U.S. is gearing up for sweeping changes in crypto tax enforcement. Her departure adds to growing concerns about leadership churn and policy clarity at the IRS.

Trish Turner Joins Crypto Girl

Turner announced her resignation on LinkedIn Friday. She reflected on her two-decade career at the IRS, saying she’s proud to have helped shape its early digital asset strategy.

She’s the third top crypto official to leave the IRS in recent months. Sulolit “Raj” Mukherjee and Seth Wilks also exited the digital assets division earlier this year.

Turner now says she wants to help bridge the gap between regulators and the crypto industry.

At Crypto Tax Girl, she’ll advise clients navigating compliance challenges. Founder Laura Walter said Turner’s expertise arrives just in time, with “big crypto tax and compliance changes on the horizon.”

Timing Isn’t Coincidental

Starting January 2026, crypto brokers must report gross proceeds and cost basis of digital asset sales via a new IRS form, Form 1099-DA.

The IRS is also stepping up enforcement:

• Hundreds of warning letters have gone out to crypto investors since May.
• Crypto tax platforms like CoinLedger report record-high user inquiries.
• Tax lawyers say inquiries about IRS letters have surged compared to last year.

The Treasury’s inspector general has even recommended reforms after finding gaps in how the IRS handled crypto-related investigations.

Political Pressure Mounts

Congress is now weighing multiple crypto tax reform bills. Sen. Cynthia Lummis has introduced legislation to:

• End double taxation for miners and stakers.
• Create a $300 de minimis threshold for tax-free transactions.
• Modernize outdated crypto reporting rules.

Meanwhile, the IRS has come under fire from watchdogs and politicians alike. And the political tide is shifting, President Trump recently overturned a rule that would have required DeFi platforms to report user activity.

The Bottom Line

Trish Turner’s exit isn’t just about one official leaving. It reflects a broader shift. Crypto is forcing old institutions to evolve, or fall behind.

As more regulators move to private firms, the line between oversight and industry keeps blurring. And as new tax rules kick in, the stakes for investors and for Washington – couldn’t be higher.

New Rules in US Crypto Tax

Rule / Event	Effective Date	What Changes
Form 1099‑DA reporting of gross proceeds	January 1, 2025	Exchanges must report sales/exchange proceeds to IRS and taxpayers
Wallet‑by‑wallet cost basis accounting	January 1, 2025	Separate tracking per wallet becomes mandatory
Form 1099‑DA to include cost basis	January 1, 2026	Full capital gain/loss details will be reported by brokers
Digital asset question on tax forms	Already in place (2023–2024)	Mandatory disclosure on broader range of forms
Penalties for non‑compliance	Ongoing	Civil & criminal penalties enforced more strictly
Capital gains income taxation	Ongoing	No change in rates or treatment, crypto = property