IRS Fast-Tracks Voluntary Disclosure Program With Lower Penalties for Crypto Disclosures

IRS Overhauls Voluntary Disclosure to Speed Resolution and Cut Penalties

The US Internal Revenue Service is undertaking a comprehensive restructuring of its voluntary disclosure program with the dual objectives of accelerating case resolution and reducing the financial penalties imposed on taxpayers seeking to rectify historical tax violations. According to the IRS, as reported by Forbes, the federal tax agency intends to deploy the enhanced program before the close of the year. This initiative represents a notable policy shift, recognizing that streamlined voluntary disclosure pathways can incentivize broader compliance while reducing administrative burden on both the agency and affected taxpayers, including those holding cryptocurrency assets.

Jarod Koopman, the IRS Criminal Investigation Chief, unveiled the program’s key parameters at the UCLA Extension Tax Controversy Conference. The redesigned framework aims to complete case resolutions within 120 days of taxpayers submitting all required documentation—a dramatic improvement over the existing timeline, which routinely stretches beyond one year. The voluntary disclosure program primarily serves taxpayers whose willful tax noncompliance could otherwise trigger criminal prosecution. The revised program will impose substantially lower penalties than current protocols, though the IRS has not disclosed specific penalty amounts at this stage. To further facilitate compliance, the agency is exploring installment payment arrangements and settlement offers in compromise as mechanisms for taxpayers to resolve outstanding liabilities.

Unified Processing for Digital Assets and Traditional Violations

A significant element of the overhaul is the decision to integrate cryptocurrency disclosures into the general voluntary disclosure framework rather than establishing a separate digital asset track. This unified approach ensures that taxpayers with cryptocurrency holdings navigate the same expedited process as those with conventional tax violations, eliminating potential delays or inconsistent handling. The streamlined structure simplifies compliance pathways while maintaining equitable treatment across different asset categories.

Legislative Parallel: Crypto-Specific Relief in Congress

In parallel to the IRS administrative action, Congress is pursuing targeted legislative relief for cryptocurrency taxpayers. Section 502 of the proposed Digital Asset Tax Certainty Act, which cleared the House Ways and Means Committee in September, would establish a dedicated voluntary disclosure mechanism with predetermined penalty schedules. A key distinction of this legislative proposal is its coverage of both intentional and unintentional reporting errors, providing relief for good-faith taxpayers who made inadvertent mistakes in disclosing digital asset transactions—a category not addressed by the IRS’s existing voluntary disclosure program.

Faster, more accessible disclosure pathways could reduce the friction preventing crypto market participants from achieving tax compliance, particularly important as regulatory frameworks around digital assets continue to crystallize.

Source: IRS, via Cointelegraph. Not financial advice.