The tax specialists traders actually need.
Most CPAs have never seen a prop firm payout, don't know what Section 1256 is, and have no framework for trading businesses. TraderTax exists to fix that — connecting active traders with licensed CPAs who specialize exclusively in trader taxation.
I built TraderTax because I'm a trader myself. For years I'd take my own trading taxes to local CPAs — and every time, they just didn't have the specialty I needed. They could file a basic return. They had no idea how to handle a prop firm payout, a Section 1256 futures contract, a mark-to-market election, or how to structure a real trading business.
So I built TraderTax to make sure traders get the specialty they actually need — for filing, planning, strategy, and everything in between. Active trading is its own category. Traders deserve a team that lives and breathes it.
I've been trading for seven years. I have a wife and two kids. I've also built Journali (the trading journal for serious traders) and Flowtopia (options flow analytics). TraderTax is the third piece of the same vision: serious infrastructure for serious traders.
The problem we set out to fix.
Every year, thousands of active traders — prop firm traders, futures traders, options traders — walk into tax season completely unprepared. They use TurboTax, or hand their 1099s to a general CPA who files everything as capital gains and calls it done.
The result: missed trader-specific deductions, wrong classifications, unnecessary self-employment tax, and in many cases, thousands of dollars overpaid to the IRS that should have stayed in the trader's account.
The problem isn't that these traders aren't smart. The problem is that trader taxation is a genuine specialty — one that most CPAs have never studied and most tax software doesn't handle correctly.
TraderTax was built to close that gap. We are the H&R Block model for active traders — handling onboarding, intake, and client relationships while connecting traders to licensed CPAs who specialize exclusively in trader taxation.
Every trader deserves a CPA who actually understands trading.
Our mission is simple: give active traders access to the same quality of tax expertise that institutional investors and hedge funds have always had — without the hedge fund price tag. Transparent pricing, trader-specialist CPAs, and a process built around how traders actually operate.
Specialization
We work exclusively with traders. This isn't a side service — it's the entire business.
Transparency
Flat-rate pricing, no surprises. You know exactly what you're paying before we start.
Alignment
When you keep more of your profits, you trade more. That's good for both of us.
Licensed CPAs who live and breathe trader taxation.
Every CPA in the TraderTax network is vetted specifically for trader tax expertise. Not general tax experience — trader tax experience. Section 1256 contracts. Trader Tax Status qualifications. Mark-to-Market elections. Prop firm payout classification.
Licensed & Credentialed
Every tax professional in our network holds an active CPA license or Enrolled Agent credential. We verify credentials before onboarding any partner.
Trader-Specialist Only
CPAs in our partner network specialize in active traders. Prop firm payouts, futures (IRC §1256), options, crypto, TTS qualifications, MTM elections — these are everyday cases, not edge cases.
Matched to Your Situation
TraderTax matches you with the right CPA based on your instruments, income level, and tax complexity. A thoughtful match — not a random assignment.
The instruments and structures we specialize in.
Every active trader has a different setup. These are the situations our partner CPAs handle every day — not as edge cases, but as their everyday work.
Prop Firm Traders
Apex, TopStep, FTMO, MyFundedFX, Earn2Trade. Payout classification, evaluation fees, SE-tax optimization.
Futures Traders
Section 1256 60/40 treatment, ES/NQ/CL/GC, mixed straddles, marked-to-market positions.
Options Traders
Equity options, index options, wash-sale gotchas, premium/assignment classification.
Crypto Traders
Spot, derivatives, DeFi, staking. Cost-basis tracking, offshore exchange reporting (FBAR/FATCA where required).
Active Stock Traders
Day-trading classification, wash-sale rules, short-selling, Trader Tax Status (TTS) qualification.
MTM & Entity Structuring
IRC §475 mark-to-market election, S-Corp timing for traders, LLC formation, multi-entity strategy.
Supported prop firms & brokers.
We file taxes for traders funded by every major US-friendly prop firm and for traders running personal accounts at the major retail brokers. If your firm or broker isn't listed, ask — the answer is almost always yes.
Prop firms we work with
Retail brokers we work with
Don't see yours? Ask. We file for traders across all major US and US-friendly brokers and prop firms.
Partners whose traders we file for.
Some trading communities and prop firms don't want their members hunting for a trader-specialist CPA on their own. We partner with them directly: TraderTax becomes the official tax provider for their traders, the partner earns a referral commission, and their traders get exclusive onboarding pricing.
Run a trading community or prop firm and want TraderTax to be your traders' official tax provider? Get in touch.
TraderTax vs. the alternatives.
Most traders try TurboTax first, then a general CPA, then realize trader taxation is a specialty. Here's what changes when you start with a specialist.
"?" means it depends on whether your individual CPA happens to have trader-tax experience — most don't. Read our full TurboTax vs CPA comparison →
The TraderTax model.
TraderTax is a tax services coordination company. We handle everything the trader touches — onboarding, intake, client relationships, and account management. Your actual return is prepared by a licensed CPA from our vetted partner network.
Submit your snapshot
Complete the free 10-step Tax Snapshot. We learn your trading instruments, income level, entity structure, and what you need. About 4 minutes.
We match and coordinate
TraderTax reviews your profile, recommends the right service tier, and matches you with the right CPA specialist. We manage your entire account relationship.
Licensed professional files
A licensed CPA or EA from our network prepares, reviews, and files your return. Professional-grade trader tax expertise at flat-rate pricing.
Our values.
Frequently asked about TraderTax.
Is TraderTax a licensed CPA firm?
No. TraderTax is a tax services coordination platform, not a licensed CPA firm. Your tax return is prepared by a licensed CPA or Enrolled Agent from our vetted partner network who specializes in trader taxation. TraderTax handles onboarding, client relationships, and account management.
Who actually prepares my tax return?
A licensed CPA or Enrolled Agent from our trader-specialist partner network prepares and files your return. TraderTax matches you with the right professional based on your trading instruments, income level, and complexity — then manages the entire relationship on your behalf.
How is TraderTax different from TurboTax or a general CPA?
TurboTax and most general CPAs treat trading income as simple capital gains. They don't know about Section 1256 60/40 treatment, Trader Tax Status (TTS), Mark-to-Market accounting, prop firm payout classification, or how to structure a trading business for maximum tax efficiency. TraderTax's partner CPAs specialize exclusively in trader taxation — that specialization is the entire business.
Do you work with prop firm traders?
Yes — prop firm traders are one of our most common client types. Prop firm payouts have unique tax treatment that most CPAs get wrong. We handle Apex, TopStep, FTMO, MyFundedFX, Earn2Trade, and all major prop firm structures. Evaluation fees, payout classification, and self-employment tax optimization are areas we work on every day.
What does TraderTax cost?
TraderTax offers flat-rate pricing: $597 for File It (straightforward trader return), $1,197 for Optimize It (entity structuring analysis and tax strategy), and $2,497 for Strategize It (full tax planning, S-Corp election, multi-year strategy). All prices are fixed — no hourly billing, no surprise invoices. See full pricing →
How do I get started with TraderTax?
Start with the free Tax Snapshot — a 10-step AI-powered assessment that evaluates your trading situation, identifies your biggest tax risks, and recommends the right service level. No obligation, about 4 minutes. Take the Snapshot →
Ready to stop overpaying?
Take the free 4-minute Tax Snapshot. We'll assess your situation, flag your biggest tax risks, and recommend exactly what you need.