Trader taxes aren't generic. High-volume transactions, wash sales, prop firm income, MTM elections — this requires specialized expertise. Handled by professionals who actually know how active traders are taxed.
Scope: current tax year only · 0 hours of consultation included · prior-year filings or amendments are a separate engagement, priced per year based on complexity · any consultation requested billed at $350/hr.
Scope: current tax year only · 2 hours of consultation/email support included · access expires 6 months from payment · prior-year work (amendments, retroactive elections) is a separate engagement priced per year based on complexity · hours beyond 2 billed at $350/hr.
Scope: current tax year only · 5 hours of consultation/email support included · access expires 6 months from payment · prior-year work (amendments, retroactive MTM, late filings) is a separate engagement priced per year based on complexity · hours beyond 5 billed at $350/hr.
How scope and hours work on every plan
One tax year per tier. Each tier covers federal + state preparation for the current tax year only. Prior-year filings, amendments, or retroactive elections (including Mark-to-Market) are separate engagements priced per year based on the complexity of that year's return.
Support hours have a cap. Optimize It includes 2 hours of CPA consultation and email support; Strategize It includes 5 hours. Hours beyond your plan are billed at $350/hr in 1-hour blocks, prepaid.
Support has an expiration. All consultation and email access expires 6 months from the payment date. This covers tax filing, extension season, and one round of mid-year planning.
What's never included: legal advice, IRS audit representation, written tax opinions, or work on returns prepared by another firm. These are separate engagements with separate fees.
Add-Ons
Standardized add-ons stack onto any plan at a fixed price. Work that depends on your specific situation is reviewed and priced by your specialist before it begins.
Amended Return
Priced after review
Filed incorrectly in a prior year? We prepare and file a 1040-X. Because the work depends on the original return and what needs correcting, your specialist confirms the price with you before any work begins.
Crypto Activity
Within Strategize It
Multi-exchange, wallet, DeFi and staking reconciliation is scoped inside the Strategize It plan rather than sold as a separate add-on.
Mark-to-Market Election
Starting at $350
Mark-to-Market accounting election — can eliminate wash sale rules for qualifying traders. Not self-serve: your specialist confirms eligibility, scope, and timing with you before any work begins.
LLC Formation
+$597
We handle the filing, operating agreement, and EIN. You focus on trading.
S-Corp Election
+$297
File Form 2553 to elect S-Corp status and potentially save thousands in SE tax.
Monthly Bookkeeping
$150/mo
We reconcile your trading and business accounts monthly so tax season is stress-free.
Compare Plans
See exactly what's included in each plan.
Feature
File It $597
Optimize It $1,197
Strategize It $2,497
Federal + State Return
E-file
No phone call required
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Turnaround time
7–14 days
3–5 days
Priority
Strategy call
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1 call (30 min)
Multiple calls
Deduction review
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MTM election analysis
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Entity structure guidance
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Year-round CPA access
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Prop firm income
Futures / Section 1256
Options
Crypto (complex activity via Strategize It)
Offshore & Foreign Brokerage Accounts
Clients with offshore or foreign brokerage accounts (such as Bybit, Weex, Binance, or any non-U.S. platform) require advanced filing review. These situations may involve additional reporting considerations — including FinCEN Form 114 (FBAR) and IRS Form 8938 (FATCA) — and require complete trade history, account statements, and cash movement records.
Offshore brokerage clients are accepted exclusively through our Strategize It tier. This ensures your filing receives the senior-level review, proper documentation review, and additional reporting assessment your situation requires.
Pricing shown reflects standard active trader filings. Offshore and foreign account engagements are quoted individually within the Strategize It tier based on account complexity and documentation provided.
Common Questions
Straight answers on pricing, plans, and what traders actually need to know.
I trade on Bybit, Weex, or another offshore platform. Can you help me? ▼
Yes — we accept clients with offshore and foreign brokerage accounts exclusively through our Strategize It tier. These situations require advanced handling: complete trade history exports, year-end account statements, cash movement records, and an assessment of whether FBAR (FinCEN Form 114) or FATCA (Form 8938) reporting applies to your accounts. Our assigned CPAs review each offshore case individually before work begins. Because these filings involve additional complexity and reporting requirements, they are not handled through File It or Optimize It. If you have offshore accounts, select Strategize It and indicate your offshore activity during onboarding — your CPA will be briefed accordingly.
Why does trader tax preparation cost more than a standard return? ▼
Trader returns are among the most complex individual filings a CPA handles. High-volume transactions require wash sale tracking across every position, Section 1256 analysis, prop firm income classification, and capital gains optimization — across potentially thousands of trades. A standard 1040 takes a few hours. A trader return can take 15–40 hours of skilled work. Getting it wrong costs far more than the preparation fee.
What does TraderTax pricing include? ▼
All plans include preparation and filing of your federal and state returns by a licensed CPA in our partner network who specializes in active traders. Higher tiers add deduction maximization, included consultation hours, and entity/MTM strategy.
Are there any hidden fees? ▼
No. Plans are flat-rate. Standardized add-ons — MTM election, LLC formation, S-Corp election, and tax extensions — are listed and priced upfront. Amended returns are priced after your specialist reviews the original return, and the price is confirmed with you before any work begins. Complex crypto activity is handled within the Strategize It plan.
Which plan is right for me — File It, Optimize It, or Strategize It? ▼
File It ($597) is for traders who want their return filed correctly, no calls required. Async only, 7–14 day turnaround.
Optimize It ($1,197) is the most popular plan. Everything in File It plus a 30-minute strategy call, full deduction review, and quarterly estimate guidance. Most traders find the deductions identified more than cover the difference in price.
Strategize It ($2,497) is for serious traders — typically $50K+ in annual trading income. Includes TTS evaluation, MTM guidance, entity and S-Corp analysis, multiple strategy sessions, and year-round priority access.
My prop firm didn't send me a 1099. Can you still file? ▼
Yes — this is extremely common and we handle it all the time. Firms like Apex, FTMO, Tradeify, and Take Profit often don't issue 1099s. Bank statements showing your payout deposits are all we need. We know exactly how to classify prop firm income, calculate your SE tax correctly, and identify every deduction available — including eval fees, platform subscriptions, and trading education.
Do I need to be profitable to use TraderTax? ▼
Not at all — unprofitable traders often benefit most. Prop firm eval fees, platform subscriptions, and trading education are generally deductible business expenses once your trading business is underway, even in a losing year. Trading losses can also offset W-2 income and create carryforwards that save you significantly when you become profitable. Filing your losses correctly now sets up your tax position for the future.
What is Mark-to-Market (MTM) and should I consider it? ▼
Mark-to-Market (IRC §475) is an election that treats all open positions as sold at year-end. For qualifying traders it eliminates the wash sale rule entirely and allows losses to be treated as ordinary losses — deductible in full against any income. It's one of the most powerful elections available to active traders, but it's irrevocable once made. MTM guidance is included in Strategize It.
Should I set up an LLC or S-Corp for my trading? ▼
For traders with significant self-employment income — typically from prop firms — an S-Corp election can save $8,000–$20,000+ annually in SE taxes by splitting income between salary and distributions. An LLC alone rarely provides tax benefits for traders. This analysis is included in Strategize It, or available as an add-on for both File It and Optimize It users.
What if I get audited? ▼
TraderTax connects you with licensed, independent tax professionals who carry professional liability insurance. If the IRS has questions about your return, your assigned CPA can assist with correspondence. We recommend keeping all supporting documents for at least 3 years after filing.
Is my information secure? ▼
Yes. All documents are uploaded through encrypted connections and stored in Firebase (Google Cloud infrastructure). Only you and your assigned CPA can access your files. We never share your information with third parties.