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.
Need it done in 72 hours? Rush filing gets you to the front of the queue. Available on any plan — deadline approaching.
Crypto Reporting
+$297
Full crypto transaction reconciliation across all exchanges. Every trade is a taxable event — we handle it.
Amended Return
+$397
Filed incorrectly in a prior year? We fix it and file a 1040-X on your behalf.
MTM Election
+$197
Mark-to-Market accounting election — can eliminate wash sale rules for qualifying traders.
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
—
1 call (30 min)
Multiple calls
Deduction review
—
✓
✓
Quarterly estimates
—
✓
✓
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 (+add-on)
✓
✓
✓
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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.
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 all deductible business expenses even if you lost money. 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.
Still have questions?
Our team is here to help — we'll get back to you within one business day.