Decoding Crypto: Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Blockchain
Rich Smith is an Enrolled Agent with the IRS and has been preparing individual and business tax returns for over 20 years in the greater Lansing–East Lansing area, and now has tax clients all across the US as well as in many other countries with US expats. While his tax career started with traditional clients and returns, his interest in cryptocurrency was sparked when one of his 82-year-old clients made over $100,000 in just 14 months through crypto investments. As more clients began asking questions about digital assets, Rich dove headfirst into the crypto world to understand not only the technology, but the ever-evolving tax implications surrounding it.
Today, Rich is both a tax practitioner and an active participant in the crypto ecosystem, with hands-on experience in many areas of the crypto universe. He’s seen firsthand how the growing complexity of crypto can lead to confusion and compliance issues—not just for taxpayers, but also for financial professionals trying to keep up.
While he doesn't claim to know everything about the crypto space (because honestly, who does?), Rich continues to deepen his knowledge each year as crypto markets and U.S. tax laws race to keep pace with each other. His mission is to help demystify crypto taxation and ensure clients—and their advisors—stay compliant, informed, and ahead of the curve.
