Your federal taxes will be drastically lower than a year you were employed in, maybe even close to 0% if you stay under the lowest tax bracket. You will likely still owe your state taxes, so don’t expect a free ride.
That means if, for example, you get laid off in September 2026, wait until January 2027 to sell if you really need the funds. If you can find work or have a large enough e-fund, then no need to sell.
Quick comparison — selling $50k in BTC (single filer, CA):
Scenario Total tax owed
$0 income ~$1,660
$20/hr job (~$41,600/yr) ~$11,850
Even a modest part-time income pushes your gains way up.
Personally, I think people should only invest what they don’t plan to sell for 10+ years, but for the maxis in here whose entire net worth is in BTC, this is a good tip if you are expecting to be laid off soon.
submitted by /u/katamarijuana
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