Trish Turner has resigned from her position as head of the Internal Revenue Service’s digital assets division. She stepped down after just over three months in the role, marking another short-term leadership change in the agency’s efforts to regulate and oversee the growing digital asset space.
Turner joined the division in May following the departure of two private-sector appointees who each served for roughly a year. In a statement shared on LinkedIn, Turner said,
“After more than 20 years with the IRS, I have closed an extraordinary chapter of my career.”
She also noted that during her time, the team helped build programs and shaped the IRS’s digital asset strategy as it evolved from “niche to mainstream.”
Move to Crypto Tax Firm Confirmed
Although Turner did not publicly announce her next role, Bloomberg Tax reported that she will become the tax director at Crypto Tax Girl, a crypto tax advisory firm. Founder Laura Walter confirmed Turner’s new position, writing,
“With all of the big crypto tax and compliance changes on the horizon, we are excited to have Trish on board to help advise our clients.”
Turner hinted at the career change in her farewell message, writing that she looks forward to continuing this mission from a new vantage point and to building bridges between industry and regulators.
Her move to the private sector comes at a time when crypto tax policy is under review across several federal departments and committees.
Ongoing Federal Review of Crypto Tax Policy
The resignation comes alongside a growing interest in crypto taxation in the US. On July 11, the House Committee on Ways and Means and Oversight Subcommittee confirmed a hearing would take place on August 6 to determine taxation-related changes to be made concerning digital assets.
Earlier this year, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration released a report urging changes to how the IRS criminal investigation division handles digital asset enforcement. The review identified weaknesses in the existing process and raised concerns about compliance with set procedures.
In April, a congressional resolution signed by President Donald Trump overturned a rule introduced during the Biden administration. That rule would have required decentralized finance platforms to report certain transactions to the IRS.
Leadership Turnover Raises Questions on Division Stability
Turner’s exit adds to a series of recent changes in the leadership of the IRS crypto unit. Her predecessors, Sulolit “Raj” Mukherjee and Seth Wilks, also left the role after serving for about one year each.
Economist Timothy Peterson commented on Turner’s move by saying,
“Trish Turner left the Dark Side to become a Crypto Jedi Knight.”
While the statement was informal, it pointed to the steady movement of professionals between federal agencies and the private crypto sector.
The IRS has not issued a statement on who will take over leadership of the digital assets division.
