If Your 1099-DA still hasn't shown up, here's a few things to consider.

There's still a lot of people in here waiting on the 1099-DA that haven't arrived yet so figured I'd put together some options for how to think about this.

Quick context on why some forms are late:

The IRS gave exchanges a transitional relief period for the first year of 1099-DA reporting, which basically means no penalties for delays.

Most Coinbase forms have already been sent out but some users may not receive theirs until mid-March. Kraken has a similar timeline. Some smaller exchanges haven't given any date at all and a few may not issue until late 2026 or even early 2027.

So what are some options in the meantime.

→ If your exchange has communicated a timeline, it's probably worth waiting for the form before filing. You'll want your proceeds to match what they report to the IRS and having the actual form makes that easier to verify. But that doesn't mean you need to sit around doing nothing. You can start gathering the rest of your data now. Wallet history, DeFi activity, cost basis for anything you moved between platforms. That's the time-consuming part and none of it depends on the 1099-DA arriving.

→ If it's a smaller exchange with no timeline, you'll want to consider how to handle that activity on your return. You still have access to your transaction history on the platform. However, you'll also need to decide which 8949 checkbox to report those transactions under, and that part can get tricky. It may be worth speaking with a tax advisor if you aren't sure of the impact.

→ Filing an extension is genuinely worth considering this year. It pushes your filing deadline to October 15. You'd still need to pay any estimated tax owed by April 15, but the actual return and all the detail work gets significantly more breathing room. There's a practical benefit here too. If you file before the extension deadline and a late 1099-DA shows up that changes your numbers, your updated filing counts as a superseding return instead of an amended one.

→ Extensions aren't a red flag by the way. Millions of people file them every year. Given how much is delayed and how new everything is this season, it might be a reasonable path for a lot of people.

Main things to be cautious about right now

→ Rushing to file with incomplete or inaccurate data just to hit April 15
→ Not filing or making any estimated payment because the form hasn't arrived
→ Assuming a late form means you don't need to worry about it

The exchange will eventually send their copy to the IRS and when they do, the IRS will compare it to whatever you filed. You'll want the proceeds to line up.

tl;dr - if your exchange has given a timeline, consider waiting but start prepping everything else now. if you're dealing with a smaller exchange and no timeline, think about filing an extension to give yourself room. either way, an extension is probably worth considering this year, it's a standard process and it gives you space to get this right rather than rushing.