Capital gains up to Rs 1.25 lakh per year (equity) are exempted from capital gains tax. Long-term capital gain tax rate on equity investments/shares will continue to be charged at 12.5% on the gains. On the other hand, short-term capital gains tax on shares or equity investments will be charged at 15%.
Net capital gains are taxed at different rates depending on overall taxable income, although some or all net capital gain may be taxed at 0%. For taxable years beginning in 2024, the tax rate on most net capital gain is no higher than 15% for most individuals.
Any gain over $250,000 is taxable.
Could you owe capital gains tax on your home? There's an exclusion on gains from the sale of a primary residence, which generally lets sellers exclude up to $250,000 in gains from their income (or $500,000 for certain married taxpayers filing a joint return and certain surviving spouses).
An easy and impactful way to reduce your capital gains taxes is to use tax-advantaged accounts. Retirement accounts such as 401(k) plans, and individual retirement accounts offer tax-deferred investment. You don't pay income or capital gains taxes on assets while they remain in the account.
Who qualifies for 0% capital gains in 2025. Starting in 2025, single filers can qualify for the 0% long-term capital gains rate with taxable income of $48,350 or less, and married couples filing jointly are eligible with $96,700 or less. However, taxable income is significantly lower than your gross earnings.
Current tax law does not allow you to take a capital gains tax break based on your age. In the past, the IRS granted people over the age of 55 a tax exemption for home sales, though this exclusion was eliminated in 1997 in favor of the expanded exemption for all homeowners.
To avoid paying capital gains taxes (and depreciation recapture), you can reinvest in a "like-kind" asset with a sales price of at least $500,000. The IRS allows virtually any commercial real estate property to qualify as 'like-kind” as long as you hold it for investment purposes.
The taxation of capital gains places a double tax on corporate income. Before shareholders face taxes, the business first faces the corporate income tax.
Unearned income includes money-making sources that involve interest, dividends, and capital gains. Additional forms of unearned income include retirement account distributions, annuities, unemployment compensation, Social Security benefits, and gambling winnings.
There are two types of capital gains: short-term capital gains (STCG) and long-term capital gains (LTCG). The Indian Income Tax Act offers several exemptions under Sections 54, 54EC, 54F, 54B, 54D, 54EE, 54G and 54GA.
If it's your primary residence
You can sell your primary residence and avoid paying capital gains taxes on the first $250,000 of your profits if your tax-filing status is single, and up to $500,000 if married and filing jointly. The exemption is only available once every two years.
Equity-oriented assets: There is an exemption limit of Rs. 1.25 lakh on LTCG. Gains up to Rs. 1.25 lakh in a financial year are not taxable, which is particularly beneficial for small investors. Non-equity assets: There is no such exemption limit for non-equity assets.
Countries that do not impose a capital gains tax include Bahrain, Barbados, Belize, the Cayman Islands, the Isle of Man, Jamaica, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Singapore, and others.
As of 2022, for a single filer aged 65 or older, if their total income is less than $40,000 (or $80,000 for couples), they don't owe any long-term capital gains tax.
A few options to legally avoid paying capital gains tax on investment property include buying your property with a retirement account, converting the property from an investment property to a primary residence, utilizing tax harvesting, and using Section 1031 of the IRS code for deferring taxes.
The limit on the exemption of Long-Term Capital Gains on the transfer of equity shares or equity-oriented units or units of Business Trust has increased from Rs.1 Lakh to Rs.1.25 lakh per year. However, the rate at which it is taxed has increased from 10% to 12.5%.
By investing in eligible low-income and distressed communities, you can defer taxes and potentially avoid capital gains tax on stocks altogether. To qualify, you must invest unrealized gains within 180 days of a stock sale into an eligible opportunity fund, then hold the investment for at least 10 years.
Here's how it works: Taxpayers can claim a full capital gains tax exemption for their principal place of residence (PPOR). They also can claim this exemption for up to six years if they move out of their PPOR and then rent it out. There are some qualifying conditions for leaving your principal place of residence.
Social Security and capital gains
Keep in mind that up to 85% of Social Security benefits can be subject to tax depending on your overall income, including capital gains. The calculation that determines how much of your Social Security benefits are taxable includes realized gains.
You can avoid capital gains tax when you sell your primary residence by buying another house and using the 121 home sale exclusion. In addition, the 1031 like-kind exchange allows investors to defer taxes when they reinvest the proceeds from the sale of an investment property into another investment property.
Billionaires avoid these taxes by taking out special ultra-low-interest loans available only to them and using their assets as collateral. This income works just like any other kind of income, allowing ultrawealthy to purchase homes, yachts, or even, Twitter.