Items exempt from capital gains tax (CGT) generally include a primary residence (up to $250k/$500k in the US), personal cars, most personal possessions with a lifespan under 50 years (wasting assets), and specific government securities. Assets in retirement accounts, gifts to spouses/charities, and certain small-value items are also excluded.
Sell Cars Without Paying Capital Gains Tax
All gains from the sale of private motor vehicles are exempt from CGT, even if you make a substantial profit. This isn't a loophole so much as a quirk of the tax system; most people sell cars at a loss, so HMRC doesn't allow losses to be offset either.
In simple terms, this capital gains tax exclusion enables homeowners who meet specific requirements to exclude up to $250,000 (or up to $500,000 for married couples filing jointly) of capital gains from the sale of their primary residence.
Wasting chattels are exempt from capital gains tax. Examples include most cars and appliances. Non-wasting chattel – is an item that has a life expectancy of more than 50 years and as such are chargeable to capital gains tax. Examples include fine art, antiques and jewellery.
For example, CGT does not apply to the sale of private motor vehicles or livestock, both of which are considered assets. There are also other assets that are excluded from CGT including but not limited to prize bonds, government stocks and lottery wins.
The "6-year rule" for Capital Gains Tax (CGT) in Australia allows you to treat a former main residence as tax-exempt for up to six years after you move out, even if you rent it out, enabling you to avoid CGT on any growth during that period. You qualify by moving out, choosing to treat it as your main home for tax, and can reset the rule by moving back in. If you rent it out for longer than six years, only the portion of the gain after the six-year mark becomes taxable.
The exemption under section 54 is allowed only if the capital gain arises from the transfer of a long-term capital asset being a residential house property or land appurtenant thereto whose income is taxable under the head of 'income from house property'.
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One of the simplest yet most expensive mistakes is misunderstanding the difference between short-term and long-term capital gains taxes. Short-term gains — profits from assets held less than a year — are subject to typical income tax rates, which can reach 37% for high earners.
On a $100,000 capital gain, you'll likely pay 15% for long-term gains, resulting in about $15,000 in federal tax (plus potential state tax), but it could be 0% or 20% depending on your total taxable income and filing status, while short-term gains are taxed as ordinary income (potentially 22-24%).
The primary "one-time" capital gains exemption in the U.S. allows single filers to exclude up to $250,000 (or $500,000 for married couples filing jointly) of profit from selling their main home, provided they've owned and lived in it for at least two of the last five years before the sale. While it's often called a one-time exclusion, you can use it multiple times, but you must wait two years before claiming it again on another property.
If you have realized capital gains, you can offset them by selling securities from one of your taxable accounts at a loss and reinvesting the money in a similar investment or rebalancing, if needed. When reinvesting the funds, it's important to be aware of the IRS wash-sale rule.
As already mentioned, some assets are specifically exempt from CGT. Some of the most common examples are: private motor cars, including vintage cars. gifts to UK registered charities.
A common way to defer or 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.
To qualify for 0% capital gains tax, you must have long-term capital gains (assets held over a year) and your taxable income (after deductions) must fall below specific IRS thresholds, which change annually but are roughly <$48,350 for single filers and <$96,700 for married filing jointly for the 2025 tax year, allowing for higher total income when combined with deductions like the standard deduction. The key is keeping your adjusted gross income (AGI) low enough so that after subtracting deductions, your taxable income remains within these limits.
Section 54F of the Income Tax Act provides an exemption from long-term capital gains tax when the gains arise from the sale of a long-term capital asset (Long term asset can be defined like asset with holding period of 24 months or more except for listed securities where it is 12 months or more) other than a ...
The beneficiary claiming the discount must be an Australian resident for tax purposes. The trust must have held the asset for at least 12 months before the CGT event occurs.
As a landlord or property investor, you can reduce the Capital Gains Tax you have to pay by deducting certain buying and selling costs from the sale price. This can include solicitor fees, Stamp Duty and estate agent fees. You can also make deductions for improvements, such as adding a new kitchen.