You can be exempt from capital gains tax on your primary home sale (up to $250k/$500k for married couples) by meeting ownership/use tests, or benefit from a 0% rate if your income is low enough; other exemptions exist for inherited assets (step-up in basis) or specific business/agricultural property, depending on your country's laws.
Capital gains tax rates
A capital gains rate of 0% applies if your taxable income is less than or equal to: $48,350 for single and married filing separately; $96,700 for married filing jointly and qualifying surviving spouse; and. $64,750 for head of household.
Certain joint returns can exclude up to $500,000 of gain. You must meet all these requirements to qualify for a capital gains tax exemption: You must have owned the home for a period of at least two years during the five years ending on the date of the sale.
States that do not tax income (Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Wyoming) do not tax capital gains either. Washington state does not collect income taxes but has passed a capital gains tax as an excise (rather than income or property) tax.
The best states for taxes are often those with no state income tax, like Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming. However, the "best" state depends on your personal situation, as some states compensate with higher sales or property taxes, so you must consider the overall tax burden, including income, property, and sales taxes, for a complete picture.
(KCTV) - Missouri is now the only state that has eliminated capital gains tax for individual filers after House Bill 594 went into effect. “Reducing or eliminating the tax on capital gains in Missouri is kind of revolutionary. I've not seen that done elsewhere before,” said Matt Goolsby, CEO of Market Advisory Group.
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.
States with the Lowest or No Capital Gains Tax
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.
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 2025 tax legislation signed into law by President Trump, commonly referred to as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, largely preserves the existing capital gains tax framework. Long-term capital gains rates remain set at 0%, 15% and 20%, with no changes to the underlying brackets.
Manage your tax bracket
At the lowest income levels, the capital gains tax rate is 0%, which means no federal income taxes on your gains (state income taxes may still apply). For a married couple filing jointly, the maximum taxable income to qualify for the 0% rate is $96,700 in 2025.
BIR Revenue Regulations No. 13-99 exempts citizens and resident aliens from capital gains tax on the sale of their principal residence, provided they fully utilize the proceeds to acquire or construct a new principal residence within 18 months and meet specific documentation requirements.
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 ...
In California, real property is one of the most valuable assets you can inherit from a loved one. But inheriting real estate that has increased in value over time can trigger capital gains tax consequences when you sell that piece of property.
States With the Highest Capital Gains Tax Rates
For example, in 2025, a single filer won't pay any tax on long-term capital gains if their total taxable income is $48,350 or less. But an individual filer with income between $48,350 and $533,400 would pay a 15% long-term capital gains tax rate.
The 20% rule for capital gains refers to the highest federal tax rate for long-term capital gains, applying to higher income brackets when you sell investments (stocks, real estate) held for over a year, with lower rates of 0% and 15% for lower incomes, and even higher rates for special assets like collectibles. This rate kicks in for single filers earning over approximately $492,300 (2024) or $533,401 (2025), and higher for joint filers, making holding assets over a year a key tax strategy.
There are many ways to defer or postpone paying a capital gains tax, such as doing a 1031 exchange or trading the property for another. However, the best and only way you can completely avoid paying a capital gains tax is by donating your investment or inherited property to charity.
7-Year Capital Gains Tax Exemption
If you dispose of land or buildings bought between 7 December 2011 and 31 December 2014, and held them for at least 4 years, you may be eligible for partial or full relief: Held for more than 7 years: No CGT for the first 7 years of ownership.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governs such transactions through the FEMA (Foreign Exchange Management Act). NRIs can repatriate up to $1 million per financial year from India, including proceeds from the sale of property.