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.
No major federal capital gains tax rate changes happened for 2025; the 0%, 15%, and 20% rates remain, but the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" (OBBBA) in mid-2025 extended previous tax cuts, adjusted income thresholds due to inflation, and added deductions (like a senior bonus), slightly changing who falls into which bracket, making the 0% bracket potentially easier to reach for some, though state laws, like Washington's new tax, can differ.
The standard deduction increased for 2025 and 2026, and a new temporary “bonus” deduction for adults 65 and older begins in 2025. The child tax credit increased to $2,200 for the 2025 and 2026 tax years; retirement plan contribution limits for IRAs and 401(k)s also increased for 2026.
At the end of 2025, the individual tax provisions in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) expire all at once. Without congressional action, most taxpayers will see a notable tax increase relative to current policy in 2026.
Taxpayers who do not qualify for those specific provisions may still benefit from the increased standard deduction, or, for itemizers, from the expanded SALT cap. Overall, we estimate the major tax changes for 2025 will lead to an average tax cut of $611, or a 0.8 percent increase in after-tax income.
If the individual tax cuts expire, taxpayers in all income groups would face higher and more complicated taxes. Machinery and equipment expensing is a key provision that, if allowed to expire, would especially harm capital-intensive industries like manufacturing.
2025 Long-Term Capital Gains Tax Rates
Reducing the top long-term capital gains rate to 15%, from the current 20% Indexing capital gains to inflation, allowing investors to adjust cost basis to account for price changes over time.
To avoid the 22% tax bracket (or any higher bracket), focus on reducing your taxable income through strategies like maxing out 401(k)s and HSAs, deferring bonuses, tax-loss harvesting, smart charitable giving, and strategic asset location, understanding that higher rates only apply to income within that bracket, not your entire income.
Individual tax proposals
President Biden's proposal to increase the top individual ordinary income tax rate to 39.6% is projected to raise $245.9 billion over 10 years. The proposal to tax capital gain income for high earners at ordinary rates is projected to raise $288.5 billion over the same period.
Eric Trump, the son of President Donald Trump, recently teased the idea of a “zero crypto tax policy”. He argued that eliminating taxes on cryptocurrency gains could encourage innovation, attract investment, and position the United States as a global leader in the crypto space.
Families like the Waltons, Kochs, and Mars can avoid capital gains taxes forever by holding onto assets without selling, borrowing against their assets for income, and using the stepped-up basis loophole at inheritance. That loophole allows the increased value of assets to be passed to their heirs tax-free.
The new senior tax deduction of up to $6,000 for single filers and $12,000 for joint filers, was created to help cover taxes on Social Security benefits. Taking the new senior deduction helps to reduce your taxable income, which can mean less tax or potentially an even bigger tax refund when you file your return.
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.
Changes that might affect the most common 2025 tax returns include: no tax on tips - deduction of up to $25,000 per taxpayer with phaseout for Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) over $150,000 (over $300,000 for Married Filing Jointly filers)
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 2025 Federal Tax Debate
Much like the 2017 tax law, the new law favors the richest taxpayers. More than 70 percent of the net tax cuts will go to the richest fifth of Americans in 2026, only 10 percent will go to the middle fifth of Americans, and less than 1 percent will go to the poorest fifth.
This deduction starts in tax year 2025, meaning retirees aged 65 or older may qualify for up to $6,000, while married couples where both partners meet the age requirement can claim up to $12,000. The deduction is scheduled to remain in effect through 2028, unless Congress renews it.
President-elect Donald Trump campaigned on lowering the US corporate income tax rate to 15 percent. He made the same request in 2017 when Republicans passed their tax cuts, but Congress only cut the federal rate to 21 percent—down from the worldwide high of 35 percent.