Guide to Capital Gains and Losses
Free online guide
Updated February 17, 2008
Welcome to our free online guide to capital gains and losses.
Current feature
Beware Capital Loss Whipsaw
Big losses in a year after big gains are a formula for disaster.
details: Beware Capital Loss Whipsaw
Key resources
- Capital Gains, Minimal Taxes, our comprehensive guide to this subject
- TradeLog Software, recommended if you're an active trader or otherwise have a complicated Schedule D
Index to this guide
Capital gains and losses in general
- Capital Gains and Losses 101
- Capital Gains FAQs
- Capital Gain and Loss Categories
- Capital Gains Planning
- Purchase and Sale Step by Step
- Last Day to Sell
- Identifying the Shares You Sell
- Claiming a Loss from Worthless Securities
Basis of assets
To calculate capital gain or loss, you need to know your basis for the shares you sold. These pages cover a variety of situations.
- Stock You Purchased
- Stock Acquired Through a Dividend Reinvestment Plan
- Stock Received as a Gift
- Stock Received from Your Spouse
- Stock Received from a Decedent
- Stock from Options
- Stock Dividends and Splits
The wash sale rule
We get so many questions on this rule that we have an entire section dealing with it.
- The Wash Sale Rule
- Wash Sales 101
- Wash Sales and IRAs
- Substantially Identical Securities
- Wash Sales and Replacement Stock
- Wash Sale Matching Rules
- Wash Sales and Options
- Short Sales and the Wash Sale Rule
- Same Day Rule for Wash Sales
- Traders and Wash Sales
More on capital gains and losses
- Mutual Fund Gains and Losses (separate guide provides full details)
- Trader Taxation (separate guide provides full details)
- Cash Received in Mergers
Related
- Our book: Capital Gains, Minimal Taxes
- Recommended trade accounting software (identifies wash sales): TradeLog
- Related IRS forms and publications: Your Investments
- Discussion forum: Capital Gains and Losses
