Guide to Capital Gains and Losses

Free online guide

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Current feature

Beware Capital Loss Whipsaw

Big losses in a year after big gains are a formula for disaster.

details: Beware Capital Loss Whipsaw

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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

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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