How To Avoid Capital Gains Tax Legally

A capital gains tax is a tax on the growth in value of investments incurred when individuals and corporations sell those investments. When the assets are sold, the capital gains are referred to as having been "realized." The tax doesn't apply to unsold investments or "unrealized capital gains," so stock shares that appreciate every year will not incur capital gains taxes until they are sold, no matter how long you happen to hold them.

Day traders and others taking advantage of the greater ease of trading online need to be aware that any profits they make from buying and selling assets held less than a year are not just taxed, they are also taxed at a higher rate.

The U.S. capital gains tax only applies to profits from the sale of assets held for more than a year, referred to as "long-term capital gains." The rates are 0%, 15%, or 20%, depending on your tax bracket. Short-term capital gains tax applies to assets held for a year or less, and are taxed as ordinary income.

Taxable capital gains for the year are reduced by the number of capital losses incurred in that year. A capital loss is when you sell an investment for less than you purchased it for. The total of long-term capital gains minus any capital losses is known as the "net capital gain," which is the amount capital gains taxes are assessed on.

Source: Investopedia