00:00Capital gains tax is neither uniformly 20% nor 24%. It depends on the holding period and the
00:06taxpayer's income bracket. And the two figures actually belong to different tax categories
00:11entirely. 1. Long-term capital gains, assets held over 12 months, U.S. federal, taxed at 0%,
00:1915%, or 20%, depending on taxable income. For 2025, single filers pay 0% up to $48,350
00:2915% up to $533,400 and 20% above that threshold. High earners may also owe an additional 3
00:39.8%
00:40net investment income tax, pushing the effective top rate to 23.8%. 2. Short-term capital gains,
00:48assets held under 12 months, taxed as ordinary income, using the standard progressive brackets,
00:5410% to 37%. The 24% figure corresponds to one of these ordinary income brackets, roughly $103,350
01:04to $197,300 for singles in 2025, not a dedicated capital gains rate. 3. State-level taxes. Many
01:14U.S. states add their own capital gains tax on top of federal rates. California taxes gains as
01:19ordinary income up to 13.3%, while states like Texas or Florida impose none. The answer changes
01:27based on holding period, short versus long-term, total taxable income for the year, filing status,
01:34single, married, head of household, and jurisdiction, federal versus state, or country if outside the U.S.
01:41rates differ substantially, e.g., U.K. at 10% to 24%, or countries with 0% capital gains tax.
01:49This information reflects 2025 U.S. federal brackets and may shift with inflation adjustments
01:55or legislative changes. Verify current thresholds via the IRS or a tax professional before filing.
02:02Practical Takeaway. Identify your holding period first. If under a year, expect ordinary income rates,
02:09possibly 24% or higher. If over a year, expect 0% to 20% federal plus check state rules
02:16and consult
02:17a tax advisor for precise calculation. Finally, remember that everything we discussed today
02:22is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice.
02:27Good luck to everyone and see you in the next video.
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