Verbull Word of the day
Finance glossary

Capital Gain

Taxation · beginner
Definition

The profit from selling an asset for more than its purchase price.

A capital gain is the increase in an asset value realized when it is sold above its cost basis. Short-term gains on assets held under a year are taxed as ordinary income, while long-term gains enjoy lower rates, rewarding patient investors.

In a sentence

Selling the stock for more than she paid produced a capital gain taxed at the lower long-term rate.

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