What is the surtax on capital gains?
There's an additional 3.8% surtax on net investment income (NII) that you might have to pay on top of the capital gains tax. (NII includes, among other things, taxable interest, dividends, gains, passive rents, annuities, and royalties.)
The Net Investment Income Tax (“NIIT”) or Medicare Tax is a 3.8% surtax imposed by Section 1411 of the Internal Revenue Code on investment income.
The threshold is $250,000 for joint filers, $125,000 for married filing separately, and $200,000 for all other filers. Net investment income includes the following items of income reduced by applicable expenses: interest, dividends, capital gains, annuities, royalties, and passive rental and business income.
| Fling status | 0% | 20% |
|---|---|---|
| Single | $0 to $47,025 | $518,901 or more |
| Married filing jointly | $0 to $94,050 | $583,751 or more |
| Married filing separately | $0 to $47,025 | $291,851 or more |
| Head of household | $0 to $63,000 | $551,351 or more |
Short-term capital gains taxes range from 0% to 37%. Long-term capital gains taxes run from 0% to 20%. High income earners may be subject to an additional 3.8% tax called the net investment income tax on both short-and-long term capital gains.
Look for ways to minimize your AGI. The lower your AGI (the number at the bottom of the TAX-FORM 1040) the lower the amount of your income will be subject to the 3.8% surtax. Need another reason to contribute to your retirement plan? Making contributions to your 401k, 403b or pension will lower your AGI.
Sell investments at a loss to offset investment gains. Defer capital gain, such as selling the investment in the future instead of selling it now. Use Section 1031 like-kind exchange which is selling an investment property and using that money to buy another investment property.
It applies to taxpayers above a certain modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) threshold who have unearned income including investment income, such as: Taxable interest. Dividends. Realized capital gains.
As an investor, you may owe an additional 3.8% tax called net investment income tax (NIIT). But you'll only owe it if you have investment income and your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) goes over a certain amount.
Individuals who pay net investment income tax also pay capital gains tax. But, not all individuals who pay capital gains tax owe NII tax. Think of it this way: workers pay Medicare tax on their wages. And, some high-earning workers pay additional Medicare tax on their wages above a certain threshold.
At what age do you not pay capital gains?
Since the tax break for over 55s selling property was dropped in 1997, there is no capital gains tax exemption for seniors. This means right now, the law doesn't allow for any exemptions based on your age. Whether you're 65 or 95, seniors must pay capital gains tax where it's due.
- Hold onto taxable assets for the long term. ...
- Make investments within tax-deferred retirement plans. ...
- Utilize tax-loss harvesting. ...
- Donate appreciated investments to charity.
Do I Have to Pay Capital Gains Taxes Immediately? In most cases, you must pay the capital gains tax after you sell an asset. It may become fully due in the subsequent year tax return. In some cases, the IRS may require quarterly estimated tax payments.
Capital Gains Tax for People Over 65. For individuals over 65, capital gains tax applies at 0% for long-term gains on assets held over a year and 15% for short-term gains under a year. Despite age, the IRS determines tax based on asset sale profits, with no special breaks for those 65 and older.
Your capital gains tax isn't included as part of your total income tax requirement but might be taxed similarly. The income tax is what is referred to within the tax brackets above. A short-term capital gains tax is taxed at the same tax brackets, but long-term capital gains are taxed at 0%, 15% or 20%.
Answer: A big-enough capital gain can trigger Medicare's income-related adjustment amount, which are surcharges on your Part B and Part D premiums. As you note, there's a two-year delay between the higher income on your tax returns and higher premiums.
A person is liable for the Additional Medicare Tax if their wages, compensation, investment earnings, self-employment earnings, or combined income with their spouse if they're joint fliers exceeds the applicable threshold for the individual's filing status.
An individual will owe Additional Medicare Tax on wages, compensation and self-employment income (and that of the individual's spouse if married filing jointly) that exceed the applicable threshold for the individual's filing status.
For the 2024 tax year, individual filers won't pay any capital gains tax if their total taxable income is $47,025 or less. The rate jumps to 15 percent on capital gains, if their income is $47,026 to $518,900. Above that income level the rate climbs to 20 percent.
If the CD is placed in a tax-deferred 401(k) or individual retirement account (IRA), any interest earned on the CD may be exempt from paying taxes in the year it was earned. 2 Instead, you will pay taxes on that money when it is withdrawn from the 401(k) or IRA after you retire.
Which IRS form is used to calculate the 3.8% net investment income tax?
Compute the tax on Form 8960, Net Investment Income Tax—Individuals, Estates, and Trusts. Individuals report this tax on Form 1040, U.S. Individual Income Tax Return or Form 1040-SR, U.S. Tax Return for Seniors; Estates and trusts report this tax on Form 1041, U.S. Income Tax Return for Estates and Trusts.
The $3,000 loss limit is the amount that can be offset against ordinary income. Above $3,000 is where things can get complicated.
In general, you can carry capital losses forward indefinitely, either until you use them all up or until they run out. Carryovers of capital losses have no time limit, so you can use them to offset capital gains or as a deduction against ordinary income in subsequent tax years until they are exhausted.
Taxpayers who make over $200,000 as individuals or $250,000 for married couples are subject to an additional 0.9 percent tax on Medicare. The Additional Medicare Tax goes toward funding features of the Affordable Care Act.
Taxable capital gains are included in your adjusted gross income (AGI) and modified adjusted gross income (MAGI).
