Series 65 - Taxation Issues
13.2 - Individual Income Tax Issues

Types of Income Tax
An individual may be subject to one of the following four types of income tax:
  1. Ordinary income - this includes all income earned from salary, commission and business income. Some investment gains, such as bond interest and withdrawals from traditional IRAs and company retirement plans, are taxed at "ordinary income" rates. 

  2. Capital gains - this refers to income resulting from the appreciation of a capital asset (e.g., stocks, real estate, coins). Capital gains are not realized until the asset is sold. Capital gains are classified as either short- or long-term:

    • Short-term - assets held for 12 months or less are considered short-term capital gains and are taxed at ordinary income rates.

    • Long-term - assets held for longer than 12 months benefit from reduced tax rates (based on your marginal tax bracket). For 2007, those in the lowest tax brackets (10% or 15%) pay only a 5% capital gains tax rate, while those in the higher brackets (25% and above) pay only 15%. From 2008 to 2010, taxpayers in the 10% and 15% brackets will enjoy a 0% rate on long-term gains. Capital gains rates for all brackets are scheduled in 2011 to rise to their former levels, unless further action is taken by Congress. 

  3. Dividends - prior to 2003, dividends were taxed at ordinary income rates along with bond interest. Due to a change in tax law, "qualified" stock dividends (common and preferred) are now taxed like capital gains, with a maximum income tax rate of 15%. As with capital gains, dividends tax rates for those in the two lowest brackets will fall to 0% in 2008 and stay there through 2010. Taxation of dividends at ordinary income rates is scheduled to resume in 2011. REIT dividends do not qualify for this special treatment.

  4. Passive income - income from sources - such as real estate limited partnerships or directly owned (but professionally managed) real estate - is taxable at ordinary income rates and can only be reduced by passive losses, not by capital gains losses.
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