How Successful Investors Get RICH

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Topic: How To Invest

What is capital gains tax?

Capital gains tax must be paid on the profit that comes from the sale of an asset. An asset can be a security, such as a stock or a bond, or a fixed asset, such as land, buildings, equipment or other possessions.

Let’s look at an example. Say you purchased 1,000 shares of TD Bank at $20 per share many years ago, and when it reaches about $40 per share, you decide to sell. Your proceeds from the sale are $40,000 ($40 per share multiplied by 1,000 shares) and your cost (the cost of purchase) is $20,000 ($20 per share multiplied by 1,000 shares). This means that your profit on the sale, also known as your capital gain, is $20,000.

How Successful Investors Get RICH

Learn everything you need to know in 'The Canadian Guide on How to Invest in Stocks Successfully' for FREE from The Successful Investor.

How to Invest In Stocks Guide: Find 10 factors that make your investments safer and stronger.

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Capital gains are given favourable tax treatment in Canada. You only pay tax on 50% of the amount of your capital gain (the 50% amount is known as the capital gains inclusion rate). So, the amount of your taxable capital gain is only $10,000 ($20,000 multiplied by 50%). If your tax rate is 40%, you would only pay $4,000 in taxes ($10,000 in taxable capital gains multiplied by a 40% tax rate).

If we compare this to interest income, you can see the advantage of capital gains. Interest income is fully taxable, so that same income of $20,000 at a tax rate of 40% would cost you $8,000 ($20,000 in interest income multiplied by a 40% tax rate). That is double what you would pay on the income from a capital gain.

What is capital gains tax? Capital gains tax is a great way to plan your income to pay less taxes. All forms of income have their place in a properly planned portfolio, but by planning ahead you can minimize your overall tax burden and maximize the money you save (and the size of your investment portfolio).

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