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The Danger of Taxing Unrealized Capital Gains
The Daily Signal ^ | August 30, 2024 | Preston Brashers

Posted on 08/31/2024 7:20:23 PM PDT by Mr. Mojo

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To: Mr. Mojo
If you bought a house for $300,000, and the value rose to $500,000 a couple years later, you could be stuck paying tax on the $200,000 of gain even as you’re struggling to make mortgage payments.

and what happens when the value goes back to 300k ? do i get my tax money back ?
21 posted on 08/31/2024 7:57:15 PM PDT by stylin19a (A study found that woman who carry a little extra weight, live longer than the men who mention it.)
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To: Mr. Mojo

Nice farm you got there.

Joe’s China benefactors would like to buy it.


22 posted on 08/31/2024 8:07:06 PM PDT by Brian Griffin ("Why didn’t she do it three and a half years ago?”)
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To: BradyLS
The most likely outcome of this kind of idiocy is that assets will be sold annually just to cover the cost of paying the taxes. Or — even better — to avoid paying the cost of estimating their value by turning an “unrealized gain” into an ACTUAL gain (or loss).

Another likely outcome is that the value of many assets will plunge to $0 because nobody would want them. I would put my small company on the market just to demonstrate that I got no offers on it … so I can credibly report that it has had no gain in value.

23 posted on 08/31/2024 8:07:53 PM PDT by Alberta's Child (“Ain't it funny how the night moves … when you just don't seem to have as much to lose.”)
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To: Mr. Mojo

Go for it. If it is not a tax on income. A direct tax must be apportioned. ergo a head tax.


24 posted on 08/31/2024 8:08:46 PM PDT by kvanbrunt2
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To: BradyLS

As a direct tax it would have to be apportioned.


25 posted on 08/31/2024 8:10:00 PM PDT by kvanbrunt2
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To: BradyLS; Mr. Mojo

I believe that we already tax unrealized foreign exchange> Corporations cannot hold their income overseas but are taxed on it.

The Supreme Court ruled that Congress has the power to tax unrealized foreign gain, so it is just a short step from taxing unrealized foreign income to taxing unrealized domestic income. I will find the case tomorrow.

One question - say the unrealized gain in $1, and you pay the tax on it. Do they tax it again the following year when it hits $10? Or allow a credit if a worldwide depression follows the passage of this law, and all we have are unrealized capital losses?


26 posted on 08/31/2024 8:16:52 PM PDT by texas booster (Join FreeRepublic's Folding@Home team (Team # 36120) Cure Alzheimer's!)
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To: BradyLS
That’s basically paying taxes on money you _could_ have but don’t have. Yes?

That already happens with real estate. Property gets reappraised by the county, which demands increased property taxes based on what you could realize if you sold the property, even though you are not selling it and not realizing any gains. Here in California, Prop 13 was passed decades ago to limit reappraised taxes to 2% more a year. Lawmakers continually try to get around that, and they did a few years ago.

My daughter got dinged with a more than 5% property tax this year. Because with the new law, they say her reappraised value was less than 2% a couple years ago due to a temporary decline in home values, but as home values went up again they tacked on the “missing increases” to the 2% limit and it totaled 5% now.

Politicians are evil and try to steal your money any which way they can. Unrealized gains you haven’t gotten, but taxed on it and you pay or lose your home.

27 posted on 08/31/2024 8:20:15 PM PDT by roadcat ( )
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To: Mr. Mojo
"If you bought a house for $300,000, and the value rose to $500,000 a couple years later, you could be stuck paying tax on the $200,000 of gain even as you’re struggling to make mortgage payments. At a 25% tax rate, it would cost you $50,000 in federal taxes."

Bomb belts may become popular fashion apparel.
28 posted on 08/31/2024 8:51:50 PM PDT by clearcarbon (Fraudulent elections have consequences.)
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To: Mr. Mojo

Wish they put as much effort in figuring out how to eliminate waste and reduce spending as they do in dreaming up new taxes. 😑


29 posted on 08/31/2024 8:53:01 PM PDT by BradyLS (DO NOT FEED THE BEARS!)
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To: Mr. Mojo

This is literally the worst idea I’ve ever heard in my life. Trump should hammer the unrealized tax proposal at every opportunity, it’s something that people will intrinsically know is ridiculous.


30 posted on 08/31/2024 8:53:17 PM PDT by Mozzafiato
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To: Mr. Mojo

If you bought a house for $300,000, and the value rose to $500,000 a couple years later, you could be stuck paying tax on the $200,000 of gain even as you’re struggling to make mortgage payments. At a 25% tax rate, it would cost you $50,000 in federal taxes.

And it would be year after year after year.


31 posted on 08/31/2024 8:57:26 PM PDT by Texas resident (Que Mala= Bad Juju.)
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To: Mr. Mojo

Rand Paul knows how to scrape up some extra cash... by slashing fraud, waste, and abuse along with outlandish budgetry line items...

Schumer is the toilet clog on most budgets submitted.


32 posted on 08/31/2024 9:02:35 PM PDT by Clutch Martin ("The trouble ain't that there is too many fools, but that the lightning ain't distributed right." )
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To: Mr. Mojo

I have yet to see anyone discuss adjustments for inflation. Example, you purchased a house (or stock) for $100,000 in 2000. Today it is valued at $182,000. The government said you made $82,000 gain! But did you? The $82,000 is the effect of inflation on your original investment. So you have Zero economic return, you have just broken even due to inflation. How will the government handle this? Especially since the government has their foot on inflation to address their massive borrowing!


33 posted on 08/31/2024 9:12:48 PM PDT by Lockbox (politicians, they all seemed like game show host to me.... Sting)
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To: Mr. Mojo

Missing the point.

The idea is designed to confiscate all wealth and means of production.

On purpose.


34 posted on 08/31/2024 9:17:24 PM PDT by P.O.E. (Pray for America.)
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To: BradyLS

Akin to the government wanting to collect taxes for the lottery tickets that haven’t won anything yet. With Harris, it might get down to that level.


35 posted on 08/31/2024 9:19:34 PM PDT by skr (Righteousness exalteth a nation: sin is a reproach to any people. - Proverbs 14:34)
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To: texas booster
One question - say the unrealized gain in $1, and you pay the tax on it. Do they tax it again the following year when it hits $10?

I think the question is this:

If I have a stock that I bought for $100 and next year it grows to $200, they will tax the unrealized gain of $100. If the price remains $200 for the following year, will they tax that unrealized gain of $100 again?

Here is another question: What about Net Unrealized Appreciation?

If I have a stock in a qualified before-tax plan (e.g., an ESOP) that has a cost basis of $20, and many years later when I retire I apply the NUA treatment on that stock, what happens?

Net unrealized appreciation allows the stock holder to convert the asset from before-tax to after-tax status by paying ordinary income tax rates on the original cost basis value of the stock (in the above example, on the $20 per share). Once the stock becomes an after-tax holding, the owner would pay the long-term capital gains tax on the remaining value (again above, on the $80 of capital gain) once the stock is sold.

Taxing unrealized capital gains would nullify the NUA if the holder would pay ordinary income tax on the cost basis and then must IMMEDIATELY pay the capital gains on the remaining after-tax amount.

-PJ

36 posted on 08/31/2024 9:50:58 PM PDT by Political Junkie Too ( * LAAP = Left-wing Activist Agitprop Press (formerly known as the MSM))
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To: Mr. Mojo

This is the result the Dhimmicraps want.


37 posted on 08/31/2024 9:59:42 PM PDT by TBP (Decent people cannot fathom the amoral cruelty of the Biden regime.)
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To: BradyLS

Yep.

You’re being taxed on fantasy money, income someone speculates you could have made but didn’t. And guess who gets to decide what that is?

Also, when you sell something and take an actual loss, you can only deduct a certain amount each year, not the whole amount. It takes YEARS to get the money back from your over paid taxes.

It’s theft, plain and simple.


38 posted on 08/31/2024 10:03:18 PM PDT by metmom (He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus”)
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To: NEMDF

Same here.

Seems like everyone I know is in that boat.


39 posted on 08/31/2024 10:04:58 PM PDT by metmom (He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus”)
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To: texas booster

If it is under mark-to-market rules, then your basis steps up after tax. So your $1 gain on the $1 asset is taxed and the basis is now $2. When it rises to $10, you get taxed on $8.

As to losses, net capital losses are currently capped at $3,000 with the excess carried forward. So, if your $300k gain tanks to zero, you can recoup your losses over the course of 100 years.


40 posted on 08/31/2024 10:15:37 PM PDT by NonValueAdded (What is the cost of lies?)
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