How Stocks, Bonds and Mutual Funds Affect Doing Your Taxes
Article by Amanda Demers
Programs like TurboTax and H&R Block At Home can help simplify tax preparation if you own investments. It’s important to make sure you know the tax rules when preparing taxes yourself in any case. Tax laws are subject to change on a year-to-year basis. It also helps to be somewhat familiar with how investments affect taxes for better planning. Taxpayers with an idea of how much they might owe in taxes will have a better ability to pay their taxes on time every year.
Stocks
Simply buying stock doesn’t cause a tax liability or have distinct advantages. If a dividend is issued, the income from the dividend is taxable. Selling stock is taxable if a profit is made, and many experts suggest that stockholders wait a year or more before selling. This minimizes the amount of taxes that you have to pay, since it’s taxed at a different rate from your regular income.
You’ll need to make sure you have records of every transaction. If trading on your own, you’ll need to have access to your receipts. When you use a broker, the necessary documents are usually provided. A profit on the sale results in a tax being paid. If you take a loss, this loss can be claimed. In addition to reporting the dividend on your federal tax return, you may also have to report the dividend on your state income tax return.
Bonds
Bonds have some different tax considerations from stocks. There are several types of bonds that must be kept in mind, as bonds are taxed differently depending on the type. Zero Coupon bonds pay at maturity only. However, you’ll be taxed based on the implied annual interest rate. Municipal bonds are subject only to state and local taxes if purchased in your state of residence.
U.S. Treasury bonds are the most popular type of bond purchased. The interest paid on these bonds is taxable at the federal level. You don’t have to pay local or state taxes on these bonds. Bonds issued by corporations are subject to federal and possibly state taxes. As with stocks, be sure to save any tax forms or receipts that are given to you.
Mutual Funds
Mutual funds are a little more complex than stocks and bonds. They can be taxed based on capital gains distributions, sales of shares, and dividend distributions. Capital gains distribution taxes are often assessed at a lower level than the fund owner’s regular employment income. Like stocks, the lower rate depends on the fund having been held for more than a year. Dividends and sales are counted as income. As such, they’re reported on your regular 1040 form.
Special Considerations for Deferred Accounts
Some mutual fund and other investment owners prefer to keep their investments in a deferred account. This could possibly include a 401K account or an IRA. When you own a deferred account, the tax liability becomes an issue when you decide to withdraw funds. If you’re considering setting up your investment accounts this way, be sure you know about any possible tax issues.
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Amanda Demers is a freelance writer for UltimateCoupons.com


