Submitted By: Valerie
Answered: October 29, 2013 8:30 am

I sold a collectible this year and I’m trying to figure what the tax rate will be on my gain. Is it my tax bracket (15%) or the rate for collectibles gain (28%)?

The special capital gain rates are supposed to allow taxpayers to pay less tax on these gains than on ordinary income. Thus, the special 28% capital gains rate for collectibles applies for taxpayers in the 28%, 33%, 35%, or 39.6% tax bracket; the rate for those in the 10%, 15%, or 25% bracket is effectively the same as the rate on ordinary income. The reason: The capital gains rate is the maximum rate; it cannot exceed the overall rate paid by a person on taxable income. Of course, the collectible gain part of taxable income and can raise the tax bracket for an individual (yours may be higher than 15% after including the collectible gain in income).

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Tax Glossary

Deductions

Items directly reducing income. Personal deductions such as for mortgage interest, state and local taxes, and charitable contributions are allowed only if deductions are itemized on Schedule A, but deductions such as for alimony, capital losses, moving expenses to a new job location, business losses, student loan interest, and IRA and Keogh deductions are deducted from gross income even if itemized deductions are not claimed.

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