en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_gains_tax_in_the_United_States and, more generally en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_gains_tax Briefly, in the US cap gains are taxe

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_gains_tax_in_the_United_States and, more generally en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_gains_tax Briefly, in the US cap gains are taxed at a special rate separate from regular income; if you hold the associated asset for at least 6 months, this rate only applies to half the capital gains, and if you fall into a low enough income bracket, your rate is significantly reduced.