capital gains

6 synonyms and 1 antonym for capital gains, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Noun — The profit made when an asset such as a share, a property or a work of art is sold for more than it cost to buy. Usually plural, though a single such profit is a capital gain.

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

gain

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

capital appreciation realised profit investment profit capital gains tax CGT

Synonyms by Meaning

1. noun

The profit made when an asset such as a share, a property or a work of art is sold for more than it cost to buy. Usually plural, though a single such profit is a capital gain.

“Almost all her capital gains that year came from selling the flat.”

capital appreciation realised profit investment profit gain

Opposites

capital loss

2. noun chiefly attributive

Short for capital gains tax, the tax charged on such profits in many countries. Used attributively, as in capital gains rate.

“The sale pushed him into a higher capital gains band.”

capital gains tax CGT

How to use capital gains

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

long-term capital gains capital gains tax offset capital gains realise a capital gain

Neutral and standard in financial, legal and tax writing. Normally plural; the singular capital gain refers to one specific profit.

Etymology

From capital in its financial sense of wealth held as assets, plus gain, an increase in value.

Full origin of capital gains →

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a realised and an unrealised capital gain?

An unrealised gain, sometimes called a paper gain, is the rise in value of something you still hold. It becomes a realised gain at the moment you sell and the profit actually exists as money. Tax rules in most countries are concerned with realised gains, so a rise on paper is generally not a taxable event by itself.

What is the difference between capital gains and dividends?

A capital gain comes from selling an asset for more than you paid. A dividend is a payment a company makes out of its profits to people who hold its shares, and you receive it without selling anything. Many countries tax the two differently.

How is a capital gain calculated?

In broad terms it is the sale price minus what the asset cost you, where the cost usually includes purchase price and certain associated expenses. That cost figure is often called the cost basis or base cost. The precise rules, allowances and rates differ by country.

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