What Is a Tax-Free Savings Account? A tax-free savings account (TFSA) is a Canadian savings account in which contributions, interest earned, dividends, and capital gains grow tax free. Money withdrawn from it is also tax free. The money deposited in TFSAs is an after-tax contribution, meaning it’s made with money that’s already been taxed. Therefore
What Is a Tax-Free Spinoff? A tax-free spinoff refers to a corporate action in which a publicly traded company spins off one of its business units as an entirely new company without tax implications. This type of transaction is deemed to be “tax-free” because the parent company is still able to divest the business it
What Is Tax-Loss Harvesting? Tax-loss harvesting is the timely selling of securities at a loss to offset the amount of capital gains tax owed from selling profitable assets. This strategy is commonly used to limit short-term capital gains, commonly taxed at a higher rate than long-term capital gains, to preserve the value of the investor’s portfolio while
What Is a Tax Holiday? A tax holiday is a temporary tax break. In the United States, tax holidays often suspend state and local sales taxes paid by consumers. Governments also use tax holidays as investment incentives that may exempt a new plant from property taxes for a number of years, for example. Key Takeaways
What Is a Tax Home? A tax home is the general locality of an individual’s primary place of work. It is the entire city or general vicinity where their principal place of business, employment, or post of duty is located, regardless of the location of the individual’s primary residence. An individual’s tax home affects their
What Is a Tax Identification Number (TIN)? A Tax Identification Number (TIN) is a nine-digit number used as a tracking number by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It is required information on all tax returns filed with the IRS. All U.S. tax identification numbers (TIN) or tax I.D. numbers are issued directly by the IRS except Social
What Is Tax Indexing? Tax indexing is the adjustment of the various rates of taxation in response to inflation and to avoid bracket creep. Bracket creep occurs when inflation drives income into higher tax brackets, resulting in higher income taxes but no real increase in purchasing power. Tax indexing attempts to eliminate the potential for
What Is Tax Liability? Tax liability is the payment owed by an individual, business, or other entity to a federal, state, or local tax authority. Generally, you have a tax liability when you earn income or generate profits by selling an investment or other asset. It is possible to have no income tax liability if
What Is a Tax Lien? A tax lien is a legal claim against the assets of an individual or business that fails to pay taxes owed to the government. In general, a lien serves to guarantee payment of a debt such as a loan, or in this case, taxes. If the obligation is not satisfied
Taxable Event: An Overview A taxable event is any action or transaction that may result in taxes owed to the government. Common examples of federal taxable events include receiving a payment of interest and dividends, selling stock shares for a profit, and exercising stock options. Receipt of a paycheck is a taxable event. Understanding the
