For stock investors it provides complete coverage of the relevant tax provisions, including the capital loss limitation, how to identify shares, the wash sale rule, and the special tax rate for qualified dividends. Mutual fund investors will learn how and when to use the averaging rules for sales of mutual fund shares and how to handle all the categories of mutual fund dividends. Advanced investors will find a clear explanation of tax rules for short sales, stock options and "straddles." The book also explains how buying and selling activity may qualify you as a trader — and if so, how that will affect your taxes.
This isn't an all-purpose book on taxation of investments. You won't learn about Roth IRAs or variable annuities or even the rules for reporting interest from government bonds. The goal is to do one thing well: explain how people who buy and sell stocks, mutual funds and stock options can minimize the tax cost of those investments.
