[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":111},["ShallowReactive",2],{"article:\u002Farticles\u002Ftax-loss-harvesting-basics":3},{"article":4,"related":96},{"id":5,"title":6,"author":7,"body":8,"category":81,"description":82,"extension":83,"kind":84,"meta":85,"navigation":86,"path":87,"publishedAt":88,"readingTime":89,"reviewer":90,"seo":91,"stem":92,"trending":93,"updatedAt":94,"__hash__":95},"articles\u002Farticles\u002Ftax-loss-harvesting-basics.md","Tax-Loss Harvesting Basics","Lynktor Editorial Team",{"type":9,"value":10,"toc":73},"minimark",[11,16,25,29,36,42,46,53,57,70],[12,13,15],"h2",{"id":14},"the-idea","The idea",[17,18,19,20,24],"p",{},"When an investment in a taxable account is worth less than you paid, you can sell it and ",[21,22,23],"strong",{},"realize the loss",". Realized losses offset realized capital gains, which lowers the tax you owe.",[12,26,28],{"id":27},"how-much-it-can-save","How much it can save",[17,30,31,32,35],{},"In the U.S., losses first offset gains of the same type, then other gains. If losses exceed gains, up to ",[21,33,34],{},"$3,000 a year"," can offset ordinary income. Anything left carries forward to future years.",[37,38,39],"pull-quote",{},[17,40,41],{},"A loss you cannot avoid can still be put to work.",[12,43,45],{"id":44},"the-wash-sale-rule","The wash-sale rule",[17,47,48,49,52],{},"If you buy the same or a \"substantially identical\" security within ",[21,50,51],{},"30 days before or after"," the sale, the loss is disallowed for now. Many investors instead buy a similar but not identical fund to keep their market exposure.",[12,54,56],{"id":55},"things-to-keep-in-mind","Things to keep in mind",[58,59,60,64,67],"ul",{},[61,62,63],"li",{},"It only applies in taxable accounts, not in IRAs or 401(k)s.",[61,65,66],{},"Selling lowers your cost basis on the replacement, so more gain may be taxed later. The benefit is deferral, plus lower rates if gains become long-term.",[61,68,69],{},"Trading costs and complexity can outweigh small savings.",[17,71,72],{},"Tax rules are detailed and change over time. For large amounts, check with a tax professional.",{"title":74,"searchDepth":75,"depth":75,"links":76},"",2,[77,78,79,80],{"id":14,"depth":75,"text":15},{"id":27,"depth":75,"text":28},{"id":44,"depth":75,"text":45},{"id":55,"depth":75,"text":56},"taxes","How selling investments at a loss can lower your tax bill, and the wash-sale rule that trips people up.","md","article",{},true,"\u002Farticles\u002Ftax-loss-harvesting-basics","2026-02-18",1,"Lynktor Research Desk",{"title":6,"description":82},"articles\u002Ftax-loss-harvesting-basics",false,"2026-09-18","F83cXjpgogsjisL6ez7flHQeEcBWN8M-9z2z_gHV8Xk",[97,102,107],{"title":98,"description":99,"path":100,"category":101,"readingTime":89},"What the Fed Does With Interest Rates","How the Federal Reserve's policy rate reaches your mortgage, your savings account, and the stock market.","\u002Farticles\u002Fwhat-the-fed-does-with-interest-rates","economy",{"title":103,"description":104,"path":105,"category":106,"readingTime":89},"Why Starting Early Beats Investing More","Two savers put in the same $96,000. One ends up with more than twice as much. The difference is twenty years of compounding.","\u002Farticles\u002Fwhy-starting-early-beats-investing-more","investing",{"title":108,"description":109,"path":110,"category":106,"readingTime":89},"The Hidden Cost of a 1% Fund Fee","A fee that looks small takes nearly a quarter of a portfolio over thirty years. Here is how the math works.","\u002Farticles\u002Fthe-hidden-cost-of-fund-fees",1793226379317]