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Part I: Tax Rules Every Investor Needs to Know.

1 Understanding Taxes and Investing.

Understanding Your Marginal Tax Rate.

What Your Tax Bracket Means.

How To Find Your Tax Bracket.

Understanding Your Filing Status.

Kinds of Income.

Total Income.

Adjusted Gross Income.

Taxable Income.

Personal Exemption.

Tax Credits.

Other Taxes.

Total Tax.

Taxes and Investing.

2 Investing in Stocks.

Capital Gains and Losses.

Investment Implications of Capital Gains Tax Rules.

Five-Year Rule.

Understanding Your Cost Basis.

The Wash Sale Rule.

Related-Party Rule.

Dividends.

Short Sales.

Options Contracts.

Writing off Investment Expenses.

Tax Points to Remember when Investing in Stocks.

3 Investing in Bonds.

Bond Basics.

Taxes.

Investing in Bonds.

Characteristics of Bonds.

Tax-Saving Bond Strategies.

4 Investing in Mutual Funds.

Mutual Fund Basics.

Tax-Saving Mutual Fund Strategies.

Investing in Tax-Efficient Funds.

Buying and Selling Mutual Funds.

5 Investing in Real Estate.

Principal Residence.

Vacation Homes.

Rental Property.

Real Estate Investment Trusts.

Tips for Saving Taxes on Real Estate.

6 Investing in Tax Shelters.

The Tax Benefits of Life Insurance.

7 Retirement Accounts.

How You Save Taxes with Retirement Accounts.

Maxing out Your Retirement Plan Contributions.

What to Do with Your Retirement Account at Retirement.

Individual Retirement Account.

Retirement Savings Credit for Low-Income Savers.

How and when You Can Take Money out of Retirement Accounts.

Taking Distributions from a Roth IRA.

What Happens to Your IRA When You Die?

What Happens When You Inherit an IRA?

Saving for Retirement: Which Plan Is Best?

Arranging Withdrawals in Retirement.

8 College and Family Planning.

Financial Aid.

Tax Incentives for Education.

Tips on Paying for College.

Family Financial Planning.

Family Events.

9 Managing Taxes All Year Long.

Tax-Planning Worksheet.

How To Use the Tax-Planning Worksheet.

Tax on Social Security Benefits.

Taxable Income.

Making Estimated Tax Payments.

Tips for Managing Taxes All Year Long.

Tax Planning Worksheets.

10 The Nuts and Bolts of Reporting.

Overview of Tax Forms.

Interest and Dividend Income.

Claiming the Investment Interest Expense Deduction.

Reporting Capital Gains and Losses.

Tax Reporting Associated with Retirement Accounts.

Tax Reporting Associated with College and Family Planning.

Estimated Tax.

Change of Address.

Installment Agreement Request.

Part II: Special Situations/Advanced Tax Rules.

11 Alternative Minimum Tax.

Estimating Your Chances of Having to Pay the AMT and Planning Accordingly.

Calculating the AMT.

AMT Relief Ahead?

12 Stock Options.

What Are Stock Options?

Nonqualified Options.

Incentive Stock Options.

Understand Your Options.

13 Qualifying as a Trader.

IRS Rules for Traders.

Reporting Income and Expenses.

Mark-to-Market Traders.

Appendix I: IRS Forms for Individuals.

Appendix II: IRS Forms for the Alternative Minimum Tax.

Appendix III: IRS Forms for Small Businesses.

Index.