An important part of estate planning is protecting your family from paying a fortune in estate taxes. Our Estate Taxes articles are full of tips to help you navigate this often-confusing area.
In May 2006 President Bush signed into law the Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act of 2005. The measure extends to 2010 the reduced tax rate of 15 percent on long-term capital gains for taxpayers in the 25-percent or higher tax brackets and five percent for individuals in the 10-percent or 15-percent income tax brackets. Without further action, the rates will jump by five percent in 2011. In real estate transactions, owing capital gains tax depends on the use of the property and the length of time you have owned the property before selling.
If a real estate owner does not pay the required taxes on a property, the county will offer the property up for sale at an auction as a 'tax sale' to help generate the lost tax income. There are two types of tax sales—tax lien sales and tax deed sales. Both result in a flexible and secure investment with minimal market risk.