Short-Term Capital Gains
Profit on assets held one year or less, taxed at your higher ordinary income rates.
Short-term capital gains come from selling an asset you held for one year or less. They're taxed as ordinary income, the same rates as your wages, which is typically higher than the preferential long-term rate. This is a core reason buy-and-hold investing is more tax-efficient than frequent trading.
The one-year holding period is a bright line: selling even a day past a year can shift a gain from short-term to long-term treatment and meaningfully lower the tax. It's worth knowing your holding dates before you sell.
This definition is general information to help you understand a term, not financial, tax, or legal advice. Figures that change year to year (limits, thresholds, rates) should be confirmed against current official sources. For guidance on your situation, a licensed fee-only fiduciary is the right next step.