Back to FAQs

What is the difference between short-term and long-term capital gains in PortfolioPilot's tax analysis?

Two tax categories that follow IRS rules:

  • Short-term capital gains - profits from selling assets held for one year or less. Taxed as ordinary income at your regular federal tax bracket.
  • Long-term capital gains - profits from selling assets held for more than one year. Taxed at preferential long-term rates that depend on your taxable income.

Tax Optimization distinguishes between short-term and long-term positions when identifying tax-loss harvesting opportunities - it prioritizes short-term losses first, since they offset short-term gains taxed at higher rates.

You can review your YTD realized gains in Transactions, which shows each transaction's holding period and gain/loss. Tax features are available on Gold and above.

Last updated on
June 4, 2026

How optimized is your portfolio?

PortfolioPilot is used by over 50,000 individuals in the US & Canada to analyze their portfolios of over $40 billion1. Discover your portfolio score now:

Sign up for free