Capital Gains Tax, Explained

The tax filing deadline is approaching, and there are quite a few new wrinkles in the Tax Code for individuals to consider.  Recently, I have fielded quite a few questions about the recent changes in how capital gains tax is calculated.  Here are the basics you need to know this tax season:

A capital gain is realized when a capital asset is sold or exchanged at a price higher than the price paid for that asset (or its “basis”). Basis is defined as an asset’s purchase price, plus commissions and the cost of improvements (if any), minus depreciation. 

A capital loss happens when an asset is sold for less than its basis. Capital gains and losses are not adjusted for inflation. 

Long term capital gains and losses occur if the asset was held for more than one year.  

Short term capital gains and losses occur if the asset was held for less than one year.  

So what are the capital gains tax rates?

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 changes things up quite a bit from the prior methods of capital gains taxation.  

Let’s first address an easy concept:  Short term capital gains are taxed at the same rate as ordinary income.  If you have bought and sold a capital asset within one year, you just pay your normal federal income tax rate on that gain.  

For long term capital gains, however, it not that straightforward. The long term capital gains tax rate is either 0%, 15% or 20%, depending on your income level. This is most easily described by the following chart:

Gains on the sale of artworks and collectibles are taxed as ordinary income up to a maximum 28 percent rate. 

A Reality Check for Content Creators With YouTube Channels

It's no secret that YouTube has effectively replaced television and the radio in terms of the distribution of content.  For my clients who have YouTube Channels, and use that revenue as part of their business strategy, there is a recent study from Offenberg University in Germany that holds that the average YouTube channel owner can't generate enough cash to crack the poverty line in the United States.

The language of the write up in Bloomberg I've linked to is bleak, but it is a bit overly glum in my opinion. 

While YouTube's payment rates are a bit opaque, to be kind, my advice to budding entrepreneurs and creators out there is that revenue from a YouTube channel should be part of your strategy, but not your entire strategy.  Every stable business is stable because it has multiple revenue streams, and that concept certainly applies in the new economy. 

Announcing Legal Boot Camp for Creatives

On January 24th, in partnership with ArtsQuest, I present Legal Boot Camp for Creatives, a one hour session where small business owners and creators can learn what steps they should take in order to protect their assets, organize their business and limit their liability when entering into business transactions.  If you are a freelancer and/or creator, this session is for you! 

Tickets are ON SALE NOW HERE. 

This is the first in a  monthly series with ArtsQuest that will continue through June 2018.  More details on the next sessions will be available soon. 

When Video Game Makers Sue Users for Broadcasting Cheat Codes

The video gaming industry is a massive, multi billion dollar business in the United States.  It is also a business that is almost totally intangible (with the exception of merchandise sales that carry the branding of individual companies or game titles.

Computer code is copyrightable, and before any major titles are released, that software is in fact protected by trademarks and/or copyrights.  

As one would expect, the video game developers protect their intellectual property through the use of copyrights, patents, trademarks, all of which are enforceable.  If they can't protect their IP, then they don't have a product to sell. 

There are a couple of new concepts at play in this legal update, but the basis for litigation described below is traditional copyright law. 

If you have a child or young person in your life who is under the age of 18, you know that one of the most widely watched type of YouTube videos are gaming videos, where a video gamer has recorded (or has livestreamed) his or her gameplay, and provided commentary of what he or she is doing. The actual online environment of the game is broadcast via YouTube.  

One thing that gamers tend to publish on YouTube are cheat codes for certain video games.  What is a cheat code?  A cheat code is just what it sounds like they are: pieces of software that can be downloaded that give the cheat code user special powers or abilities within the game that other players do not have.  With the rise of multiplayer games, there is an expectation in the game player community that the playing field (no matter how virtual) is level, and that all players are operating within the same online environment without unfair advantage.  More on that later. 

It's not surprising then that a company like Epic Games would file suit in federal court alleging a copyright infringement claim, among other claims, against an individual who admitted to using cheat codes on his YouTube channel.  Why?  The plaintiff alleges that the defendant violated Epic's End User Licensing Agreement ("EULA") by using and broadcasting the cheat and refusing to take down the YouTube video, among other copyright infringement claims.  It is important to note two things: 1) the original game was free, and apparently there was no consideration paid for the initial game, and 2) the defendant is a minor. 

There are many questions before the court in this case.  Is a cheat code a violation of copyright law?  Is an EULA enforceable against a minor?  Did the plaintiff violate the defendant's privacy by publishing his name?

While this case is in the beginning stages, there will be additional updates as it progresses.