A practical 2026 guide to the wash sale rule (IRS §1091): the 30-days-before-and-after 61-day window, how disallowed losses roll into cost basis, the permanent IRA repurchase trap, what 'substantially identical' means, ETF-switch workarounds, and the current crypto exception.
How the step-up in cost basis works when you inherit stock in the US, how to figure date-of-death fair market value, the double step-up in community property states, which assets like IRAs do not get a step-up, gifting versus inheriting, and the mistakes that cost heirs the most.
If you hold highly appreciated employer stock inside a 401(k) or ESOP, a simple IRA rollover can quietly cost you tens of thousands in taxes. This 2026 guide explains the NUA election—paying ordinary income tax only on the cost basis now and long-term capital gains on the appreciation later—plus the lump-sum rules, when NUA beats a rollover, and the mistakes that permanently void it.
A Section 1035 exchange lets you move from an old annuity or life insurance policy into a better one without triggering tax on the gain. Here's what qualifies, what doesn't, and the surrender-charge traps to avoid before you sign.