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Concept
Capital gain
Summary
Capital gain is an economic concept defined as the profit earned on the sale of an asset which has increased in value over the holding period. An asset may include tangible property, a car, a business, or intangible property such as shares.
A capital gain is only possible when the selling price of the asset is greater than the original purchase price. In the event that the purchase price exceeds the sale price, a capital loss occurs. Capital gains are often subject to taxation, of which rates and exemptions may differ between countries. The history of capital gain originates at the birth of the modern economic system and its evolution has been described as complex and multidimensional by a variety of economic thinkers. The concept of capital gain may be considered comparable with other key economic concepts such as profit and rate of return, however its distinguishing feature is that individuals, not just businesses, can accrue capital gains through everyday acquisition and disposal of assets.
The history of capital gain in human development includes conceptualizations from pre-1865 slave capital in the United States, to the development of property rights in France in 1789, and even other developments much earlier. The official beginning of a practical application of capital gain occurred with the development of the Babylonian's financial system circa 2000 B.C. This system introduced treasuries where citizens could deposit silver and gold for safekeeping, and also transact with other members of the economy. As such, this allowed the Babylonians to calculate costs, sale prices and profits, and hence capital gains.
Capital gain is generally calculated through taking the sale price of an asset and subtracting its base cost and any incurred expenses. The resulting value will be the capital gain, or capital loss if negative. In reality, many governments provide supplementary methods of calculating capital gains for both individuals and businesses. These methods can provide taxation relief through lowering the calculated capital gain value.
Official source
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