September 14, 2010 Federal Capital Gains Tax Collections, 1954-2009 Print this page Subscribe Support our work Download Federal Capital Gains Tax Collections, 1954-2009 ($Millions) Year Realized Capital Gains Taxes Paid on Capital Gains Effective Capital Gains Tax Rate Realized Gains as Percentage of GDP Maximum Tax Rate on Long-Term Gains (a) 1954 $7,157 $1,010 14.1% 1.88% 25% 1955 $9,881 $1,465 14.8% 2.38% 25% 1956 $9,683 $1,402 14.5% 2.21% 25% 1957 $8,110 $1,115 13.7% 1.76% 25% 1958 $9,440 $1,309 13.9% 2.02% 25% 1959 $13,137 $1,920 14.6% 2.59% 25% 1960 $11,747 $1,687 14.4% 2.23% 25% 1961 $16,001 $2,481 15.5% 2.94% 25% 1962 $13,451 $1,954 14.5% 2.3% 25% 1963 $14,579 $2,143 14.7% 2.36% 25% 1964 $17,431 $2,482 14.2% 2.62% 25% 1965 $21,484 $3,003 14.0% 2.99% 25% 1966 $21,348 $2,905 13.6% 2.71% 25% 1967 $27,535 $4,112 14.9% 3.31% 25% 1968 $35,607 $5,943 16.7% 3.91% 26.9% 1969 $31,439 $5,275 16.8% 3.19% 27.5% 1970 $20,848 $3,161 15.2% 2.01% 32.21% 1971 $28,341 $4,350 15.3% 2.52% 34.25% 1972 $35,869 $5,708 15.9% 2.9% 36.5% 1973 $35,757 $5,366 15.0% 2.59% 36.5% 1974 $30,217 $4,253 14.1% 2.02% 36.5% 1975 $30,903 $4,534 14.7% 1.89% 36.5% 1976 $39,492 $6,621 16.8% 2.16% 39.875% 1977 $45,338 $8,232 18.2% 2.23% 39.875% 1978 $50,526 $9,104 18.0% 2.2% 39.875%/33.85% 1979 $73,443 $11,753 16.0% 2.87% 28% 1980 $74,132 $12,459 16.8% 2.66% 28% 1981 $80,938 $12,852 15.9% 2.59% 28%/20% 1982 $90,153 $12,900 14.3% 2.77% 20% 1983 $122,773 $18,700 15.2% 3.47% 20% 1984 $140,500 $21,453 15.3% 3.57% 20% 1985 $171,985 $26,460 15.4% 4.08% 20% 1986 $327,725 $52,914 16.1% 7.35% 20% 1987 $148,449 $33,714 22.7% 3.13% 28% 1988 $162,592 $38,866 23.9% 3.19% 28% 1989 $154,040 $35,258 22.9% 2.81% 28% 1990 $123,783 $27,829 22.5% 2.13% 28% 1991 $111,592 $24,903 22.3% 1.86% 28.93% 1992 $126,692 $28,983 22.9% 2% 28.93% 1993 $152,259 $36,112 23.7% 2.28% 29.19% 1994 $152,727 $36,243 23.7% 2.16% 29.19% 1995 $180,130 $44,254 24.6% 2.43% 29.19% 1996 $260,696 $66,396 25.5% 3.33% 29.19% 1997 $364,829 $79,305 21.7% 4.38% 29.19%/21.19% 1998 $455,223 $89,069 19.6% 5.18% 21.19% 1999 $552,608 $111,821 20.2% 5.91% 21.19% 2000 $644,285 $127,297 19.8% 6.47% 21.19% 2001 $349,441 $65,668 18.8% 3.4% 21.17% 2002 $268,615 $49,122 18.3% 2.52% 21.16% 2003 $323,306 $51,340 15.9% 2.9% 21.05%/16.05% 2004 $499,154 $73,213 14.7% 4.21% 16.05% 2005 $690,152 $102,174 14.8% 5.46% 16.05% 2006 $798,214 $117,793 14.8% 5.96% 15.7% 2007 $924,164 $137,141 14.8% 6.57% 15.7% 2008 $497,841 $68,791 13.8% 3.46% 15.35% 2009 $263,460 $36,686 13.9% 1.89% 15.35% Note: Includes short and long-term net positive gains. Long-term gains excluded prior to 1987 are included in realized capital gains. Data for each year include some prior year returns. (a) The maximum tax rate includes effects of exclusions (1954-1986), alternative tax rates (1954-1986; 1991-1996), the minimum tax (1970-1978), alternative minimum tax (1979-1996), income tax surcharges (1968-1970), and the 3% floor under itemized deductions (1991-1998). Midyear rate changes occurred in 1978, 1981, 1997 and 2003. Source: Tax Foundation, Treasury Department Was this page helpful to you? Yes! No Thank You! The Tax Foundation works hard to provide insightful tax policy analysis. Our work depends on support from members of the public like you. Would you consider contributing to our work? Contribute to the Tax Foundation Share This Article! Let us know how we can better serve you! We work hard to make our analysis as useful as possible. Would you consider telling us more about how we can do better? Give Us Feedback Topics Center for Federal Tax Policy Individual Capital Gains and Dividends Taxes Tax Data Tags State and Local Tax Collections