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The distributions that various investments pay out and the profits that you may make are often taxable, but in some cases, they’re not. It’s important to remember that it’s not what you make before taxes (pretax) on an investment that matters, but what you get to keep after taxes.

Interest you receive from bank accounts and corporate bonds is generally taxable. U.S. Treasury bonds, which are issued by the U.S. federal government, pay interest that’s state-tax-free but federally taxable.

Municipal bonds, which state and local governments issue, pay interest that’s federally tax-free and also state-tax-free to residents in the state where the bond is issued. (For more on bonds, see Chapter 9.)

Taxation on your capital gains, which is the profit (sales price minus purchase price) on an investment, is computed under a unique federal taxation system. Investments held and then sold in less than one year at a profit generate what is called short-term capital gains, which are taxed at your normal marginal income tax rate (which I explain in the next section).

Profits from investments that you hold longer than 12 months and then sell at a profit generate what are called long-term capital gains. Under current tax law, these long-term gains are taxed at a maximum 20 percent rate, except for most folks in the two lowest income tax brackets: 10 percent and 12 percent. For these folks, the long-term capital gains tax rate is 0 percent (as in nothing). Dividends paid out on stock are also taxed at the same favorable long-term capital gains tax rates under current tax law.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (informally referred to as Obamacare) increased the tax rate on the net investment income for taxpayers with adjusted gross income above $200,000 (single return) or $250,000 (joint return). Net investment income includes interest, dividends, and capital gains. The increased tax rate is 3.8 percent.