Trump is considering pushing for capital gains tax cuts before the midterm elections, and the core of this isn't just lowering the nominal tax rate. One proposal is to tax capital gains after adjusting for inflation: for example, if an asset nominally increases by 50%, and 20% of that increase is solely due to inflation, only the remaining real increase would be taxed, effectively reducing the real tax burden on long-term holdings of stocks, real estate, and business assets. Kudlow publicly promoted this proposal in July, suggesting increasing the current $250,000 tax exemption for individuals and $500,000 for couples on the sale of their homes.
For the market, such policies primarily benefit asset holders and trading activity. However, it's more important to view this as a policy direction before the midterm elections, rather than a tax cut already implemented. Directly modifying tax rates or expanding home tax exemptions typically requires congressional legislation; even indexing capital gains for inflation through executive action presents significant legal challenges.
