Capital Asset

Property held by a taxpayer, such as houses, cars, stocks, bonds, and jewelry, or a building owned by a corporation to furnish facilities for its employees.

Excluded from capital assets are certain items stated in the INTERNAL REVENUE CODE, for example (1) trade or business property subject to depreciation allowance under the tax laws; (2) real property used in trade or business; (3) certain categories of copyrighted materials and LITERARY PROPERTY; and (4) accounts or notes receivable acquired in the ordinary course of business.

The determination of what constitutes a capital asset is essential to the tax treatment of the profits from the sale of property as capital gains, which are taxed at a lower rate than ordinary income.