The wash sale rule prevents claiming a tax loss if you (or your spouse, or an entity you control) buy 'substantially identical' securities within 30 days before or after the sale. The disallowed loss is added to the cost basis of the replacement shares, deferring (not eliminating) the loss. Wash sale rules apply across all your accounts including IRAs — a loss in your taxable account followed by purchase in your IRA permanently disallows the loss. Selling Apple at a loss and buying Microsoft is not a wash sale; both Apple are. Wash sale rules don't apply to gains, only losses.
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Wash Sale Rule
August 22, 2026 · Aditya Gupta
Tax
Related terms
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