Legal Ways To Reduce Taxes On Precious Metals

Above, 1964 Kennedy Half dollars. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

With silver rising in the spot price market, collectors and investors have to be mindful of what the Internal Revenue Service wants during tax reporting time.

Economic Times posted an article how to reduce one's tax burden on precious metals.

They posted:

IRS tax rules for silver and gold: 

Silver’s surge past $90 an ounce has grabbed attention as gold climbed toward $5,300 in 2025 and 2026. Demand tied to the green economy, including heavy silver use in high-efficiency solar panels and the fact that EVs require roughly twice as much silver as gas-powered cars, has helped drive the rally, as per a report. 

How the IRS Taxes Silver and Other Precious Metals: The 28% Collectible Tax Rule Explained

But taxes can take a large share of those profits. The IRS treats physical precious metals differently from stocks, and profits may be taxed at rates of up to 28% or more.

Silver is a capital asset, meaning any profit from selling it must be reported on Schedule D of your federal tax return, as per the Yahoo Finance report.

Many investors assume holding silver for more than a year qualifies for the same long-term capital gains rates as stocks. However, the IRS classifies physical metals such as silver bars, rounds, and coins as collectibles.

If silver is held for one year or less, profits are taxed as ordinary income, which can be as high as 37% depending on your tax bracket.

If it’s held longer than a year, the gain is still taxed at your ordinary income rate but capped at 28%.

The article then goes on to tell how the tax burden can be reduced.

To read the full article, go here. 

Five Things You Should Not Miss In Japan

Above, our shinkansen train at Atami Station. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

An article has surfaced on the Times of India website, Economic Times on five things that visitors should not miss while visiting Japan.

I have experienced three of them already. Each are worthwhile.

The article begins with:

The picturesque destination of Japan is an intriguing 'Land of the Rising Sun' indeed. Gifted with great historic architecture, cutting edge technology, fascinating fashion and cultural extravaganza, Japan is the place to visit! Famous for its temples and shrines, you could spend weeks and months in cities such as Kyoto or Nara where you can feast your eyes on architectural marvels, unique cuisine and traditional highlights. 

The photo that accompanies this blog post is one of them.

To read more, go here.

Trip Planner To Japan

Above, the gardens of Kyoto's Nijo Castle.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The Economic Times (from the Times of India) has a good article on planning a trip to Japan.

It begins with:

Culture, history, retail therapy, grief tourism ... Japan packs all this and more. ET tells you how to ensure a smooth, convenient trip to the country in any of the four seasons.

 I don't know what "grief tourism" is, but the article does contain some great tips on making a visit to Japan an enjoyable one.

One item caught my eye.  It is on the recommended trip duration.

According to the Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO), the ideal trip duration would be 6-7 days.

Personally, my trip durations in Japan tended to be about 9-12 days in length.  Maybe that's just me. Also, they say the spring or summer seasons are the best for visiting. Perhaps for some people, but the summers in Japan can be brutally hot and humid and not my cup of tea.  I prefer autumn or spring.

Despite some disagreements, it is a worthwhile article to read for some ideas.

To read the article, go here.