Realized Gain
Categories: Tax, Stocks, Mutual Funds
The gain you make when you actually sell a stock or asset at a profit. You may own stocks for years and daydream about what you'd do when you sold it, but until it's sold those gains are unrealized.
Important note: You can't be taxed on unrealized gains, but you will fo' sho' be taxed on the realized ones.
And yes, you'll realize it.
Example
You bought GE at 10 bucks a share. You've held it a few years, and now it's at $30. Nice big fat hefty gain.
When you sell, you will "realize a gain" of $20 a share.