Expansion of qualified small business stock gain exclusion
One area with noteworthy changes and opportunities is Section 1202.
- Phased-In Increase in § 1202(a)(1) Exclusion
Before
- Taxpayers (other than corporations) excluded 100 percent of gain on QSBS held more than 5 years (exclusion rate for shares acquired before September 28, 2010, was 50%).
After (New § 1202(a)(1) & (5))
- Pre-“Applicable Date” Stock
- 50 percent exclusion remains for stock acquired on or before the date of enactment (i.e., July 4, 2025) and held over 5 years.
- Post-“Applicable Date” Stock (i.e., stock acquired after July 4, 2025)
- 3 years held → 50 percent exclusion
- 4 years held → 75 percent exclusion
- 5 years or more held → 100 percent exclusion
- Citation: IRC § 1202(a)(1)(B) & new § 1202(a)(5).
- Defining “Applicable Date” and “Acquisition Date”
- The bill adds § 1202(a)(6)(A): “applicable date” = July 4, 2025.
- The bill adds § 1202(a)(6)(B): “acquisition date” = shall be the first day on which such stock was held by the taxpayer determined after the application of section 1223
- Preference Item Status
- For AMT purposes, gain on pre-2010 QSBS remains a tax-preference item; post-applicable-date QSBS gain is not.
- Citation: IRC § 57(a)(7) & § 1202(a)(4) conforming edits.
- For AMT purposes, gain on pre-2010 QSBS remains a tax-preference item; post-applicable-date QSBS gain is not.
- Per-Issuer Dollar-Limit Increase (§ 1202(b)(1)–(4))
Before
- Lifetime exclusion capped at the larger of $10 million (MFJ) and $5 million (MFS) or 10 × basis.
After
- Stock Acquired On/Before Applicable Date (i.e., for stock acquired on or before July 4, 2025)
- Lifetime gain exclusion remains the greater of $10 million (MFJ) and $5 million (MFS) or 10x basis.
- Citation: IRC § 1202(b)(4)(A).
- Lifetime gain exclusion remains the greater of $10 million (MFJ) and $5 million (MFS) or 10x basis.
- Stock Acquired After Applicable Date (i.e., for stock acquired after July 4, 2025)
- Lifetime gain exclusion is increased to the greater over $15 million (MFJ) and $7.5 million (MFS) (reduced by prior gains from that issuer), indexed for inflation starting 2026 or 10x basis.
- Citation: IRC § 1202(b)(4)(B), § 1202(b)(4)(B)(i–ii) & IRC § 1202(b)(3)(A)(i–ii).
- Lifetime gain exclusion is increased to the greater over $15 million (MFJ) and $7.5 million (MFS) (reduced by prior gains from that issuer), indexed for inflation starting 2026 or 10x basis.
- Citation: Inflation Adjustment
- Post-date $15 million limit is increased annually by the cost-of-living index (base year 2025), rounded to $10,000 increments.
- Once you exceed the cap, subsequent years’ cap for that issuer is zero.
- Citation: IRC § 1202(b)(4)(B)(“Inflation Adjustment”).
- Increase in Aggregate Asset Test (§ 1202(d)(1))
Before
- To qualify as a “small business,” C-corporation assets at issuance ≤ $50 million.
After
- For corporations formed on or after July 4, 2025, the asset cap is increased to $75 million, indexed for inflation after 2026 (rounding to $10,000).
- Citation: IRC § 1202(d)(1)(A–B) & added § 1202(d) (“Inflation Adjustment”).
- Effective date : 7/4/2025