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Infographic: Unlocking a $15M+ Tax Break with QSBS

By Joe Wallin,

Published on Dec 29, 2025   —   1 min read

Photo by Lewis Meyers / Unsplash

Summary

This post features a concise infographic explaining the major tax exclusion available under the Qualified Small Business Stock (QSBS) rules.

This post features a concise infographic explaining the major tax exclusion available under the Qualified Small Business Stock (QSBS) rules. If you’re a founder or investor, this visual guide outlines the potential to exclude up to $15 million (or 10× your investment basis) in capital gains, the tiered holding periods, and the key requirements your stock must meet to qualify. Check out the graphic below for a quick overview.

This infographic explains the Qualified Small Business Stock (QSBS) tax exclusion, showing how founders and investors can exclude up to $15M or 10× their investment basis from capital gains by meeting holding periods (3 years = 50%, 4 years = 75%, 5+ years = 100%) and requirements (C-corporation, assets under $75M, active qualified business, stock acquired at original issuance).

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