Replies to post #9823 on A.I.M. Users Bulletin Board (AIMUSERS)

[OldAIMGuy]

Hi Patrick, There's another alternative to the ST capital gain delemma. It's "Short against the Box."

This helps because it captures the profit just as though you had made a typical "Long" sale. However, until you close out the trade and satisfy the "Short against the Box" position, it remains a null event as far as taxes go. 370 days later you can close out the "box" sale, realize the gain as Long Term with the same profit you would have had originally, but with only 15% tax instead of about double that.

This can be a nice alternative and it keeps one working right according "to the book."

Best regards, Tom

[ButchB]

Patrick, You could also sell call options against the shares that AIM is suggesting you sell. Say AIM is suggesting you sell 500 shares at $10.00, you could sell 5 March 2004 Calls with a $10.00 strike price and collect $185 ea. in premium (or you could go further out and collect more). Thats $925.00 or more that gets put in your account immediately and you can do with it as you please. You still own the stock until the options expire and if RHAT is below $10 at that time then you clear $925.00 for your efforts. If RHAT is above the $10 strike then you let the shares go to the option holder just as if you had sold them at $10. You get the $10 per share plus the option premium you collected, for a total of $11.85!

I have been doing this type of thing with some of my holdings for several years. I have collected alot of option premium during that time. I usually sell only one month out and when they expire sell the next month out.....

Butch