What is REALIZED?
Realized gains are like when you sell your old toys at a yard sale for more than you bought them for. The extra money you get is your realized gain. It's the profit you actually made after selling something.
What is UNREALIZED GAINS?
Unrealized gains are like if you have a rare Pokemon card that's now worth way more money, but you haven't sold it yet. It could be worth more, but you don't have the money in your hand yet. That's an unrealized gain.
Key Differences
The biggest difference is that REALIZED gains are real money in your pocket. You sold something and made a profit! UNREALIZED gains are just on paper. Your thing could be worth more, but it's not guaranteed.
Another difference is when you use them. REALIZED gains are used when you need to figure out how much money you actually earned and how much tax you might owe. UNREALIZED gains are used to see how well your investments are doing, even if you don't sell them.
Finally, realized gains are a done deal. The sale happened. Unrealized gains can change. The value of your Pokemon card could go up or down!
When to Use Each One
Use REALIZED gains when you sell something, like a bike or a video game, and want to know how much profit you made. For example, if you bought a bike for $50 and sold it for $75, your REALIZED gain is $25.
Use UNREALIZED gains when you want to see if your investments are growing. Imagine you have some shares in a company (like owning a tiny piece of a big business). Even if you don't sell those shares, their price might go up. That's an UNREALIZED gain, and it shows your investment is doing well.
The Bottom Line
REALIZED gains are about money you already have, and UNREALIZED gains are about money you could have. Both are useful! Use REALIZED gains to track your actual profits and UNREALIZED gains to see if your investments are growing. Understanding both helps you make smarter choices with your money.