Futures Contracts (section 1256 Contracts) are taxed differently than other securities. Regardless of your holding period, Section 1256 contracts are taxed as 60% at long term capital gains rates and 40% at short term capital gains rates. The maximum blended tax rate for futures gains works out to be 26.8% (60% x 20% maximum long term capital gains rate + 40% x 37% maximum short term capital gains rate). This compares very favorable to the maximum short term capital gains rate of 37%.