Top 5 Companies For 2014

USA TODAY markets reporter Matt Krantz answers a different reader question every weekday. To submit a question, e-mail Matt at mkrantz@usatoday.com.

Q: Is it worth holding off selling a stock to get a lower tax rate?

A: Frequent traders like to say it's never wise to let Uncle Sam make your investment decisions for you. But in reality, tax considerations are enormous and shouldn't be ignored.

When you sell a winning stock that you've own for a year or less, you have quite a bill to pay in many cases. These so-called short-term capital gains are taxed at your ordinary income tax bracket, which ranges from 10% to 35%. That's a hefty bill for most investors.

By holding onto a winning stock for more than a year, when you sell, your gain likely qualifies for the long-term capital gains rate. The long-term capital gains rate is a bargain next to most people's short-term capital gains rates. Investors in the 10% and 15% ordinary income tax rates pay 0% capital gains taxes on their long-term gains. And other investors in the 25% or higher ordinary income tax rates are access long-term capital gains rates of 15%.

Top 5 Companies For 2014: Atlantic Coast Federal Corporation(ACFC)

Atlantic Coast Financial Corporation operates as the bank holding company for Atlantic Coast Bank that provides various banking services to individual and business customers primarily in northeastern Florida and southeastern Georgia. Its deposit products include checking accounts, savings accounts, money market accounts, demand deposit accounts, time deposit accounts, and certificates of deposit. The company?s loan portfolio comprises one- to four-family real estate loans, home-equity loans, commercial real estate loans, commercial and residential construction loans, land and multi-family real estate loans, commercial business loans, and automobile and other consumer loans. It provides its services through 11 full service branch offices. The company was founded in 1939 and is based in Jacksonville, Florida.

Top 5 Companies For 2014: Pioneering Technology Corp (PTE)

Pioneering Technology Corp is a Canada-based energy smart product company that identifies opportunities and engineers solutions, and markets those solutions for existing mainstream applications, and has a research and development department that is tasked to bring new and complementary products to market. Company�� products are focused on saving energy and saving lives. The Company creates platform and derivative technologies that manage, control and/or transform heat into other useful or more friendly forms of energy. The products of the Company include Safe-T-element, Safe-T-sensor, Powergrill, Battery eliminator, Powerpak and Hydro Free Furnace Fan. The Company focused on its Safe-T-element(STE) cooking technology, the only technology solution of its kind that helps prevent stovetop cooking fires before they start while also saving energy.

Best Performing Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Dreyfus Municipal Income Inc.(DMF)

Dreyfus Municipal Income, Inc. is a close ended mutual fund launched and managed by The Dreyfus Corporation. It invests in the fixed income markets. It primarily invests in municipal bonds. Dreyfus Municipal Income, Inc. is domiciled in United States.

Top 5 Companies For 2014: Cobalt Coal Corp (CBT.V)

Cobalt Coal Ltd. engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, and operation of coal properties in West Virginia, the United States. The company produces metallurgical coal, which is used in the production of steel. It owns and operates two coal projects, The Westchester Coal Mine and The Westchester Expansion. The company was formerly known as Cobalt Coal Corp. and changed its name to Cobalt Coal Ltd. in June 2011. Cobalt Coal Ltd. is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.

Top 5 Companies For 2014: Malbex Resources Inc(MBG.V)

Malbex Resources Inc., an exploration stage company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of precious metal projects in Argentina and Peru. The company primarily explores for gold and silver. Its principal property includes Del Carmen project that covers approximately 15,129 hectares located near the southern end of the El Indio Gold Belt, Argentina. The company is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.