Having only traded the ES before this year, now that I've added other contracts to my mix, like CL, are all futures contracts considered 1256 contracts with the split long/short term capital gains rate or just some? If it's just some, is there a definitive list of which are which?
yeah, they are all 1256. Forex is a special situation and open to debate. But currency futures, corn and ES and Crude and coffee are all the same, same with bonds (zn). ETF's don't qualilfy, even if it is an ETF that only trades futures. The government publication (I forget what it is, I think 876 or 986), is really quite simple and can be read on a Saturday and will give you a good idea about what you can probably get away with. not sure about options