If you’ve got money in the stock market, I probably don’t need to remind you that this has been a disappointing year. So far you’ve really taken a bath, but market corrections happen every so often and they’re part of the price you pay when you invest in stocks. But over the long run, investors who stay put in a diversified portfolio are generally well rewarded for investing in the market. In the meantime, there may be a way for some of you to get some benefit from your stock market losses on your tax return.

Suppose you bought 100 shares of Regions Financial Corp at $25 per shar...