Why do I have to pay taxes on money made on stocks when I did not cash that money but reinvested it?

[abouchereau]

I use robinhood and made money on stock investments 2019 but I didn't owe money for that? I thought if I cash the money, as in it goes to my bank account, that I need to pay taxes on it. They money has not left my robinhood account...

[VolvoGirl]

Sorry it doesn't matter what you did with the proceeds.  You pay tax on the gains even if you reinvested it or left it in the account.  You could have taken it out.  You had sales.  Time to pay the tax.  

[Critter-3]

Only in IRA accounts are the sales tax sheltered until you make a distributions  however   in a non IRA broker account they are not to make  sales choices  wisely.