US Tax Calculators
Capital Gains Tax Calculator
Estimate US federal tax on a capital gain, and see the difference between short-term and long-term treatment.
This is a US federal income tax estimate for education, not tax advice. It ignores the Net Investment Income Tax (an extra 3.8% that can apply above certain income thresholds), state tax, and other credits or adjustments. Nothing you type is sent anywhere.
How this is calculated
Gains on an asset held one year or less are short-term and taxed as ordinary income, at the same brackets as wages. Gains on an asset held more than one year are long-term and taxed at preferential 0%, 15% or 20% federal rates. Long-term gains "stack" on top of your other taxable income: the calculator adds the gain to your other income to see how much of it falls in each capital gains bracket, then taxes only the part in each bracket at that bracket's rate.
Frequently asked questions
Why does "other taxable income" matter for the rate?
Because the 0/15/20% capital gains brackets are based on your total taxable income including the gain, a large enough gain (or high enough other income) can push part of the gain from the 15% band into the 20% band.
Do capital losses offset gains?
Yes, generally you net gains and losses of the same type first (short-term against short-term, long-term against long-term), then net the totals against each other; up to $3,000 of net losses can offset ordinary income each year, with the rest carried forward. This calculator does not model losses.
Related: the tax bracket calculator and the retirement tools.