Capital Gains Tax Calculator
Calculate federal and state taxes on stock, cryptocurrency, and real estate investments across short-term and long-term brackets.
Transaction & Tax Profile
Tax Impact Breakdown
How Capital Gains Tax is Determined
A capital gain occurs whenever you sell a capital asset for more than its adjusted cost basis:
Capital Gain = Selling Price - Adjusted Cost Basis (Purchase Price + Transaction Fees)
The tax rate applied to this gain is dictated almost entirely by your holding period. Holding investments for at least one year and one day cuts the tax rate roughly in half for most taxpayers.
Investment Scenarios
- ✓Stock & Equity Portfolio Profit Taking
Estimate your exact IRS tax bill before selling appreciated stocks, index funds, or employee stock options (RSUs/ESPP).
- ✓Cryptocurrency & Bitcoin Trade Reporting
Calculate capital gains on crypto asset sales, token swaps, or staking disposals across short-term and long-term tax brackets.
- ✓Tax-Loss Harvesting Strategy
Determine how much gain you need to offset with capital losses before the December 31 year-end tax deadline.
- ✓Holding Period Decision Modeling
Quantify the exact dollar savings of holding an asset for 366 days to qualify for 15% long-term rates versus high ordinary income tax.
Key Capabilities
Short-Term vs Long-Term Rate Engine
Automatically contrasts 0%, 15%, and 20% preferential long-term brackets with ordinary marginal income tax brackets.
Net Investment Income Tax (NIIT) Inclusion
Accounts for the 3.8% Affordable Care Act surtax triggered for high-income earners exceeding statutory AGI thresholds.
State Capital Gains Tax Integration
Customizable state tax percentages reflecting zero-income-tax states (TX, FL, NV) versus high-tax jurisdictions (CA, NY, NJ).
Net After-Tax Proceeds Analysis
Displays both initial invested cost basis and total net spendable cash remaining after federal and state tax settlements.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between short-term and long-term capital gains?
Short-term capital gains apply to assets held for one year or less and are taxed at ordinary income tax rates (ranging from 10% to 37%). Long-term capital gains apply to assets held for longer than one year and receive preferential federal tax rates of 0%, 15%, or 20% depending on your taxable income.
What is the Net Investment Income Tax (NIIT)?
The NIIT is an additional 3.8% surtax that applies to net investment income (including capital gains, dividends, and rental income) for individuals with modified adjusted gross income exceeding $200,000 for single filers or $250,000 for married couples filing jointly.
How do capital losses offset capital gains?
The IRS allows you to use realized capital losses to offset realized capital gains dollar-for-dollar. If your total net losses exceed your capital gains, you can deduct up to $3,000 ($1,500 if married filing separately) against ordinary income per year, carrying over any remaining losses into future tax years.
Are cryptocurrency transactions subject to capital gains tax?
Yes. The IRS treats virtual currencies as property for tax purposes. Selling crypto for fiat currency, exchanging one cryptocurrency for another, or spending crypto on goods and services triggers a taxable capital gain or loss.
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