Capital Gains Tax Calculator
Capital Gains Tax Calculator
Estimate the tax on your investment gains by entering your purchase price, sale price, holding period, and filing status. See your estimated capital gains tax, after-tax profit, and effective tax rate instantly.
Investment Details
Results
INSTRUCTIONS
How to Use This Calculator
1. Enter Prices
Input your original purchase price (cost basis) and the sale price or current market value of your investment.
2. Select Holding Period
Choose short-term if you held the asset for less than one year, or long-term for one year or more. This determines your tax rate.
3. Filing Status & Income
Select your filing status and enter your taxable income so the calculator can determine the correct tax bracket for your gains.
4. Review Results
View your estimated capital gains tax, after-tax profit, and effective tax rate. Results update automatically as you adjust inputs.
EDUCATION
Understanding Capital Gains Tax
Capital gains tax is a tax on the profit you earn when you sell an asset for more than you paid for it. The IRS distinguishes between short-term and long-term capital gains based on how long you held the asset before selling.
Short-term capital gains apply to assets held for less than one year and are taxed at your ordinary income tax rate, which can be as high as 37%. Long-term capital gains apply to assets held for one year or more and benefit from lower preferential tax rates of 0%, 15%, or 20% depending on your taxable income and filing status.
- done_all Short-Term: Gains on assets held less than 1 year are taxed as ordinary income at your marginal rate.
- done_all Long-Term: Gains on assets held 1 year or more enjoy preferential rates of 0%, 15%, or 20%.
- done_all Net Investment Income Tax: High earners may owe an additional 3.8% NIIT on investment gains.
- done_all Tax-Loss Harvesting: Capital losses can offset gains and reduce your tax liability by up to $3,000 per year.
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