Capital Gains Tax Calculator
How long you hold an investment changes your tax bill dramatically. Estimate the tax on a sale and see your true after-tax profit.
Long-term: 0%, 15%, or 20%. Short-term: your ordinary income bracket (10–37%).
Capital Gain
$6,000.00
Estimated Tax
$900.00
Net Profit
$5,100.00
Effective Tax Rate
15.0%
Where Your Gain Goes
Assumptions & limitations
- A single flat rate is applied — actual liability depends on your bracket, other income, and state taxes.
- The 3.8% Net Investment Income Tax and state taxes are not included unless you add them to the rate.
- This is an estimate, not tax advice — consult a tax professional.
Capital gains tax
Tax = max(0, Sale − Purchase) × RateGains held over one year qualify for preferential long-term rates (0/15/20% federally); shorter holdings are taxed as ordinary income.
How It Works
- 1Your gain is the sale proceeds minus your cost basis (purchase price plus commissions and reinvested dividends).
- 2Crossing the one-year holding mark can cut your federal rate nearly in half.
- 3High earners may owe an additional 3.8% Net Investment Income Tax; states may tax gains as ordinary income.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the long-term rates?
Federally: 0% for lower incomes, 15% for most investors, 20% for high earners — plus possibly the 3.8% NIIT and state taxes.
Can losses reduce my taxes?
Yes. Losses offset gains dollar-for-dollar, then up to $3,000/year of ordinary income, with the rest carried forward indefinitely.
What is tax-loss harvesting?
Selling losers to realize losses that offset gains — while avoiding the wash-sale rule (no repurchase of a substantially identical asset within 30 days).
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