Capital Gains Tax
Calculator
Estimate the federal and state tax on a stock, fund, or crypto sale — long-term vs short-term, the 0/15/20% brackets, and the 3.8% Net Investment Income Tax. Updated for 2026. Nothing is saved or sent anywhere.
Estimated tax
$4,500
on a $30,000 long-term gain · 15.0% effective
- Federal (long-term)
- $4,500
- After-tax gain
- $25,500
Held one year or less, the same gain would cost about $7,200 — $2,700 more. Long-term rates are the reward for waiting.
State tax not included — your state isn't in the estimate set, or you skipped it. Most states tax the gain as ordinary income.
Basis · 2026 IRS long-term brackets (Rev. Proc. 2025-32) · 3.8% NIIT (IRC §1411) · state via an effective-rate proxy · an educational estimate, NOT tax advice — confirm with your CPA.
The short answer
In 2026, a long-term capital gain (an asset held more than one year) is taxed at 0%, 15%, or 20% federally, depending on your total taxable income — plus a 3.8% Net Investment Income Tax once your modified AGI clears $200,000 (single) or $250,000 (married filing jointly). A short-term gain (held one year or less) is taxed as ordinary income at your marginal rate. Most states tax the gain too.
Common questions
How are capital gains taxed in 2026?
Long-term gains (assets held more than a year) are taxed at 0%, 15%, or 20% federally based on your total taxable income; short-term gains (held a year or less) are taxed as ordinary income at your marginal rate. Higher earners also owe the 3.8% Net Investment Income Tax, and most states tax gains as well.
What are the 2026 long-term capital gains brackets?
For 2026, the 0% rate applies up to $49,450 of taxable income for single filers ($98,900 married filing jointly); 15% applies up to $545,500 ($613,700 MFJ); and 20% applies above that. Long-term gains stack on top of your ordinary income to determine which band they fall in.
What is the 3.8% Net Investment Income Tax (NIIT)?
The NIIT adds 3.8% on investment income — including capital gains — once your modified AGI exceeds $200,000 (single), $250,000 (married filing jointly), or $125,000 (married filing separately). It applies on top of the capital-gains rate.
Do I pay state tax on capital gains?
Most states tax capital gains as ordinary income; a handful — Florida, Texas, Nevada, Washington, Wyoming, and others — have no state income tax on them. This calculator applies an approximate effective state rate where one is available.
How can I lower the tax on a capital gain?
Common, education-only approaches: hold an asset more than a year to qualify for long-term rates, harvest offsetting losses (tax-loss harvesting) while respecting the wash-sale rule, and spread sales across tax years. Formation surfaces cross-custodian loss-harvesting opportunities and hands you a trade list — it never places the order.
One place for every number, cited.
A calculator answers one question. Formation tracks the whole picture — net worth, equity comp, and taxes across every custodian and entity, each number traceable to its source.