Capital Gains Tax Calculator
Estimate the federal tax on your long-term capital gains at the 0%, 15%, or 20% rates.
Profit on assets held more than one year.
Wages, business, and other income before deductions. We subtract the standard deduction, then stack your gains into the right rate.
An effective rate of 10.8% on your gains.
This does not all have to be paid during the year. Under the safe harbor rule, paying 100% of last year's tax in four installments (110% at higher incomes) avoids the underpayment penalty, and anything left is due when you file. The safe harbor calculator figures those installments.
Long-term gains only, federal only, standard deduction assumed. State tax is not included.
How capital gains tax works
Not all investment profits are taxed the same. Long-term capital gains (profits on assets you held more than a year) get preferential federal rates of just 0%, 15%, or 20%. Short-term gains on assets held a year or less don’t get the break. They’re taxed as ordinary income at your regular bracket, which can be as high as 37%. That one-year holding line is often the difference between a small tax bill and a big one.
Which long-term rate you pay depends on your total income. Your gains are “stacked” on top of your ordinary taxable income, and the portion that lands in each band is taxed at that band’s rate. So a lower earner can pay 0% on gains, while the 20% rate only kicks in at high income levels.
One more rule is worth knowing. Higher earners may also owe the 3.8% Net Investment Income Tax (NIIT) on gains and other investment income above $200,000 (single) or $250,000 (married). This calculator includes it.
2026 long-term capital gains tax rates
Here’s the taxable-income range for each long-term capital gains rate in 2026, by filing status. Your gains stack on top of your other taxable income to determine which rate applies.
| Rate | Single | Married filing jointly | Head of household |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0% | $0 – $49,450 | $0 – $98,900 | $0 – $66,200 |
| 15% | $49,450 – $545,500 | $98,900 – $613,700 | $66,200 – $579,600 |
| 20% | $545,500+ | $613,700+ | $579,600+ |
Figures reflect the 2026 IRS inflation adjustments. Short-term gains use the ordinary income tax brackets instead.
Frequently asked questions
This is just one piece
Get your complete quarterly estimate. Every income type, federal and state, penalties, and the method that pays the least, combined in one place.