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Capital Gains Tax Calculator 2026

Enter your cost basis and sale price to see your capital gains tax right away. Long-term versus short-term treatment, for stocks, ETFs and crypto.

Holding period

Indicative tool for information only. The result is not personalized tax advice and does not replace a professional. It estimates federal capital gains tax; it does not include the 3.8% Net Investment Income Tax that may apply to higher earners, state taxes, or the wash-sale rule. Rules can change. When in doubt, consult the IRS or a licensed tax advisor.

The one-year line that changes everything

In the United States, what you pay on an investment gain hinges on a single date: the one-year mark. Sell a stock, ETF or crypto position you have held for one year or less and the profit is a short-term capital gain, taxed at your ordinary income rate, anywhere from 10% to 37%. Hold the same position more than a year before selling and it becomes a long-term gain, taxed at the far kinder 0%, 15% or 20% schedule.

Concretely, buy shares for $5,000 and sell them for $8,000, and you have a $3,000 gain. At a 15% long-term rate that is $450 of federal tax and $2,550 kept. At a 24% short-term rate the same gain costs $720. The asset did not change; the holding period did.

Long-term rates: 0%, 15% or 20%

Long-term capital gains sit in their own brackets, tied to your taxable income rather than a flat number. Many lower- and middle-income investors pay 0% or 15%; the 20% rate applies only at the top of the income scale. Because the exact thresholds are indexed each year, this calculator lets you pick the rate that matches your situation rather than guessing your bracket for you.

One layer to keep in mind: taxpayers above certain income levels also owe a 3.8% Net Investment Income Tax on capital gains, on top of the headline rate. This tool estimates the base federal capital gains tax and leaves that surtax aside.

Crypto is property, not currency

The IRS treats cryptocurrency as property, so the same capital gains rules apply: selling, swapping one token for another, or spending crypto all trigger a taxable gain or loss based on your cost basis. The short-term versus long-term split works exactly as it does for stocks. The notable gap is the wash-sale rule, which blocks claiming a loss on a security you rebuy within 30 days; today it does not apply to crypto, though proposals to extend it surface regularly.

When you sell at a loss

Losses are not wasted. They first cancel out your capital gains dollar for dollar. If your losses are larger than your gains, you can deduct up to $3,000 of the remainder against ordinary income each year ($1,500 if married filing separately) and carry any excess forward indefinitely. For stocks and ETFs, respect the wash-sale rule: buying the same or a substantially identical security within 30 days before or after the sale disallows the loss for now and rolls it into the new position's basis.

What you need to report

Each sale of stock, ETF or crypto is reported on Form 8949 and totaled on Schedule D of your federal return, using cost basis and proceeds. Your broker sends a 1099-B that most of this flows from, and crypto exchanges increasingly issue their own reporting. Keep your year-end statements: they make filing straightforward and serve as your evidence if the return is ever questioned.

Put it into practice

Thinking about where to invest?

Your broker directly shapes your net return: commissions, spreads, account fees, access to stocks, ETFs and crypto, and the quality of tax reporting. HelloBrokers compares the platforms on independent criteria to help you find the one that fits your profile.

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Investing carries a risk of capital loss. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Frequently asked questions

How much is capital gains tax in the United States?
It depends on how long you held the asset. A long-term gain (held more than one year) is taxed at 0%, 15% or 20% depending on your taxable income. A short-term gain (held one year or less) is taxed at your ordinary income rate, from 10% up to 37%. Holding for longer than a year is what unlocks the lower long-term rates.
What is the difference between short-term and long-term gains?
The line is one year. Sell an asset you have held for one year or less and the profit is a short-term gain, taxed like your salary at your marginal bracket. Hold it more than a year before selling and it becomes a long-term gain, taxed at the preferential 0/15/20% schedule. Same asset, very different tax bill.
Is cryptocurrency taxed the same as stocks?
For federal tax the IRS treats crypto as property, so selling, trading or spending it triggers a capital gain or loss under the same short-term and long-term rules as stocks and ETFs. One difference: the wash-sale rule that limits repurchasing a sold security within 30 days does not currently apply to crypto, though that could change.
What if I sell at a loss?
Capital losses first offset your capital gains. If losses exceed gains, you can deduct up to $3,000 of the excess against ordinary income each year ($1,500 if married filing separately), and carry the rest forward to future years. For securities, watch the wash-sale rule: repurchasing the same or a substantially identical stock within 30 days disallows the loss.
Are there extra taxes beyond the federal rate?
Two common ones. High earners may owe an additional 3.8% Net Investment Income Tax on gains above certain income thresholds. And most states tax capital gains as regular income, so your all-in rate can be higher than the federal number alone. This tool estimates the federal capital gains tax only.
Do I have to report every trade?
Yes. Sales of stocks, ETFs and crypto are reported on Form 8949 and summarized on Schedule D of your federal return, using your cost basis and proceeds. Your broker issues a 1099-B that most of this flows from; crypto exchanges increasingly report too. Keep your annual statements as backup.