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Calculators

Capital Gains Tax Calculator

Capital Gains Tax Calculator

Short-term or long-term -- and what it costs you

$
$
Years Months Days
%
%
%
Capital gain
0
sale minus purchase price
Estimated tax owed
0
Net gain after tax
0
Holding period
0
Inflation-adjusted (real) gain
0
purchase price adjusted for inflation since purchase
Net gain vs tax owed

Simplified: assumes a single flat rate for short-term (taxed as ordinary income at your marginal bracket) and long-term (0%, 15%, or 20% federal, based on income) gains, and does not model state tax, the Net Investment Income Tax surcharge, or offsetting capital losses. Set the two rate sliders to your actual brackets for a closer estimate, and treat this as directional, not a tax filing.

What to work out next

Paycheck Calculator

See what actually lands in your account after tax.

Federal Income Tax Calculator

Find your federal tax bracket and estimated bill.

RSU Tax & Withholding-Gap Calculator

The 22% withholding rarely covers what you actually owe.

ISO vs NSO Exercise Calculator

No tax now, or tax now -- and the AMT trap either way.

QBI (Section 199A) Deduction Calculator

A hard cliff for service businesses, a softer landing for everyone else.

1099/Side-Hustle Quarterly Estimated Tax Calculator

Self-employment tax comes on top of income tax, not instead of it.

Frequently asked questions

How do federal tax brackets actually work?

The US uses a progressive, marginal system -- only the income within each bracket is taxed at that bracket's rate, not your entire income at your top rate. This is why your effective (average) tax rate is always lower than your marginal (top) bracket rate, a distinction this calculator shows explicitly.Read more: Capital Gains Tax Calculator: What You’ll Really Owe the IRS

What's the difference between a tax deduction and a tax credit?

A deduction reduces your taxable income before tax is calculated, so its value depends on your bracket. A credit reduces your tax bill directly, dollar for dollar, regardless of bracket -- which generally makes credits more valuable than a deduction of the same nominal size.Read more: Hold One Year and a Day: The Tax Rule That Pays You to Wait

How is capital gains tax calculated on stocks/funds?

Assets held over one year qualify for long-term capital gains rates, which are generally lower than ordinary income tax rates; assets held one year or less are taxed as short-term gains at your regular income tax rate. Holding period alone can meaningfully change the tax owed on the same gain.Read more: Paycheck Calculator: What Actually Lands in Your Account

Should I contribute to a traditional or Roth account?

Traditional accounts (401(k), IRA) give you a tax deduction now and are taxed on withdrawal in retirement; Roth accounts are funded with after-tax money now and grow completely tax-free. Broadly, if you expect to be in a lower tax bracket in retirement than today, traditional tends to win, and vice versa for Roth -- this calculator lets you compare both with your own numbers.Read more: Federal Income Tax Calculator: Find Your Real Tax Bracket

Estimates only, not financial advice. See our Disclaimer.