Calculator
Capital gains tax calculator
Federal tax on one sale in 2026, including the 3.8% NIIT.
Federal tax on this gain (2026)$1,582.507.91% of the gain · you keep $18,418
| Long-term gain | $20,000 |
|---|---|
| Taxable income with the gain | $60,000 |
| Gain taxed at 0% | $9,450 |
| Gain taxed at 15% | $10,550 |
| Income tax on the gain | $1,582.50 |
| Net investment income tax 3.8% | $0.00 |
| Total federal tax | $1,582.50 |
Single. The 0% rate covers taxable income up to $49,450 and 15% up to $545,500; the gain sits on top of your other income. Collectibles (28% maximum) and unrecaptured section 1250 gain (25% maximum) are not modeled. State tax is extra.
2026 capital gains tax brackets
Long-term gains and qualified dividends are taxed at 0%, 15% or 20% depending on your total taxable income. The 2026 breakpoints, which the IRS calls the maximum zero rate and maximum 15% rate amounts, are[rp2532]:
| Rate | Single | Married filing jointly | Married filing separately | Head of household |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0% | Up to $49,450 | Up to $98,900 | Up to $49,450 | Up to $66,200 |
| 15% | $49,450 – $545,500 | $98,900 – $613,700 | $49,450 – $306,850 | $66,200 – $579,600 |
| 20% | Over $545,500 | Over $613,700 | Over $306,850 | Over $579,600 |
| +3.8% NIIT | MAGI over $200,000 | MAGI over $250,000 | MAGI over $125,000 | MAGI over $200,000 |
Short-term gains, on assets held one year or less, get no special rate: they are added to wages and other income and taxed at the ordinary 2026 brackets from 10% to 37%. The tax bracket calculator shows those brackets for each filing status.
For 2027 the IRS has already raised the breakpoints by about 3%: the 0% rate covers taxable income up to $51,050 for single filers and $102,100 for joint filers, and the 20% rate starts above $563,200 and $633,600[rp2635]. The NIIT thresholds are set in the statute and do not change.
| Rate | Single | Married filing jointly | Married filing separately | Head of household |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0% | Up to $51,050 | Up to $102,100 | Up to $51,050 | Up to $68,350 |
| 15% | $51,050 – $563,200 | $102,100 – $633,600 | $51,050 – $316,800 | $68,350 – $598,400 |
| 20% | Over $563,200 | Over $633,600 | Over $316,800 | Over $598,400 |
How capital gains tax is calculated
Your gain is stacked on top of your other taxable income, and each slice of the gain gets the rate for the bracket it lands in. This is how the IRS Qualified Dividends and Capital Gain Tax Worksheet works, and the result can never be more than the tax figured at ordinary rates. In the default example, a single filer has $40,000 of taxable income and sells stock held two years for a $20,000 gain:
- Taxable income with the gain = $40,000 + $20,000 = $60,000.
- 0% slice: the 0% rate runs to $49,450, so the first $9,450 of the gain is tax-free.
- 15% slice: the remaining $10,550 × 15% = $1,582.50.
- NIIT: modified AGI of $76,100 is under $200,000, so none.
Total federal tax: $1,582.50, 7.9% of the gain. Had the stock been held one year or less, the same gain would be taxed at 12% and 22% as ordinary income: $3,360.00. A single filer with $50,000 of other taxable income and a $100,000 long-term gain pays $15,000, because all of that gain sits in the 15% band.
Short-term vs long-term and capital losses
A gain is long-term if you held the asset more than one year before selling; one year or less is short-term[tc409]. Losses offset gains first; if losses are larger, up to $3,000 a year ($1,500 married filing separately) can be deducted against other income and the rest carries forward to later years[tc409]. Sales are reported on Form 8949 and summarized on Schedule D.
Some long-term gains have higher maximum rates than 20%: gain on collectibles is taxed at up to 28%, as is the taxable part of section 1202 small business stock gain, and unrecaptured section 1250 gain from selling section 1250 real property is taxed at up to 25%[tc409]. The calculator does not model these; it treats the whole gain as ordinary stock or fund gain.
The 3.8% net investment income tax
The net investment income tax adds 3.8% on the lesser of your net investment income or the amount by which modified AGI exceeds $200,000 (single and head of household), $250,000 (married filing jointly) or $125,000 (married filing separately)[niit]. Capital gains, interest, dividends, rents and royalties count; wages and most self-employment income do not, and gain on a home sale is excluded to the extent it is excluded from income tax[niit].
Example: a single filer with $150,000 of taxable income and $166,100 of MAGI sells for a $60,000 long-term gain. MAGI rises to $226,100, $26,100 over the threshold, so NIIT is 3.8% of that smaller amount: $991.80. Income tax on the gain is $9,000, for $9,992 in total. The NIIT is reported on Form 8960.
How states tax capital gains
Most states with an income tax treat capital gains as ordinary income at their regular state rates. These states, confirmed on official state pages, have no income tax or treat gains differently:
| State | Treatment |
|---|---|
| Florida | No personal income tax: the constitution bars a state tax on the income of natural persons beyond amounts creditable against federal tax.[fl] |
| New Hampshire | No tax on wages; the Interest and Dividends Tax was repealed for taxable periods beginning after December 31, 2024.[nh] |
| South Dakota | Does not impose a state income tax.[sd] |
| Tennessee | The Hall income tax, which reached only interest and dividends, was repealed for tax periods beginning on or after January 1, 2021.[tn] |
| Texas | The constitution prohibits a tax on individuals' net incomes (§ 24-a) and, since 2025, on individuals' realized or unrealized capital gains (§ 24-b).[tx] |
| Wyoming | Does not have an individual income tax.[wy] |
| Washington | No income tax, but a capital gains excise tax on long-term gains: 7% above the standard deduction ($278,000 for 2025; the 2026 amount was not yet posted), plus 2.9% on Washington capital gains over $1,000,000 from 2025. Real estate and certain retirement accounts are exempt.[wacg][rcw] |
| Massachusetts | Short-term gains 8.5%; long-term gains 5%; long-term gains on collectibles 12% (with a 50% deduction); plus a 4% surtax on income over $1,107,750 for 2026.[ma] |
| North Dakota | 40% of a net long-term capital gain can be excluded from state taxable income (2025 return instructions).[nd] |
| South Carolina | A deduction of 44% of net capital gain recognized in the state.[sc] |
Some other states also have no income tax or offer smaller exclusions that this table does not cover; check your state revenue department before you sell. To see a state's tax on wages, use the state tax calculator or a state page such as the Washington paycheck calculator or the Massachusetts paycheck calculator.
Common mistakes
- Assuming the whole gain is taxed at 15%. If your other taxable income is under the 0% breakpoint, part of the gain is tax-free.
- Thinking a big gain is taxed at 0% because your salary is low. The gain itself counts toward taxable income and can push most of it into the 15% band.
- Selling at exactly one year. Long-term means more than one year.
- Forgetting estimated tax. A large gain raises the 2026 tax you must prepay to meet the safe harbors. The quarterly tax calculator shows the 2026 due dates and safe harbors.
- Ignoring the 3.8% NIIT once modified AGI with the gain passes $200,000 ($250,000 joint).
Self-employed?Business profit owes self-employment tax and is generally outside the NIIT; investment gains can owe NIIT but not self-employment tax. The self employment tax calculator handles the business side, and the paycheck calculator the wage side.
Frequently asked questions
How much is capital gains tax in 2026?
0%, 15% or 20% on long-term gains, depending on taxable income: for a single filer, 0% up to $49,450, 15% up to $545,500 and 20% above. Short-term gains are taxed at ordinary rates from 10% to 37%, and the 3.8% NIIT can apply on top at higher incomes.
How do I calculate capital gains tax?
Subtract your cost basis from the sale price, add the gain to your other taxable income, and apply the 0%, 15% and 20% rates to the slices of the gain that fall in each band. A capital gains tax calculator does the stacking and the 3.8% NIIT test for you.
What is the capital gains tax on $100,000?
It depends on your other income. A single filer with $50,000 of other taxable income pays $15,000 of federal tax on a $100,000 long-term gain (15%). If the gain were short-term, it would be taxed at 12%, 22% and 24% instead.
Do you pay capital gains tax if you make under $50,000?
Often not on long-term gains: a single filer pays 0% on long-term gains while total taxable income, including the gain, stays at or under $49,450 ($98,900 joint). Short-term gains are still taxed at ordinary rates.
Sources
- Rev. Proc. 2025-32, 2026 inflation-adjusted items (section 4.01 tax rate tables, section 4.03 maximum capital gains rate)
- Rev. Proc. 2026-35, 2027 inflation-adjusted items (section 3.03 maximum capital gains rate)
- Topic no. 409, Capital gains and losses
- Net Investment Income Tax
- Capital gains tax
- RCW 82.87.040, Tax imposed (capital gains excise tax)
- Tax Rates
- 2025 North Dakota Individual Income Tax Booklet (Form ND-1, line 6)
- S.C. Code § 12-6-1150, Net capital gain deduction
- Texas Constitution, Article 8, Sections 24-a and 24-b
- Florida Constitution, Article VII, Section 5
- Interest & Dividends Tax
- Taxes (individuals)
- Hall Income Tax
- About Wyoming