Capital Gains Tax Calculator

Federal tax on gains sold in 2026

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Uses the 2026 standard deduction. Enter net gains, after subtracting losses.

Federal tax on your gains

$3,000

Effective rate

15.0%

Long-term at 0%

$0

0% room left

$0

Of your long-term gains, $0 fall in the 0% band, $20,000 in the 15% band and $0 in the 20% band.

Long-term gains tax

$3,000

$20,000 at 15%, $0 at 20%

Tax at ordinary rates

$0

Short-term gains, and any deduction the gains phase out

Net investment income tax

$0

3.8% above $200,000 of modified AGI

Federal tax only; state tax is not included. Modified AGI is treated as your other income plus your gains.

How capital gains are taxed

Long-term gains and qualified dividends sit on top of your other taxable income. The part that lands below the 0% breakpoint is tax-free, the next part is taxed at 15%, and anything above the 20% breakpoint at 20%. The breakpoints are levels of total taxable income, not amounts of gain, which is why the same gain can cost one person nothing and another 15%.

Short-term gains, on assets held one year or less, are taxed like wages at your ordinary rates. On top of both, the 3.8% net investment income tax applies once modified AGI passes its threshold.

The calculator follows the IRS Qualified Dividends and Capital Gain Tax Worksheet: the standard deduction comes off your ordinary income first, and any left over reduces your gains. It does not cover the special 28% rate on collectibles or the 25% rate on unrecaptured section 1250 gain from depreciated real estate.

2026 long-term capital gains rates (taxable income)

Filing status 0% up to 15% up to 20% above 3.8% NIIT above (MAGI)
Single $49,450 $545,500 $545,500 $200,000
Married filing jointly $98,900 $613,700 $613,700 $250,000
Married filing separately $49,450 $306,850 $306,850 $125,000
Head of household $66,200 $579,600 $579,600 $200,000

From IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32 and IRC section 1411, checked September 26, 2026. The NIIT thresholds are fixed in law and not adjusted for inflation.

The 0% band and early retirement

With little other income, the 0% band is wide. A married couple living on $40,000 of other income in 2026 can realize about $91,100 of long-term gains without federal tax. Taking gains in a low-income year, before other income starts, uses that room.

A single filer earning $75,000 who sells $20,000 of long-term gains pays about $3,000, or 15.0% of the gain. To plan withdrawals around these bands, pair this with the Roth conversion calculator and the retirement withdrawal calculator.

Sources

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the capital gains tax rates for 2026?
Long-term gains and qualified dividends are taxed at 0%, 15% or 20%, depending on your taxable income. For 2026, the 0% rate applies up to $49,450 of taxable income for single filers and $98,900 for married couples filing jointly; 20% starts above $545,500 and $613,700.
How much capital gains can I take at 0%?
As much as fits between your other taxable income and the top of the 0% band. A married couple with $40,000 of other income in 2026 has $7,800 of taxable income after the standard deduction, so they can realize about $91,100 of long-term gains with no federal tax.
How are short-term capital gains taxed?
At the same rates as wages. A single filer earning $75,000 pays about $4,400 on a $20,000 short-term gain, against $3,000 if the same gain is long-term. An asset held more than one year gives a long-term gain; one year or less gives a short-term gain.
Who pays the 3.8% net investment income tax?
People whose modified AGI is above $200,000 (single or head of household), $250,000 (married filing jointly) or $125,000 (married filing separately). It is 3.8% of the smaller of your investment income and the amount over the threshold. These thresholds are not adjusted for inflation.
Do I pay capital gains tax when I sell my home?
You may be able to exclude up to $250,000 of the gain, or $500,000 on a joint return, if you owned and lived in the home as your main home for at least 2 of the 5 years before the sale. The IRS explains the tests in Publication 523.
Can capital losses reduce my tax?
Losses first offset gains. If you have a net loss, up to $3,000 a year ($1,500 if married filing separately) can be deducted against other income, and the rest carries forward. Enter your net gain after losses in the calculator.
Does this include state tax?
No. The calculator covers federal income tax and the net investment income tax only; add your state's tax separately.

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