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.
By the Coast FIRE Calculator editorial team · Methodology · Official sources: IRS: Rev. Proc. 2025-32 (2026 capital gains breakpoints and brackets); IRS Publication 505 (2026): Qualified Dividends and Capital Gain Tax Worksheet · Sources checked September 26, 2026 · Corrections: hello@coastfirecalculator.io
Compare the 2026 retirement account limits and tax figures used by our calculators, with official sources.
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.