Calculate your 2026 capital gains tax on stocks, real estate, and crypto. See short-term vs long-term rates by income bracket. Free calculator, no signup.
In 2026, long-term capital gains rates are 0%, 15%, or 20% depending on your taxable income — much lower than ordinary income rates. Short-term gains (assets held under a year) are taxed as ordinary income, which can push you into the 22-37% bracket. This calculator shows your exact tax owed based on your filing status, income, and holding period.
Single filers: 0% on gains if taxable income ≤$47,025; 15% on $47,026–$518,900; 20% above $518,900. Married filing jointly: 0% ≤$94,050; 15% $94,051–$583,750; 20% above. High earners also owe the 3.8% Net Investment Income Tax (NIIT) if MAGI exceeds $200,000 (single) or $250,000 (married). Real estate gains up to $250,000 ($500,000 married) on a primary residence are excluded if you've lived there 2 of the last 5 years.
Hold an asset for 365 days or less and you pay short-term rates (your ordinary income bracket: 10%, 12%, 22%, 24%, 32%, 35%, or 37%). Hold for 366+ days and you pay the preferential long-term rates. On a $50,000 gain, the difference between 24% short-term and 15% long-term is $4,500 — simply by waiting a few more months. Always check your holding period before selling.
The IRS treats cryptocurrency as property. Every sale, trade, or spend is a taxable event. Mining and staking rewards are ordinary income at receipt. If you held Bitcoin for over a year before selling, you pay long-term rates. Losses can offset gains (tax-loss harvesting). Starting in 2025, crypto brokers must issue 1099-DA forms. Keep records of every transaction cost basis.
Hold investments 12+ months for long-term rates. Use tax-loss harvesting — sell losing positions to offset gains. Invest through a Roth IRA (no capital gains ever). If your income is in the 0% bracket (≤$47,025 single), your long-term gains are tax-free. Donate appreciated stock to charity instead of selling.
Yes. Reinvesting doesn't defer the tax — the sale is still taxable in the year it occurs. The exception is a 1031 exchange for real estate, which defers gains if you reinvest in like-kind property within 180 days.
If you've owned and lived in the home for at least 2 of the last 5 years, the first $250,000 of gain is excluded ($500,000 for married couples). Gains above the exclusion are taxed at long-term rates (0%, 15%, or 20%). Investment properties don't get the exclusion and may also owe 25% depreciation recapture tax.
For long-term gains, the rate is separate from your ordinary income rate. However, capital gains are added to your total income when determining which bracket applies. Short-term gains are added to ordinary income and taxed at your regular rate.
If married filing jointly with $100,000 salary: after the standard deduction, your ordinary taxable income is about $70,000, which sits below the 0% long-term capital gains threshold. The first ~$26,700 of the gain is taxed at 0%, and the remaining ~$73,300 falls into the 15% bracket — roughly $11,000 total in long-term capital gains tax. Short-term would add the full $100,000 to ordinary income, taxed at 22-24% — about $22,000-$24,000.
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