Use our free Capital Gains Calculator to estimate your capital gains tax liability for 2026. This calculator can help you estimate how much additional taxes you'll pay in 2026 due to capital gains. This version of the calculator is based on the 2026 Capital Gains tax brackets.
To use the calculator, you do need to have some good estimates of both your gains for the year, along with your taxable income from other sources. You can take the sum of all your gains of one type (short or long term) and see what the tax liability might be.
Capital Gains Tax Calculator
Calculate your estimated capital gains tax for 2026
What You Need To Know For The Capital Gains Tax Calculator
In order to calculate your estimated capital gains tax, you need to know a few things:
Estimated Gain
When you sell a stock or other asset for a profit, you realize a capital gain. Basically, when most assets are sold for a profit, a capital gain is generated. Profits or gains are taxable.
Personal assets and investments are called capital assets. This includes your home, car, investments, recreational vehicle, and more. IRS Topic Number 409 covers these items in more detail. A capital gain or capital loss is based on the difference between the asset sale price and your adjusted basis, which is referenced in IRS Publication 551.
In simple terms, assuming this equation is positive: Total Value Sold - Total Value Paid = Capital Gain.
Estimated Taxable Income
The amount you pay in taxes is based on your income. In this calculator, you need to provide an estimate of your other taxable income, NOT INCLUDING THE CAPITAL GAIN. This would be things like your salary or wages, business income, etc.
Type Of Capital Gain
Capital gains come in two flavors: short term and long term. The amount of taxes you pay depends on which flavor.
Short term capital gains are the profits earned on investments you owned for less than 1 year.
Long term capital gains are profits earned on investments you owned for more than 1 year.
The long term rates are much better than the short term rates.
Tax Filing Status
Finally, we need to know your tax filing status so we can figure out which tax tables to use.
What Are The Capital Gains Tax Rates?
The capital gains tax rates are set by Congress, and the IRS adjusts the brackets for inflation each year. There are long term and short term rates.
Here are the current capital gains brackets and rates for short term gains:
Here are the current rates for long term gains:
What About State Taxes?
Your state may also levy income taxes on your gains. While some states have capital gains tax rates, others simply include your gains in your total income and treat it as one source of income.
If you live in a state that has income tax, make sure you also plan accordingly for your state tax burden from your gains.
In states like California, the top tax bracket is 13.5% if you make above $1,000,000. If you had a short term capital gain, that could make your tax rate 50.5% (37% + 13.5%).
Additional Factors To Consider
The biggest change in capital gains taxes is moving from short term to long term gains. If you can wait to cross the 1 year mark, there can be significant savings in how much taxes you pay on your capital gains.
Check out the calculator above to get estimates. This should not be a substitute for real tax advice. Speak with a tax professional if you need help with tax planning.
Editor: Colin Graves
Robert Farrington is the founder of The College Investor and is widely recognized as one of the nation’s leading voices on student loan debt and saving for college. He holds an MBA from UC San Diego Rady School of Management and has spent over 15 years researching, writing, and advising on student loans, 529 plans, financial aid programs, and saving and investing for young professionals.
Robert has been featured in the The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, NBC News, and Forbes, where he has been a regular personal finance contributor for over a decade. His work combines both professional expertise and personal experience – he successfully navigated his own student loan repayment journey and has helped thousands of readers do the same.
He is committed to making the intersection of personal finance and education transparent and accessible. You can learn more about Robert on the About Page or on his personal site RobertFarrington.com.