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Capital Gains Tax Calculator — Short-Term vs Long-Term, by Bracket

Calculate federal tax on stock, crypto, or fund gains. See exactly how much you save by holding past the 1-year mark.

Quick answer: Capital gains tax depends on holding period, taxable income, filing status, and state tax. Long-term gains usually receive lower federal rates than short-term gains taxed as ordinary income.

Capital Gain
$5,000
Capital Gain
$5,000
Entered Applicable Rate
15.00%
Federal Tax Owed
$750
Net After Tax
$4,250
Where your gain goes
$5,000total
Net to you$4,250
Federal tax$750
Total$5,000
If short-term (comparison)
$1,200
If long-term (comparison)
$750
Long-Term Savings vs Short-Term
$450
Diagnostic

On a $5,000 gain, you pay $750 in federal tax at 15.00%.

The signed short-term-minus-long-term scenario difference is $450. Holding period alone does not determine the final bill.

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What to do next

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Your action plan
  1. 1

    Calculate the baseline result with your current numbers

    Apply user-entered federal tax-rate scenarios to a nonnegative stock or crypto gain.

  2. 2

    Pressure-test one alternate scenario before deciding

    Assumptions change the answer, especially when rates, taxes, or timing matter.

  3. 3

    Use the linked guide or product page for the next step

    Turn the result into a prioritized action instead of treating it as a one-off number.

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This is an educational estimate, not tax, legal, investment, or lending advice. Tax rules, rates, and eligibility change and depend on your full situation. Confirm with a qualified professional or the provider before acting.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know.

When does the 1-year clock start?
The clock starts the day AFTER you bought the asset. If you bought on January 15, your first day of long-term treatment is January 16 the following year. Sell one day early and you owe ordinary-income rates on the entire gain — there is no partial credit.
What are the 2026 long-term capital gains brackets?
Single filers: 0% up to $47,025; 15% up to $518,900; 20% above. Married filing jointly: 0% up to $94,050; 15% up to $583,750; 20% above. These thresholds use your total taxable income (regular income plus the capital gain itself), so a large gain can push some of itself into the next bracket.
Do state taxes also apply to capital gains?
Yes, in most states. Some states (CA, MA, NJ) tax capital gains as ordinary income — meaning a CA resident in the 13.3% top bracket pays an additional 13.3% on top of the federal 20%. Other states (TX, FL, WA, NV, SD, AK, TN, WY) have no state income tax at all. This calculator covers federal only; add your state rate to estimate total.
What if I have capital losses?
Capital losses offset capital gains dollar-for-dollar in the same tax year. Net excess losses can offset up to $3,000 of ordinary income per year, with the remainder carried forward indefinitely. This is why tax-loss harvesting (selling losers to offset winners) is so valuable — see our tax-loss harvesting calculator.
Is the Capital Gains Tax Calculator — Short-Term vs Long-Term, by Bracket free to use?
Yes. SwitchWize calculators are free, and you do not need an account to run scenarios or view the result.
Does using the Capital Gains Tax Calculator — Short-Term vs Long-Term, by Bracket affect my credit score?
No. Using a calculator does not trigger a credit check. A credit impact can occur only if you apply directly with a lender, card issuer, or provider.
Are the results personalized financial advice?
No. Calculator outputs are educational estimates based on the inputs you enter. Review assumptions and confirm terms directly with providers before making a financial decision.
What should I do after seeing the result?
Use the recommendation module on this page to compare brokers, or run Money Map to compare this investing & retirement decision with your other opportunities.
How does SwitchWize choose related offers?
Related offers are matched by the calculator surface (brokerage) and ranked using SwitchWize data such as rate, fees, trust signals, product fit, and switching friction. Paid relationships do not change organic ranking order.
How fresh are the rates and offers shown?
Rate and offer data is reviewed on a recurring cadence and every offer module shows review context or links to the methodology and disclosure pages.
Where can I see the ranking methodology?
The SwitchWize methodology page explains how rate freshness, editorial review, affiliate disclosure, and category ranking factors work.
Can Money Map use this result?
Yes. Money Map is the broader diagnostic path: it compares savings, mortgage, cards, and debt so you can see whether this calculator result is your highest-impact next move.

Why This Matters

Short-term capital gains are taxed as ordinary income — up to 37%. Long-term gains (held over 1 year) get preferential rates: 0%, 15%, or 20% depending on your total income and filing status. On a $50,000 gain, the difference between selling at 364 days and 366 days can be $10,000 or more. This is one of the biggest legal tax-timing levers in personal finance.

How to Use It

  1. 1Enter your cost basis (what you paid)
  2. 2Enter the sale price
  3. 3Indicate if you held for over 1 year (long-term)
  4. 4Select filing status (single or married filing jointly)
  5. 5Enter your annual taxable income (used to determine which bracket applies)
  6. 6See your tax owed, net after tax, and what you would save by holding for long-term treatment
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Capital Gains Tax Calculator — Short-Term vs Long-Term, by Bracket | SwitchWize