Capital Gains Tax Calculator
Estimate federal tax on your investment gains — long-term or short-term, with 2025 and 2026 IRS brackets built in.
Tool Interface
How to use
- Pick the tax year, filing status, and holding period.
- Enter the purchase price (your cost basis), the sale price, and your other taxable income — the gain is stacked on top of that income, which is how the IRS applies the brackets.
- Press Calculate Tax. Long-term gains use the preferential 0% / 15% / 20% brackets; short-term gains are taxed at ordinary income rates.
- Everything runs in your browser — nothing is uploaded.
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About This Tool
Introduction
Selling an investment for a profit feels great — until tax season. How much of your gain does the IRS actually keep? Trencada's free Capital Gains Tax Calculator gives you a fast, honest estimate: enter your purchase price, sale price, holding period, filing status, and other taxable income, and it applies the verified federal brackets for tax year 2025 or 2026. Long-term gains (held over a year) get the preferential 0% / 15% / 20% rates, correctly stacked on top of your other income; short-term gains are taxed at ordinary income rates. You get the gain, the estimated tax, the effective rate, net proceeds, and a per-bracket breakdown. No signup, everything in your browser.
How to Use
- Pick the tax year (2025 or 2026), filing status (Single or Married filing jointly), and holding period (long-term over 1 year, or short-term).
- Enter the purchase price (cost basis), sale price, and your other taxable income — the gain stacks on top of that income, exactly how the IRS applies brackets.
- Press Calculate Tax to see the estimated federal tax, effective rate, net proceeds, and how much of the gain fell in each bracket.
Key Features
- Verified 2025 and 2026 federal brackets (IRS Rev. Proc. 2024-40 and 2025-32): long-term 0%/15%/20% and full ordinary brackets for Single and Married filing jointly
- Correct bracket stacking — gains are taxed on top of your other income
- Per-bracket breakdown showing how much of the gain was taxed at each rate
- Short-term mode using ordinary income brackets
- Inline validation — no silent wrong numbers
- Fully responsive — works on phones, tablets, and desktops
Why Choose Trencada
Every Trencada tool is free forever with no hidden costs, no accounts, and no installation. The Capital Gains Tax Calculator runs 100% in your browser, so your financial figures are instant and private — nothing is uploaded, stored, or tracked.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- What is the difference between long-term and short-term capital gains? Assets held more than one year qualify for preferential long-term rates (0%, 15%, or 20% federally). Assets held one year or less are taxed as ordinary income at your marginal rates.
- Which tax year should I pick? Use 2025 for gains realized in 2025 (filed in 2026) and 2026 for current-year planning. Bracket thresholds are inflation-adjusted each year.
- Does it include state taxes or the Net Investment Income Tax? No. This is a federal estimate only — state/local taxes, the 3.8% NIIT, AMT, and special rules (collectibles, depreciation recapture) are excluded.
- Is this tax advice? No. This is an educational estimate. Verify with the IRS or a tax professional before making decisions.
- Is my data private? Yes. The tool runs entirely in your browser — no amounts or personal data leave your device.