Capital Gains Tax Calculator
See what a sale actually costs: the 0/15/20 stack, the 3.8% surtax, depreciation recapture, and state tax — in one honest number.
A guide by Taxstra Tax & Accounting — CPA-led tax strategy for business owners
Quick Answer
Long-term gains are taxed at 0%, 15%, or 20% — but not at one flat rate: your gain stacks on top of your other income, so slices of the same sale can be taxed at different rates. High earners add the 3.8% NIIT, rental sellers add up to 25% depreciation recapture, and short-term gains skip the discount entirely. This calculator does the stacking for you — the same math we run (in more detail) before any client sells something big.
Your Numbers
Sale price minus your cost basis (and selling costs).
Wages, business, retirement income — everything except this gain.
Most states tax gains as ordinary income; nine states tax none.
Selling a rental? Total depreciation taken — taxed separately at up to 25%.
Enter your gain above to see the breakdown.
How Capital Gains Tax Actually Works
The mistake almost everyone makes is applying one flat rate to the whole gain. In reality your gain stacks on top of your ordinary income: income fills the brackets from the bottom, and each slice of the gain is taxed at whichever rate — 0%, 15%, or 20% — applies at that height. That's why the breakdown above can show the same sale split across multiple rates, and why the identical gain costs a retiree nothing and an executive 23.8%. The full mechanics, with worked examples, are in our 2026 capital gains brackets guide.
Selling investment real estate adds two layers this tool models simply: depreciation recapture at up to 25%, and — if you'd rather not pay at all — the option to defer everything under the 1031 exchange rules. Selling a business is its own animal (purchase-price allocation, QSBS, installment structuring) — see capital gains on a business sale. And if the sale is big enough to move your bracket, it also moves your estimated tax payments for the year — the IRS expects its share in the quarter you sell, not next April.
The cheapest tax planning happens before the sale closes
Once the transaction settles, your options collapse to 'pay it.' Before closing, timing shifts, installment terms, loss harvesting, charitable stock gifts, and exchange structures are all on the table. If this calculator shows a number that hurts, that's the signal to model it properly.
Common Questions
Don't guess on a six-figure sale
We model the federal stack, NIIT, recapture, state tax, and the estimated-payment plan — then find the structure that keeps more of it yours. One free call before you sign anything.
Find Out What You're Overpaying in Taxes
Book a free 30-minute call to walk through your situation. We'll tell you exactly how our CPA-led team can help — and whether we're the right fit.