Capital Gains Tax Calculator by State
Free capital gains tax calculator by state. Compare federal and state capital gains tax rates and estimate your tax bill on investment profits.
Enter Your Details
Federal Capital Gains Tax Rates for 2026
Capital gains are taxed differently depending on how long you held the investment. Long-term gains (assets held over 1 year) are taxed at preferential rates: 0% for income under $47,025 (single) or $94,050 (married), 15% for income up to $492,300 (single) or $553,850 (married), and 20% above those thresholds. Short-term gains (held under 1 year) are taxed as ordinary income at your marginal rate — which can be as high as 37%. The difference is enormous: on a $30,000 gain, someone in the 24% bracket pays $7,200 in short-term tax but only $4,500 in long-term tax. That is $2,700 saved simply by holding the investment for 366 days instead of 364.
High earners also face the Net Investment Income Tax (NIIT) of 3.8% on investment income if their modified AGI exceeds $200,000 (single) or $250,000 (married). This effectively raises the top long-term rate to 23.8% and the top short-term rate to 40.8%. States add their own capital gains taxes on top — California charges up to 13.3%, while states like Texas, Florida, and Nevada charge 0%. Track your investment performance with our ROI Calculator.
Tax-Loss Harvesting: Your Best Defense
Tax-loss harvesting is the most powerful strategy for reducing capital gains taxes. When you sell investments at a loss, those losses offset your gains dollar-for-dollar. If your losses exceed your gains, you can deduct up to $3,000 per year against ordinary income, and carry remaining losses forward indefinitely. For example, if you have $30,000 in gains and $20,000 in losses, you only pay tax on $10,000 — saving $1,500-$4,000 depending on your bracket. The key rule: the wash sale rule prevents you from repurchasing the same or substantially identical security within 30 days. However, you can immediately buy a similar (but not identical) fund to maintain your market exposure while locking in the tax loss.