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💰 Capital Gains Calculator

Calculate the capital gain and tax on any investment. Enter the purchase price, sale price and tax rate to see your gain, tax owed and net proceeds.

Purchase price

Sale price

Tax rate (%)

What is this tool?

A capital gain is the profit you make when you sell an asset for more than you paid for it. Whether you are trading stocks, selling cryptocurrency, cashing out a fund or disposing of investment property, the profit is generally taxable. Understanding how much tax you will owe before you sell helps you plan your transactions, time your sales and avoid unpleasant surprises at tax time. In most tax systems, the rate of capital gains tax depends on how long you held the asset before selling. Assets held for longer than a threshold period (typically one year) usually qualify for a lower long-term rate, while assets sold more quickly are taxed at a higher short-term rate that matches your ordinary income tax bracket. This creates a strong incentive to hold investments for the long term. This capital gains calculator lets you enter the purchase price, the sale price, the applicable tax rate and the holding period. It computes the capital gain, the tax owed, and the net proceeds you keep after tax. You can also compare short-term versus long-term rates by entering different percentages. All calculations run locally in your browser.

How it works

The capital gain is calculated as Gain = Sale Price − Purchase Price. If the result is positive, it is a taxable gain; if negative, it is a capital loss (which may be deductible against other gains in many tax systems). The tax owed is calculated as Tax = Gain × (Tax Rate / 100), and the net proceeds are Net = Sale Price − Tax. For example, if you bought shares for 10,000 dollars, sold them for 15,000 dollars, and the applicable long-term rate is 15 percent, the gain is 5,000 dollars, the tax is 750 dollars, and your net proceeds are 14,250 dollars. The tool also shows the effective tax rate (tax as a percentage of the sale price) so you can see the overall impact on your investment return.

US Long-Term Capital Gains Tax Rates (2025)

Assets held for more than one year qualify for preferential long-term rates. The rate you pay depends on your taxable income and filing status.

Tax Bracket	Single Filers (Income)	Married Joint (Income)	Long-Term Rate
0% bracket	Up to $48,350	Up to $96,700	0%
15% bracket	$48,351 – $533,400	$96,701 – $600,050	15%
20% bracket	Over $533,400	Over $600,050	20%

Note: Thresholds are for 2025. Short-term gains (assets held one year or less) are taxed at ordinary income rates up to 37%. An additional 3.8% Net Investment Income Tax may apply to high earners.

Short-Term vs Long-Term Capital Gains

The holding period is the single most powerful lever in capital gains tax planning. This table compares the two regimes.

Feature	Short-Term (≤ 1 year)	Long-Term (> 1 year)
Holding period	One year or less	More than one year
US tax rate	Ordinary income rate (10% – 37%)	Preferential rate (0%, 15%, 20%)
Typical rate for median earner	22% – 24%	15%
Planning tip	Often better to wait	Hold past the 1-year mark to save
Primary residence exclusion	Does not apply	Up to $250K / $500K (US)

Note: Holding an asset just one day past the one-year anniversary can cut your tax rate in half. Always verify your purchase date before selling.

How to use

Enter the total purchase price (what you originally paid for the asset).
Enter the sale price (what you are selling it for).
Enter the applicable capital gains tax rate as a percentage.
Click Calculate to see the gain, tax owed and net proceeds.
Try both short-term and long-term rates to compare the tax impact.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between short-term and long-term capital gains?

Short-term gains apply to assets held for one year or less and are typically taxed at your ordinary income tax rate, which can be as high as 37 percent in the US. Long-term gains apply to assets held for more than one year and benefit from lower preferential rates (typically 0, 15 or 20 percent in the US, depending on your income).

Can I deduct capital losses?

In many tax systems, capital losses can be used to offset capital gains in the same year, reducing your overall tax bill. If your losses exceed your gains, you may be able to deduct a portion against ordinary income (up to 3,000 dollars per year in the US), with any remainder carried forward to future years.

Does this calculator handle multiple purchases?

No. This calculator is designed for a single buy and a single sell. If you made multiple purchases at different prices (such as dollar-cost averaging into a stock), calculate the gain for each lot separately or compute your weighted average cost basis first, then enter it as the purchase price.

Are there special rules for real estate?

Yes. In many countries, the sale of a primary residence qualifies for a significant exclusion (up to 250,000 dollars for single filers or 500,000 for married couples in the US) if you lived in the home for at least two of the past five years. Investment property may be subject to different rules, including depreciation recapture. Consult a tax professional for real estate transactions.

This tool is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Consult a qualified financial professional for advice specific to your situation.

Tips & Advice

The holding period is the single most powerful lever in capital gains tax planning: waiting just one day past the one-year mark can cut your tax rate in half or more on the same investment, so always check your purchase date before selling. If you have both gains and losses in the same year, consider harvesting losses — deliberately selling losing positions to offset the gains and reduce your tax bill — but be careful not to repurchase the same asset within the wash-sale period (typically 30 days before or after the sale). For large positions, consider selling in batches across multiple tax years to spread the gain and stay within a lower tax bracket. Cryptocurrency is subject to capital gains tax in most jurisdictions, so keep detailed records of every purchase, sale and even crypto-to-crypto trade. Finally, remember that tax laws change frequently and vary by country, so always verify the current rates and rules with a qualified tax professional before making important financial decisions.

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