ScoutMyTool

Capital Gains Tax Calculator

Short-term vs long-term capital gains tax — federal rates only.

Inputs

$
$0$125K
$
$0$375K

Result

Capital gains tax
$3,750.00
  • Effective rate on gain15.00%
  • After-tax gain$21,250.00
  • Long-term rate (preferential)0% / 15% / 20%
  • Taxed at 0%$0.00
  • Taxed at 15%$25,000.00 → $3,750.00
  • Taxed at 20%$0.00 → $0.00

How to use this calculator

  • Enter the dollar amount of your gain (sale price minus cost basis).
  • Pick short-term or long-term based on holding period.
  • Add your other taxable income — the calculator stacks the gain on top.
  • Toggle short vs long to see why holding past 1 year often saves real money.

About this tool

Capital gains tax depends on how long you held the asset before selling. Held ≤ 1 year (short-term)? Taxed at your ordinary income rate — same as your salary. Held > 1 year (long-term)? Preferential rates kick in: 0%, 15%, or 20% based on your total taxable income. The 0% bracket is bigger than people realize — for 2024, a single filer with under $47k taxable income pays zero federal tax on long-term gains. This calculator stacks the gain on top of your other income (matching how the IRS actually computes it) so the answer reflects how the brackets split your gain.

Frequently asked

US tax policy historically rewards long-term investment vs. short-term trading. The preferential rates are 0%, 15%, 20% for long-term; short-term is just your ordinary income rate (10-37%).

Related calculators

Investment Return Calculator
Total return, annualized return (CAGR), and dollar gain.
Tax Bracket Calculator
US federal income tax owed using the 2024 or 2025 brackets, by filing status.
Take-Home Pay Calculator
Gross salary to net paycheck — federal tax + FICA + optional state.
401(k) Calculator
401(k) growth projection with employer match and salary increases.