How are 2026 long-term capital gains taxed?

Long-term gains use 0%, 15%, and 20% bands stacked on top of your ordinary income. In 2026 the 0% band runs up to $48,350 single / $96,700 joint of total income, 15% up to $533,400 single / $600,050 joint, and 20% above that.

How is a short-term gain taxed differently?

A short-term gain (held a year or less) is taxed as ordinary income at your marginal bracket, not the 0/15/20 rates. The tool computes it as the extra ordinary tax from stacking the gain on top of your other income, which can reach 37%.

What is the 3.8% Net Investment Income Tax?

NIIT adds 3.8% on the smaller of your net investment income (the gain) or the amount your modified AGI exceeds $200,000 single / $250,000 joint. A single filer with $300,000 income and a $50,000 gain pays 3.8% on the full $50,000, or $1,900, on top of capital gains tax.

Can my long-term gain really be taxed at 0%?

Yes. If your ordinary income plus the gain stays within the 0% band ($48,350 single / $96,700 joint in 2026), the long-term portion inside that band is taxed at 0%. A single filer with $30,000 of ordinary income and an $15,000 long-term gain pays $0 federal tax on that gain.

Capital Gains Tax Calculator (2026)

Email me this result

Get this tool's output sent to your inbox, plus one useful tool a week. No spam, unsubscribe any time.

Calculate your 2026 federal capital gains tax

Capital gains are taxed very differently depending on how long you held the asset. This calculator applies the 2026 long-term rates of 0%, 15%, and 20%, treats short-term gains as ordinary income, and layers on the 3.8% Net Investment Income Tax for higher earners.

How it works

Long-term rates are determined by where the gain stacks on top of your ordinary income. The portion of the gain that falls inside each band is taxed at that band’s rate:

0%  band: total income up to 48,350 single / 96,700 joint
15% band: total income up to 533,400 single / 600,050 joint
20% band: total income above those thresholds

A short-term gain is taxed as ordinary income, so its tax equals the extra ordinary tax from stacking the gain on top of your other income. On top of either, the Net Investment Income Tax is 3.8% on the lesser of the gain and the amount your income exceeds $200,000 single / $250,000 joint.

Example

A single filer has $250,000 of ordinary income and a $100,000 long-term gain. The gain stacks from $250,000 to $350,000, which is entirely inside the 15% band, so capital gains tax is $15,000. Their income is above the $200,000 NIIT threshold, so 3.8% applies to the full $100,000 gain, adding $3,800. Total tax on the gain is $18,800, an effective rate of 18.8%.

Notes

This is an estimate, not tax advice. It models federal tax only and ignores state taxes, the qualified-dividend interaction, and special-rate assets such as collectibles (28%) or unrecaptured Section 1250 gain (25%). Thresholds and the 3.8% NIIT follow IRS rules for 2026; confirm with the IRS or a tax professional.