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Capital Gains Tax Calculator

Selling a US property? Federal capital gains tax can eat 0-20% of your profit, depending on how long you owned it and your income. This calculator uses 2025 tax brackets.

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How to use this calculator

  1. Enter your purchase and sale prices.
  2. Add closing costs from both transactions.
  3. Add capital improvements (kitchen reno, new roof, etc.).
  4. Enter years owned, filing status, and annual income.

What your results mean

Owned over 1 year = long-term gain, taxed at 0/15/20% federal. Owned under 1 year = short-term, taxed at your ordinary income rate. We add the gain to your income to find the correct bracket. State taxes and the 3.8% Net Investment Income Tax may also apply on top.

5 ways to reduce your capital gains tax bill

  • Live in the home 2 of the last 5 years to claim the $250k ($500k married) primary residence exclusion.
  • Hold for over 1 year — short-term gains can be taxed at 37%, long-term capped at 20%.
  • Track every improvement — receipts, dates, amounts. They raise your basis and lower your gain.
  • Use a 1031 exchange to roll proceeds into another investment property tax-deferred.
  • Harvest losses in the same tax year to offset gains (only investment properties qualify).

Frequently asked questions