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Estimate how much of your stock profit you keep after simplified US federal and state capital gains taxes. Short versus long term comparison included. For other countries use the Capital Gains Tax calculator instead.
Net profit after tax starts with the gross gain, then subtracts estimated federal and state tax. A $10,000 long term gain taxed at 15% federally and 5% by the state leaves $8,000 under that simple example. The holding period matters because moving past one year can change a gain from ordinary income rates to long term capital gains rates. The free StockEducation Stock Profit After Tax Calculator estimates the gain, federal tax, state tax, total tax, net profit and effective rate. It cannot cover every deduction, extra tax, carried loss or choice of tax lot.
Enter your buy price, sale price, holding period, income and state tax rate. The result updates from simplified 2024 US tax bracket logic.
Enter your trade details to see a simplified after-tax estimate.
General education only — check the assumptions before using the result.
Purpose: This calculator is a general educational tool that performs a numerical calculation from the values you enter. It does not recommend, advertise or promote a specific financial product.
Assumptions: The calculation uses the input values and assumptions displayed in the calculator. Default values are illustrative starting points, not forecasts. Change each non-statutory assumption so it matches the scenario you want to test.
Limitations: Actual market returns, prices, dividends, interest rates, fees, tax, inflation and timing may differ from the assumptions. The calculator may omit factors relevant to you. Small input changes can materially change the result, so the output is an illustration rather than a prediction.
This financial calculator is not intended to be relied on for the purposes of making a decision in relation to a financial product. You should consider obtaining advice from a financial services licensee before making any financial decisions.
You can print this page or save it electronically using your browser controls. See ASIC Instrument 2026/41 for the conditions applying to generic financial calculators.
Disclaimer · Terms of Use
No. This is not tax advice.
Tax rules depend on your country, your state, your income, your holding period and your personal circumstances. They also change.
This tool applies simplified general rules and knows none of that about you. The number it produces may be wrong for your situation.
Do not file, report or plan around this figure. Confirm it with a licensed tax professional or directly with the IRS before you act.
Educational content only. This calculator provides a simplified estimate only. It does not provide tax, legal, financial or investment advice. Confirm real outcomes with a qualified tax professional.
A $5,000 long term gain at 15% federal and 5% state taxes leaves $4,000 net. The stock profit after tax calculator separates federal capital gains tax from state income tax and compares short term (ordinary rates) to long term (preferential rates) outcomes. It is the standard way to see how much you actually keep before clicking sell.
From buy and sell prices to take-home profit after federal and state tax.
Purchase price, sale price and holding period define the gross capital gain and whether it qualifies for long term treatment.
Filing status and annual taxable income determine your federal long term rate (0%, 15% or 20%) and your ordinary rate for short term.
The result panel shows Net Profit After Tax, Total Tax and Gross Capital Gain cards, a Profit Breakdown table (sale price, purchase price, gross gain, federal CGT, state tax, net profit), and a Short-Term vs Long-Term comparison. The Long-Term column is usually materially higher — that gap is the dollar value of holding past 12 months.
A four-stage written walkthrough — the chapters a video would cover, available now in text.
Four chapters covering inputs, outputs and the common mistakes to avoid.
4 min watch. Auto captions available. Walkthrough chapters listed above.
Specific outcomes, not generic claims.
A $5,000 profit can become $3,250 after 15% federal, 5% state and a short term ordinary rate. See the number that hits your account.
The calculator shows side by side how much you save by holding past 12 months for the preferential long term rate.
Moving from a 9% state to a 0% state changes after tax outcomes materially on large gains. Test the difference.
Most calculators hide the formula. We show it because understanding the math is the point.
Net profit equals gross gain minus federal capital gains tax minus state income tax applied to that gain.
Sale
Purchase
Federal Rate
State Rate
The projection is a mathematical model, not a forecast. Six assumptions baked into the math, plus what real outcomes look like.
Each card pairs an assumption the calculator makes with what real world investing actually looks like.
Reality: Real tax depends on your full year of gains, losses and other income. This is a simplified per trade estimate.
Reality: Tax brackets adjust for inflation each year. The preset uses recent figures.
Reality: High income filers (above $200k single, $250k joint) owe an additional 3.8% NIIT. Not modelled in the preset.
Reality: Some states have graduated brackets or special treatment of capital gains. Use the marginal rate that applies to you.
Reality: Realised losses elsewhere offset gains. The calculator handles one transaction.
Reality: Alternative Minimum Tax can change effective rates for some filers. Not modelled.
Same base scenario, one variable changed at a time. The projection is highly sensitive to small changes.
The calculator assumes a smooth return every year. Here is how that compares to verified historical data.
Written by Dr. Charles Lo, Associate Professor, CPA. Reviewed annually.
Federal capital gains tax in the US splits into two regimes. Long term gains (assets held over 12 months) get preferential rates of 0%, 15% or 20% depending on your income. Short term gains (12 months or less) are taxed at your ordinary income rate, which can be as high as 37%.
State tax stacks on top. Most states tax capital gains the same as ordinary income at their state marginal rate. Nine states (including Florida, Texas, Washington and Nevada) have no state income tax. California taxes capital gains as ordinary income, reaching 13.3% at the top bracket.
The arithmetic is straightforward but the savings from long term treatment can be substantial. A $10,000 short term gain at the 32% bracket leaves $6,800 net. The same gain held to long term at 15% leaves $8,500 net. The 13 month sell versus 11 month sell question is one of the most consequential timing decisions in personal investing.
Use your marginal tax bracket, not your effective rate. The capital gain stacks on top of your other income and is taxed at the marginal rate. For short term gains, this is the same bracket as your salary income.
If you are near a bracket threshold, a large realised gain can push you up. Use the calculator at both rates to see the worst case.
Compare the effective rate across short and long term. If the gap is more than 10 percentage points, holding past 12 months is almost always worth the wait unless there is a strong reason to sell now.
If your net keep is far below the gross gain, double check whether you can use realised losses elsewhere in the portfolio to offset.
Real numbers calculated from the same formula as the live tool. Every figure below is verified, not approximated.
Buy $10,000, sell $15,000, 18 months, single, $75k income, 5% state
Standard buy and hold investor with a middle income.
Same buy and sell, held 11 months instead of 18
Same trade but sold one month before qualifying for long term treatment.
Gain $5,000, taxable income $40,000 single, 0% state
Low income earner harvests a long term gain in a no income tax state.
Gain $5,000, held 6 months, 37% federal, 9.3% state (CA top)
High earner active trader in a high tax state.
Gain $50,000 long term, $200k base income, 15% fed + 5% state
Successful long term position sold in a year of high other income.
The questions users most often ask about calculator output.
Yes. Free to use, no signup, no account. Your inputs are not stored or shared.
The calculator is built for simplified US federal and state rules. For Australia, UK or other jurisdictions, use the Capital Gains Tax calculator with country presets.
Assets held longer than 12 months qualify for long term capital gains treatment with preferential federal rates (0/15/20%). Less than 12 months is short term and taxed at ordinary income rates up to 37%.
The basic preset does not. Add 3.8% to your federal rate field if your income is above $200k single or $250k joint.
State capital gains tax is typically the same as your state’s marginal income tax rate. Some states (FL, TX, WA, NV and others) have zero. California has up to 13.3%.
Realised losses can offset gains before tax. The calculator handles a single transaction. For full year netting, use TurboTax or a CPA.
Gains inside 401k, IRA, Roth IRA and similar are not taxed at sale. Only taxable brokerage accounts trigger CGT on the kind this calculator models.
Long term gains get a preferential rate (0/15/20%) by design, to encourage long term investment. Short term is taxed like wage income, which can be up to 37% federal.
Other tools for different parts of your financial picture.
The calculator applies simplified 2024 US federal long term and ordinary income brackets plus state capital gains rates. Federal rates are sourced from IRS publications; state rates from each state’s department of revenue.
This calculator is provided for general educational purposes only. It applies simplified federal and state rules and does not constitute tax advice. Your actual tax depends on your full year of income, gains, losses, deductions and credits. Consult a CPA or tax professional before relying on the result for any decision.
This calculator gives you the number. Our free courses teach you the why behind the math, the assumptions to question, and how to apply it to your own portfolio.
Enter your buy and sell prices, holding period, filing status, income and state to see net profit after federal and state capital gains tax.
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