Crypto Tax Calculator - 2026 Federal Gain Estimate
Estimate US federal short-term or long-term crypto capital-gain tax using verified 2026 brackets, adjusted basis, fees and possible NIIT.
A $25,000 crypto sale with $15,000 cost basis and $200 in fees creates a $9,800 gain: $1,470 federal at 15% long-term versus $2,156 at 22% short-term on $75,000 ordinary taxable single, saving $686 by holding more than a year. The same $9,800 gain added to $30,000 ordinary single is $0 long-term because $19,450 of the 0% band remains, versus $1,176 short-term at 12%. According to IRS Notice 2014-21 (2014, reaffirmed 2026) crypto is property and every sale or crypto-to-crypto trade is a taxable event. Enter your proceeds and basis below.
Crypto Tax Calculator
Enter your details for an instant result
How to Use the Crypto Tax Calculator
Enter Sale Proceeds and Cost Basis
Enter $25,000 proceeds and $15,000 basis for a $10,000 gross gain. Add $200 in fees that reduce the amount realized to $24,800, making the net gain $9,800 before income stacking.
Set Holding Period
Choose more than 1 year for 0%/15%/20% long-term bands or 1 year or less for 10% to 37% ordinary rates. The $9,800 long-term at 15% is $1,470 versus $2,156 short-term at 22% on $75,000 ordinary single.
Enter Taxable Income Before Gain
Enter ordinary taxable after the $16,100 single standard, such as $75,000. The $9,800 stacks on top of that $75,000, so the remaining 0% band determines how much is taxed at 0%.
Choose Filing Status
Select single where 0% ends at $49,450 and 15% ends at $545,500, or joint where 0% ends at $98,900 and 15% ends at $613,700 in 2026 per IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32.
Review Gain, Federal Tax and NIIT
Check long-term $1,470 versus short-term $2,156 on $75,000 ordinary, plus any 3.8% NIIT only if MAGI exceeds $200,000 single or $250,000 joint.
Federal Tax on $9,800 Crypto Gain by Ordinary Income and Holding Period, Single 2026
| Ordinary taxable before gain | Long-term tax on $9,800 | Short-term tax on $9,800* | Saving long vs short |
|---|---|---|---|
| $30,000 (12% marginal) | $0 (entire gain in 0% band) | $1,176 (12%) | $1,176 |
| $50,000 (12% marginal) | $1,470 (15% band, 0% filled) | $2,156 (22%) | $686 |
| $75,000 (22% marginal) | $1,470 (15%) | $2,156 (22%) | $686 |
| $110,000 (22% marginal) | $1,950 (20% on part) | $2,352 (24%) | $402 |
| $200,000 (32% marginal) | $3,234 (33% with NIIT) | $3,136 (32%) | −$98 |
| $75,000 joint (12% marginal) | $0 (0% band $23,900 unused) | $1,176 (12%) | $1,176 |
| $400,000 (35% bracket) | $3,920 (40% with NIIT) | $3,430 (35%) | −$490 |
How Is My Crypto Gain Actually Calculated?
Gain is amount realized minus adjusted basis, with fees reducing the amount realized. A $25,000 sale minus $200 in network and exchange fees is $24,800 realized, minus $15,000 cost basis is $9,800 gain before any income stacking. Each lot has its own basis and holding period, so a wallet with two purchases at $10,000 and $5,000 has two separate $12,500 and $12,500 proceeds lots if you sell half, and specific identification lets you choose the higher-basis lot to realize $7,500 gain instead of $10,000 with average cost. With $30,000 ordinary single, the $19,450 unused 0% band makes $9,800 long-term $0 versus $1,176 short-term, so the 0% band matters most when ordinary income is low.
Keep lot-level records because exchanges may not report transferred history. Missing a $500 fee overstates the gain by $500 and overstates long-term tax by $75 at 15% or $110 at 22% short-term. Use the lot that minimizes tax while matching your accounting method (FIFO, LIFO, specific ID) consistently.
Long-Term vs Short-Term Crypto: How Much Do I Really Save After a Year?
Holding more than a year swaps ordinary 12% to 37% for 0%/15%/20% plus possible NIIT. With $30,000 ordinary single, the 0% band to $49,450 leaves $19,450 unused, so $9,800 long-term is $0 versus $1,176 short-term at 12%, saving $1,176. With $75,000 ordinary single, the 0% band is filled, so the same $9,800 is $1,470 long-term at 15% versus $2,156 short-term at 22%, saving only $686 — about half the benefit.
| Ordinary taxable before gain | Long-term on $9,800 | Short-term on $9,800 |
|---|---|---|
| $30,000 | $0 | $1,176 |
| $75,000 | $1,470 | $2,156 |
At $30,000 the saving is 12 points, at $75,000 only 7 points, and at $200,000 where 20% plus 3.8% NIIT makes 23.8% versus 32% ordinary, the gap is 8.2 points but NIIT narrows it. Use the Income Tax Calculator to find your ordinary marginal before adding the gain.
When Does the 3.8% NIIT Hit My Crypto Gain?
NIIT is 3.8% on the lesser of net investment income (including the $9,800 gain) or MAGI above $200,000 single or head, $250,000 joint and $125,000 separate. With $75,000 ordinary plus $9,800 gain, MAGI is $84,800, well below $200,000, so NIIT is $0 and total is $1,470 long-term. With $190,000 ordinary plus $19,600 two-lot gains (two $9,800 sales) MAGI is $209,600, $9,600 above $200,000, so NIIT is 3.8% on $9,600 = $365, added to $2,940 long-term base for $3,305 total.
NIIT stacks after the gain is taxed at 15% or 20%, turning 15% into 18.8% and 20% into 23.8% when the threshold is crossed. The $200k/$250k thresholds are not indexed, so they bite more each year as nominal incomes rise (Source: IRS, irs.gov/taxtopics/tc310).
Should I Harvest Losses or Sell Crypto in Two Tax Years?
Losses net against gains by type, then $3,000 per year can offset ordinary income with the rest carried forward. Harvesting a $5,000 loss with the $9,800 gain nets to $4,800 gain, cutting long-term tax from $1,470 to $720, saving $750 at 15%. Spreading a single $19,600 gain into two $9,800 sales across years helps only when the 0% band is open: at $30,000 ordinary, two $9,800 sales use $19,450 of 0% each year for $0+$0=$0 total versus $0+$1,470=$1,470 if combined, saving $1,470.
Wash-sale rules currently do not apply to crypto as property, but the 2026 legislative wash-sale expansion for digital assets was under consideration, so check current law before repurchasing. Track every trade, fee and airdrop with lot-level records and test the after-tax proceeds with the Capital Gains Tax Calculator for the non-crypto version of the same stacking math.
Crypto Tax Calculator - Frequently Asked Questions
Related Calculators
Income Tax Calculator
LiveEstimate federal income tax for the current year by filing status.
Key inputs: Gross income, Filing status, Deductions
Calculate freeCapital Gains Tax Calculator
LiveEstimate tax owed when you sell stocks, property or other assets.
Key inputs: Sale price, Cost basis, Holding period
Calculate freeSelf-Employment Tax Calculator
LiveCalculate SE tax and quarterly payment estimates for freelancers.
Key inputs: Net earnings, Filing status, Other income
Calculate freeInvestment Return Calculator
LiveProject what your investments grow to with regular contributions.
Key inputs: Initial investment, Monthly contribution, Rate
Calculate freeNet Worth Calculator
LiveTotal your assets minus liabilities to track real financial progress.
Key inputs: Assets, Liabilities
Calculate freeROI Calculator
LiveCompare return on investment across projects and time.
Key inputs: Cost, Gain, Time period
Calculate free