Crypto Tax Calculator (US, 2026)

Estimate federal capital-gains tax on a crypto sale or swap — short- or long-term.

Estimated Federal Tax
Treatment
Top rate hit
After-tax gain
Important: Federal only — state tax, NIIT (3.8%), and AMT are not included. US tax law changes frequently. Always consult a licensed CPA before filing.

How to Use

  1. Enter the transaction type (sale or swap — both are taxable events).
  2. Choose your filing status (single, MFJ, MFS, or HoH).
  3. Enter the holding period in days (from acquisition to disposal — more than 365 days is long-term).
  4. Enter the capital gain in USD (sale price minus cost basis).
  5. Enter your other annual income (wages, interest, etc., before this gain) so the calculator can find your marginal bracket.

Calculation Method

If holding_days ≤ 365, the gain is short-term and taxed at your ordinary-income marginal bracket. Otherwise it is long-term and taxed at the preferential 0% / 15% / 20% rate.

if holding_days > 365:
  rate = long_term_rate(income + gain, filing_status) // 0 / 15 / 20%
  tax = gain × rate
else:
  tax = marginal_tax(income + gain, filing_status) − marginal_tax(income, filing_status)

2026 federal ordinary-income brackets (single, illustrative):

10% to $11,925 · 12% to $48,475 · 22% to $103,350 · 24% to $197,300 · 32% to $250,525 · 35% to $626,350 · 37% above. MFJ brackets are approximately double.

2026 long-term capital-gains brackets (single, illustrative):

0% up to ~$48,350 · 15% up to ~$533,400 · 20% above. MFJ thresholds are approximately double.

Source / Last updated: IRS-published federal income tax bracket structure, 2026 inflation-adjusted figures. Last reviewed 2026.

Examples

Example 1 — Long-term, single, $10,000 gain

Single filer, $75,000 in W-2 income, sells BTC after 400 days with a $10,000 gain. Combined income ($85,000) lands in the 15% long-term bracket. Estimated tax ≈ $1,500 (federal only).

Example 2 — Short-term, single, $5,000 gain

Same filer sells ETH after 90 days with a $5,000 gain. Treated as ordinary income — most of it lands in the 22% bracket, so tax ≈ $5,000 × 22% = $1,100 (federal only).

Frequently Asked Questions

The IRS treats crypto as property. Selling for fiat, swapping one coin for another, spending crypto on goods/services, and earning crypto (staking rewards, mining, airdrops, interest) are all taxable events. Buying and holding is not.
Short-term (held 365 days or less) is taxed as ordinary income at rates from 10% to 37%. Long-term (held more than 365 days) is taxed at 0%, 15%, or 20% depending on income and filing status — usually much lower.
Each disposal must be reported on Form 8949 with date acquired, date sold, proceeds, cost basis, and gain or loss. Totals roll up to Schedule D on your 1040. Most exchanges now provide a 1099-B or similar summary.
No. State taxes vary widely (California has none for long-term cap gains at the federal preferential rate, but New York taxes everything as ordinary income). This calculator covers federal only.
Yes. Crypto losses offset capital gains dollar-for-dollar, and up to $3,000 of excess loss can offset ordinary income per year (carried forward indefinitely). The wash-sale rule currently does not apply to crypto, though Congress may change this.

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Not tax or financial advice. This calculator provides estimates only, based on the inputs you supply. US tax law is complex and changes frequently. Consult a licensed CPA or tax attorney before filing. Full disclaimer →