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FINANCE · TAX

Capital-gains tax efficiency.

If you sell this much stock, what actually happens? Models the 0/15/20% long-term brackets — plus NIIT, QBI, ACA and IRMAA cliffs — for tax year 2026, Virginia resident.

THE READ

Most of a gain can be tax-free if it fits under the 0% bracket. You just saw exactly how much room you have — and where the next cliff sits.

About the Capital Gains Tax Calculator

The Capital Gains Tax Calculator answers a single question: if you sell this much stock, what actually happens? It models the full 2026 picture — the 0%, 15%, and 20% long-term capital-gains brackets, the 3.8% Net Investment Income Tax, the §199A QBI deduction, the ACA premium-tax-credit cliff, Medicare IRMAA tiers, and Virginia state tax — then shows how much of a gain fits under each threshold. Long-term gains stack on top of your ordinary income, so the room left in the 0% bracket depends on everything else you earn. Use the slider to find the largest gain you can take before the next dollar gets more expensive.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between long-term and short-term capital gains?▼
Long-term capital gains apply to assets held more than one year and are taxed at preferential rates of 0%, 15%, or 20% depending on your taxable income. Short-term gains (assets held one year or less) are taxed as ordinary income at rates up to 37%, making them far less efficient.
How does the 0% capital gains bracket work?▼
Long-term gains stack on top of your ordinary income. If your total taxable income (ordinary income plus gains) stays under the 0% breakpoint — $49,450 for single filers and $98,900 for married-filing-jointly in 2026 — those gains are taxed at 0% federally. The calculator shows exactly how much room you have left in that bracket.
What tax cliffs should I watch when selling stock?▼
Beyond the 0→15→20% bracket steps, a large gain can trigger the 3.8% Net Investment Income Tax (above $200k/$250k MAGI), bump your Medicare IRMAA tier (raising premiums two years later), or push you over the 400% federal-poverty ACA subsidy cliff — which forfeits the entire premium tax credit. The tool flags the headroom before each one.
How are capital gains taxed in Virginia?▼
Virginia has no preferential capital-gains rate — all gains are taxed as ordinary income at rates up to 5.75%. So even a gain that is federally tax-free in the 0% bracket still owes Virginia tax. The calculator includes Virginia state tax in every total.

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NOT ADVICE

Educational model · not personalized advice · projected outcomes are uncertain.

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