Stock Profit Calculator 2026
Get the exact net profit on any stock trade after capital gains tax, broker fees, and your tax bracket. Built on 2026 IRS long-term capital gains brackets and the Net Investment Income Tax thresholds.
Last updated April 2026 · Sources: IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32, IRS Pub 550, S&P Dow Jones Indices
Your trade
Your net profit
2026 long-term capital gains brackets
| Rate | Single income up to | MFJ income up to | HoH income up to |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0% | $49,450 | $98,900 | $66,200 |
| 15% | $545,500 | $613,750 | $578,500 |
| 20% | above | above | above |
Source: IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32. Add 3.8% Net Investment Income Tax on gains where AGI exceeds $200K single or $250K MFJ.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between long-term and short-term capital gains tax in 2026?
Holding a stock longer than one year before selling makes the gain a long-term capital gain, taxed at 0%, 15%, or 20% depending on your taxable income. Selling within a year is short-term, taxed at your ordinary income rate, which can be as high as 37%. The break is significant: on a $3,000 gain in the 22% bracket, you pay $660 short-term versus $450 long-term — a $210 saving for waiting one extra day past the one-year mark.
What are the 2026 long-term capital gains brackets?
For single filers: 0% on gains up to $49,450 of total taxable income, 15% from there to $545,500, and 20% above that. Married filing jointly: 0% to $98,900, 15% to $613,750, 20% above. The rates apply to the gain itself, but where the gain falls is determined by your total taxable income including the gain. So a $200,000 earner with a $5,000 gain pays 15% on the entire gain, not 0%.
Do I owe Net Investment Income Tax on stock profits?
Yes, if your modified adjusted gross income exceeds $200,000 (single) or $250,000 (married filing jointly). The Net Investment Income Tax adds a 3.8% surcharge on top of your capital gains rate, applied to investment income above the threshold. A high earner with a 20% LTCG rate effectively pays 23.8% on gains in that bracket. NIIT applies to dividends, interest, rental income, and capital gains.
How is cost basis calculated?
Cost basis is what you actually paid for the shares, including commissions and fees. If you bought 100 shares at $50 with a $5 commission, your cost basis is $5,005, not $5,000. For shares purchased at different prices over time, you can choose first-in-first-out (FIFO, the IRS default), specific identification (best for tax planning), or average cost (mutual funds). Specific ID lets you sell your highest-cost shares first to minimize gains.
What about the wash sale rule?
If you sell a stock at a loss and buy the same stock (or a substantially identical security) within 30 days before or after the sale, the IRS disallows the loss for tax purposes. The disallowed loss gets added to the cost basis of the new shares, effectively deferring it. This is most commonly tripped up by automatic dividend reinvestment, retirement account purchases, and rebuying immediately after tax-loss harvesting.
Can I offset capital gains with losses?
Yes. Long-term losses first offset long-term gains, short-term losses offset short-term gains, and any leftover losses cross over. If your total capital losses exceed your gains, you can deduct up to $3,000 against ordinary income each year ($1,500 if married filing separately). Losses beyond that carry forward indefinitely until used. This is the foundation of tax-loss harvesting.
Do brokerage commissions still matter in 2026?
Most major brokerages — Schwab, Fidelity, Robinhood, E*TRADE, Webull — charge zero commission on US stock and ETF trades. You may still pay small SEC and FINRA regulatory fees on sales (typically pennies per trade), and options or futures still carry per-contract fees. International stock trades, broker-assisted trades, and certain mutual funds still charge commissions. Always check the broker fee schedule before placing complex orders.
Do I owe tax on stocks I sell inside a Roth IRA or 401(k)?
No. Trades inside tax-advantaged accounts (Roth IRA, traditional IRA, 401(k), HSA) are not taxable events. You can buy and sell freely without triggering capital gains. Traditional IRA and 401(k) withdrawals are taxed as ordinary income whenever you take the money out, but the trades themselves are not. Roth IRA qualified withdrawals are entirely tax-free. This is one of the biggest reasons to max retirement accounts before taxable investing.
How does state tax affect my stock profit?
Most states tax capital gains as ordinary income at your state rate, with no preferential long-term rate. So a California resident in the 9.3% top bracket pays 9.3% state tax on top of federal LTCG. Nine states have no income tax (Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, Wyoming) and therefore no state capital gains tax. New Hampshire taxes interest and dividends only, not capital gains.
What if I receive stock as a gift or inheritance?
Inherited stock gets a "step-up in basis" to the fair market value on the date of death, which can wipe out decades of unrealized gains tax-free. Gifted stock keeps the original donor cost basis (carryover basis), which means you inherit any built-in gain. The step-up rule is one of the most powerful tax provisions in the code — selling inherited stock the day after inheritance often triggers zero capital gains tax.
How do I calculate profit on partial share sales?
Apply your chosen cost basis method (FIFO, specific ID, or average) to the shares you sold. If you bought 100 shares at $50 and another 100 at $70, then sell 100 shares at $80: under FIFO your cost basis is $5,000 (the first lot) and your gain is $3,000; under specific identification you can sell the $70 lot for a $1,000 gain instead, saving on taxes if you want to minimize the realized gain.
Do dividends count as part of my stock profit?
Dividends are separate from your capital gain on the sale, but they are taxable in the year received. Qualified dividends (most US stocks held more than 60 days) get the same favorable rates as long-term capital gains: 0%, 15%, or 20%. Non-qualified dividends — including most REIT distributions and some foreign stocks — are taxed as ordinary income. When calculating total return, add reinvested dividends to your gain to see the true holding-period return.
Sources: IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32, IRS Publication 550 (Investment Income and Expenses), IRS Topic 409 (Capital Gains and Losses), Section 1411 NIIT.
Disclaimer: Estimates only. Tax outcomes depend on your full situation including state taxes, AMT, prior loss carryovers, and other factors. Consult a tax professional for your specific circumstances.