{
  "slug": "crypto-tax-gain",
  "title": "Crypto Capital Gains Tax Calculator",
  "heading": "Crypto Capital Gains Tax Calculator",
  "category": "financial",
  "url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/crypto-tax-gain",
  "summary": "Estimate tax owed on a crypto sale.",
  "description": "Short-term gains are taxed as ordinary income; long-term gains get preferential rates. Estimate only — confirm with a tax professional.",
  "formula": null,
  "dateModified": "2026-09-30",
  "run_url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/api/public/calc?tool=crypto-tax-gain",
  "inputs": [
    {
      "id": "proceeds",
      "label": "Sale proceeds",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 30000,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": null,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "basis",
      "label": "Cost basis",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 12000,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": null,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "holding",
      "label": "Holding period",
      "kind": "select",
      "hint": null,
      "default": "long",
      "options": [
        {
          "value": "short",
          "label": "Short-term (under 1 year)"
        },
        {
          "value": "long",
          "label": "Long-term (1 year or more)"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "ordinary",
      "label": "Ordinary income tax rate",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 24,
      "unit": "%",
      "min": null,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "ltcg",
      "label": "Long-term rate",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 15,
      "unit": "%",
      "min": null,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "state",
      "label": "State rate",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 5,
      "unit": "%",
      "min": null,
      "max": null
    }
  ],
  "outputs": [
    {
      "id": "total",
      "label": "Estimated tax owed",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": true
    },
    {
      "id": "gain",
      "label": "Capital gain",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "fed",
      "label": "Federal tax",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "st",
      "label": "State tax",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "net",
      "label": "Net after tax",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    }
  ],
  "worked_example": {
    "inputs": [
      "Sale proceeds: 30000 $",
      "Cost basis: 12000 $",
      "Holding period: Long-term (1 year or more)",
      "Ordinary income tax rate: 24 %",
      "Long-term rate: 15 %",
      "State rate: 5 %"
    ],
    "outputs": [
      "Estimated tax owed: $3,600",
      "Capital gain: $18,000",
      "Federal tax: $2,700",
      "State tax: $900",
      "Net after tax: $14,400"
    ]
  },
  "how_to": {
    "title": "How to use this",
    "steps": [
      "Enter sale proceeds ($).",
      "Enter cost basis ($).",
      "Enter holding period.",
      "Enter ordinary income tax rate (%).",
      "Enter long-term rate (%).",
      "Enter state rate (%).",
      "Read your estimated tax owed on the right — it updates as you type.",
      "Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone."
    ]
  },
  "scenarios": [
    {
      "name": "Conservative",
      "description": "Lower-end numbers — what if things land soft?",
      "values": {
        "proceeds": 18000,
        "basis": 7200,
        "holding": "long",
        "ordinary": 14,
        "ltcg": 9,
        "state": 3
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Typical",
      "description": "Defaults — the most common real-world setup.",
      "values": {
        "proceeds": 30000,
        "basis": 12000,
        "holding": "long",
        "ordinary": 24,
        "ltcg": 15,
        "state": 5
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Ambitious",
      "description": "Higher-end numbers — what if things really pop?",
      "values": {
        "proceeds": 48000,
        "basis": 19200,
        "holding": "long",
        "ordinary": 38,
        "ltcg": 24,
        "state": 8
      }
    }
  ],
  "limitations": [
    "Results are estimates before tax, fees, and inflation unless an input explicitly covers them.",
    "Rates are treated as fixed for the whole period — variable-rate products will drift from this projection.",
    "This is educational maths, not financial advice. Check anything contractual with the lender or your accountant."
  ],
  "faq": [
    {
      "q": "How does the crypto capital gains tax calculator work?",
      "a": "Short-term gains are taxed as ordinary income; long-term gains get preferential rates. Estimate only — confirm with a tax professional."
    },
    {
      "q": "What do I need to enter?",
      "a": "6 values: sale proceeds, cost basis, holding period, ordinary income tax rate, long-term rate, and state rate. Each field starts with a sensible default, so you can change one number at a time and watch the result move."
    },
    {
      "q": "What does the estimated tax owed result mean?",
      "a": "It is returned as a money amount in US dollars and updates live as you edit the inputs, so you can compare two or three versions of a scenario in a few seconds."
    },
    {
      "q": "Is this calculator free, and do I need an account?",
      "a": "Yes, it's free, and no account is required. Nothing you type is stored on our servers — the maths runs entirely in your browser."
    },
    {
      "q": "How accurate is the result?",
      "a": "It applies the standard formula exactly, so the arithmetic is precise. Results are estimates before tax, fees, and inflation unless an input explicitly covers them."
    },
    {
      "q": "Who is this tool for?",
      "a": "It's built for anyone comparing money scenarios before committing — budgeting a payment, sanity-checking a quote, or seeing what a change in rate or term actually costs."
    }
  ],
  "related": [
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/crypto-profit"
  ],
  "license": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "citation": "RevenueLab — Crypto Capital Gains Tax Calculator (https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/crypto-tax-gain)"
}