Capital Gains Tax Calculator
Estimate 2026 federal tax on a stock, crypto, or property sale — short-term gains at ordinary rates vs long-term gains at 0%, 15%, or 20%.
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Did you hold it long enough?
That one question decides a surprising amount of your tax bill. Sell an asset and the profit is a capital gain, but how that gain gets taxed depends heavily on what the asset is and how long you held it before selling. Get the holding period wrong in your head and you can badly misjudge what you'll owe.
The split is between short-term and long-term gains. The line between them isn't the same for every asset, which is the part that confuses most people. Equity has one rule, property has another, debt has yet another.
How the holding period changes the game
For listed equity shares and equity mutual funds, holding for more than a year generally makes the gain long-term, taxed at a concessional rate, and only above a certain annual exemption limit. Sell within a year and it's short-term, taxed at a higher rate. So the same 50,000 profit can be taxed quite differently depending on whether you sold on day 360 or day 366.
Property and debt instruments march to their own drum. They have different holding periods to qualify as long-term, and their own rate structures. Property used to lean heavily on indexation, where you adjusted the purchase price upward for inflation to reduce the taxable gain. Those indexation rules changed recently, so don't assume the old method still applies, check the current rules before you compute anything on a property sale.
An illustrative example
Let's keep it simple and clearly hypothetical. Suppose Anjali in Delhi buys equity shares for 2,00,000 and sells them eighteen months later for 3,00,000. Her gain is 1,00,000. Because she held longer than a year, it's a long-term equity gain. A slice of long-term equity gains each year is exempt, and only the amount above that exemption is taxed at the concessional long-term rate.
I'm deliberately not quoting an exact rate or exemption figure here, because these get revised in budgets and the number you remember may already be stale. Treat this example as showing the method, not as a frozen calculation. For the actual rate, exemption, and any surcharge, check what's current when you file.
Before you sell, run the math
A little planning saves real money. Worth doing:
- Note the exact purchase date, so you know which side of the holding-period line you're on
- Separate gains by asset type, since equity, property, and debt each follow different rules
- Confirm the current rates and exemptions for the relevant financial year
Sometimes waiting a few extra weeks flips a gain from short-term to long-term and cuts the tax meaningfully. Other times it doesn't. The only way to know is to check the dates and the current rules together.
Capital Gains Tax Calculator — frequently asked questions
What is the difference between short-term and long-term capital gains?
It comes down to how long you held the asset before selling. Hold it beyond a set period and the gain is long-term, usually taxed at a more favourable rate. Sell sooner and it is short-term, generally taxed higher. The exact holding period that separates the two differs by asset, equity, property, and debt each have their own cutoff. So check which rule applies to your specific asset before deciding.
How long must I hold equity shares for long-term gains?
For listed equity shares and equity mutual funds, holding for more than a year generally makes the gain long-term. Sell within a year and it is treated as short-term, taxed at a higher rate. There is also an annual exemption on long-term equity gains, so only the amount above that limit gets taxed. Both the rates and the exemption can change in budgets, so confirm the current rules for the year you are selling in.
Does indexation still apply to property sales?
The indexation rules for property changed recently, so do not assume the older method of adjusting the purchase price for inflation still applies the same way. The treatment can differ depending on when the property was bought and the current law. Because this area has shifted and may shift again, it is genuinely important to check the current rules or speak to a tax professional before computing the gain on any property sale.
How do I calculate my capital gain?
At its simplest, the gain is your sale price minus your cost of acquisition, plus any allowable expenses on the sale. For some assets you may also adjust the cost or apply specific rules before arriving at the taxable amount. Then you apply the right rate based on whether it is short-term or long-term. Because the adjustments and rates vary by asset and change over time, verify the current method for your asset type.
Are debt mutual funds taxed differently from equity?
Yes, debt instruments follow their own holding periods and rate structure, separate from equity. The taxation of debt funds has also seen changes in recent years, so the treatment may not match what applied earlier. Do not assume debt and equity work the same way. If you hold both, separate the gains by type and check the current rules for each before you file, since mixing them up can lead to a wrong tax figure.
Can I reduce my capital gains tax legally?
There are legitimate ways, depending on the asset. Holding long enough to qualify for long-term treatment often lowers the rate. For some gains, reinvesting into specified assets or property within set timelines can offer relief under the rules in force. Offsetting gains against eligible capital losses is another route. The available options and limits change over time, so confirm what currently applies and consider professional advice for larger transactions.
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Results from this calculator are estimates for informational use only — not financial, medical, or professional advice. Read our full disclaimer before acting on any number you see here.