Crypto tax calculator (US federal, 2026)
Estimate the federal tax on your crypto gains and losses using the 2026 brackets, including the 3.8% net investment income tax.
How it's calculated
- Net your gains and losses. Short-term and long-term results are netted against each other the way Schedule D does. If the total is a loss, up to $3,000 ($1,500 if married filing separately) comes off your other income this year and the rest carries forward.
- Short-term gains are added to your other taxable income and taxed at ordinary rates: 10%, 12%, 22%, 24%, 32%, 35% and 37%.
- Long-term gains are stacked on top of your ordinary income and taxed at 0%, 15% or 20% depending on where they land in the thresholds below.
- Net investment income tax (NIIT): 3.8% of the smaller of your net crypto gains or the amount your modified AGI is over $200,000 (single or head of household), $250,000 (married filing jointly) or $125,000 (married filing separately). These thresholds aren't adjusted for inflation.
- Tax due to crypto = tax with the crypto − tax without it.
2026 ordinary income brackets (taxable income where each rate starts)
| Status | 12% | 22% | 24% | 32% | 35% | 37% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single | $12,400 | $50,400 | $105,700 | $201,775 | $256,225 | $640,600 |
| Married filing jointly | $24,800 | $100,800 | $211,400 | $403,550 | $512,450 | $768,700 |
| Married filing separately | $12,400 | $50,400 | $105,700 | $201,775 | $256,225 | $384,350 |
| Head of household | $17,700 | $67,450 | $105,700 | $201,750 | $256,200 | $640,600 |
10% applies below the 12% threshold. Source: IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32.
2026 long-term capital gains rates (taxable income including the gain)
| Status | 0% | 15% | 20% |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single | Up to $49,450 | $49,450 to $545,500 | Over $545,500 |
| Married filing jointly | Up to $98,900 | $98,900 to $613,700 | Over $613,700 |
| Married filing separately | Up to $49,450 | $49,450 to $306,850 | Over $306,850 |
| Head of household | Up to $66,200 | $66,200 to $579,600 | Over $579,600 |
Worked example
A single filer with $60,000 of other taxable income, a $2,000 short-term gain and a $5,000 long-term gain. The short-term gain lifts ordinary income to $62,000; it's all in the 22% bracket (which starts at $50,400), so it adds $440. The long-term gain sits from $62,000 to $67,000, above the $49,450 zero-rate threshold, so it's taxed at 15%: $750. Total federal tax from the crypto: $1,190. No NIIT, because estimated MAGI ($83,100) is under $200,000.
Reporting: Form 1099-DA
Crypto brokers now report your sales to the IRS on Form 1099-DA. Reporting began with gross proceeds for transactions on or after January 1, 2025, and brokers must also report cost basis for certain transactions from January 1, 2026. You still report each sale on Form 8949 and Schedule D, and answer the digital asset question on Form 1040. If a 1099-DA has no cost basis, it's up to you to supply it from your records. More in crypto taxes explained.
Limitations
- Federal only; most states tax capital gains too.
- Doesn't include other capital gains, qualified dividends, the alternative minimum tax, credits or phase-outs.
- Staking, mining and other crypto income are ordinary income, not capital gains: add them to "taxable income before crypto."
- The MAGI estimate is rough; enter your own figure if you have it.
Sources
- Revenue Procedure 2025-32: 2026 inflation adjustments (IRS)
- IRS releases tax inflation adjustments for tax year 2026 (IRS)
- Topic no. 559, Net investment income tax (IRS)
- Topic no. 409, Capital gains and losses (IRS)
- Digital assets (IRS)
- About Form 1099-DA (IRS)
Questions
How much tax do I pay on crypto?
In the US, gains on crypto held more than a year are taxed at 0%, 15% or 20% depending on your income; gains on crypto held a year or less are taxed like wages, at 10% to 37%. High earners may also owe the 3.8% net investment income tax.
Do I pay tax on crypto if I don't sell?
Generally no. Just holding crypto isn't taxable under federal rules, even if its price rises. Selling, swapping or spending it can be.
Can crypto losses reduce my taxes?
Yes. Losses offset gains, and up to $3,000 of net loss a year ($1,500 if married filing separately) can offset other income, with the rest carried forward.
What is Form 1099-DA?
A form brokers send to you and the IRS reporting digital asset sales. It covers transactions from January 1, 2025, with cost basis added for certain transactions from 2026.
Is this calculator tax advice?
No. It's an estimate based on simplified assumptions. A tax professional or tax software working from your full records should calculate what you actually owe.
Every result is worked out in your browser. Nothing you type is sent anywhere. Results are estimates for learning and planning, not financial or tax advice. Last reviewed November 4, 2026.