Tax Calculator · California

Capital Gains Calculator

Estimate federal capital gains, NIIT, depreciation recapture, and California state tax owed when you sell.

All numbers shown are estimates only. They are not tax, legal, or financial advice. Consult a licensed California real estate agent and a CPA before relying on any figure for a real transaction.

1 · Sale

Sale price Selling costs (commission, escrow, etc.)

2 · Basis

Original purchase price Capital improvements (additions, major renovations) NOT routine repairs.Accumulated depreciation (rentals only) If you ever rented out the property, the IRS requires you recapture depreciation at 25%.

3 · Tax bracket

Filing status

I lived in this home as my primary residence for 2 of the last 5 yearsRequired for the $250K/$500K federal exclusion.Federal long-term capital gains rate

Subject to NIIT (high income)Adds 3.8% on top.California marginal income tax rate

Typical 9.3%–13.3%.

Your Tax Estimate

Enter sale + basis info, then click Calculate. We'll show federal, NIIT, depreciation recapture, and California tax separately.

The short answer

When you sell a home for more than you paid, the profit may be taxable. If it was your primary residence for at least two of the last five years, federal law lets you exclude up to $250,000 of gain if single or $500,000 if married filing jointly. California does not have a separate exclusion and taxes any remaining gain as ordinary income, at rates up to 13.3%.

Frequently asked questions

It depends on your profit and filing status. Subtract your cost basis (purchase price plus capital improvements and selling costs) from the sale price to get the gain, apply the federal primary-residence exclusion if you qualify, then tax the rest at federal capital-gains rates plus California’s ordinary income rate (up to 13.3%).

It’s a federal exclusion of capital gain on the sale of a primary residence: up to $250,000 for single filers and $500,000 for married couples filing jointly. To qualify you generally must have owned and lived in the home for at least two of the five years before the sale.

Yes. The federal government taxes long-term capital gains at preferential rates (0%, 15%, or 20%). California has no special rate — it taxes capital gains as ordinary income, so the state portion can be substantial for high earners.

The primary-residence exclusion does not apply to rentals, but a 1031 exchange can defer the gain by rolling proceeds into another investment property, and your cost basis can be increased by documented capital improvements. These have strict rules — confirm with a CPA or tax attorney before relying on them.

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