Capital Gains Tax Statistics 2026

What are the capital gains tax brackets for 2026?

For 2026, married couples filing jointly pay a 0% federal rate on long-term capital gains while taxable income stays at or below $98,900. Source: Internal Revenue Service, Revenue Procedure 2025-32 (2026 inflation adjustments) (October 9, 2025), Section 4.03, Maximum Capital Gains Rate table.

Long-term gains stack on top of other taxable income, and the rate depends on where that total lands. The thresholds below are inflation adjusted each year by the IRS.

Source: Internal Revenue Service, Revenue Procedure 2025-32 (2026 inflation adjustments) (October 9, 2025), Section 4.03, Maximum Capital Gains Rate table. Source: IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32, Section 4.03. Thresholds apply to total taxable income, not to the gain alone.

• Under current law, long-term capital gains are taxed at a maximum federal rate of 20%, plus the separate 3.8 percent surtax for higher earners. Source: U.S. Department of the Treasury, Office of Tax Analysis, Tax Expenditures FY2027 (December 16, 2025), Description of provision 73, Capital gains (except agriculture, timber, iron ore, and coal).
• The 2026 standard deduction for married couples filing jointly is $32,200, which is subtracted before the capital gains rate thresholds are applied to taxable income. Source: Internal Revenue Service, Revenue Procedure 2025-32 (2026 inflation adjustments) (October 9, 2025), Section 4.14(1), Standard Deduction table.

How much is capital gains tax on a big sale in 2026?

The top federal rate on long-term capital gains is 23.8% in 2026 for high earners: the 20 percent maximum rate plus the 3.8 percent surtax (calculated from Treasury figures). Source: U.S. Department of the Treasury, Office of Tax Analysis, Tax Expenditures FY2027 (December 16, 2025), Description of provision 73, Capital gains (except agriculture, timber, iron ore, and coal).

The federal bill depends on holding period, the type of asset sold and total income in the year of sale.

• Short-term gains are taxed as ordinary income, so in 2026 they reach the 37% bracket above $768,700 of taxable income for joint filers and above $640,600 for single filers. Source: Internal Revenue Service, Revenue Procedure 2025-32 (2026 inflation adjustments) (October 9, 2025), Section 4.01, Tables 1 and 3.
• An asset must be held for more than one year for its gain to count as long-term; gains on assets held one year or less are short-term and taxed as ordinary income. Source: Internal Revenue Service, Topic No. 409, Capital Gains and Losses (September 24, 2026), 'Short-term or long-term' section.
• The unrecaptured section 1250 gain from selling depreciated real property, such as a rental building, is taxed at a maximum 25% federal rate. Source: Internal Revenue Service, Topic No. 409, Capital Gains and Losses (September 24, 2026), 'Capital gains tax rates' section, exceptions list.
• Net capital gains from selling collectibles such as coins or art are taxed at a maximum 28% federal rate. Source: Internal Revenue Service, Topic No. 409, Capital Gains and Losses (September 24, 2026), 'Capital gains tax rates' section, exceptions list.

What is the 3.8% net investment income tax and who pays it?

The Net Investment Income Tax adds 3.8% on the lesser of net investment income, including capital gains, or modified AGI above the filing status threshold. Source: Internal Revenue Service, Net Investment Income Tax (July 1, 2026), Page body, first paragraph.

The net investment income tax under section 1411 sits on top of the capital gains rates. Its thresholds are set in the statute and are not inflation adjusted.

• The 3.8% Net Investment Income Tax applies to married couples filing jointly once modified adjusted gross income exceeds $250,000. Source: Internal Revenue Service, Net Investment Income Tax (July 1, 2026), Page body, statutory threshold amounts list.
• Single and head of household filers owe the Net Investment Income Tax on investment income once modified adjusted gross income exceeds $200,000. Source: Internal Revenue Service, Net Investment Income Tax (July 1, 2026), Page body, statutory threshold amounts list.
• Married individuals filing separately face the Net Investment Income Tax once modified adjusted gross income exceeds $125,000. Source: Internal Revenue Service, Net Investment Income Tax (July 1, 2026), Page body, statutory threshold amounts list.

How many people pay capital gains tax?

For tax year 2023, 26,225,057 individual income tax returns reported a net capital gain or loss, according to IRS Statistics of Income. Source: IRS Statistics of Income, SOI Tax Stats, Table A: All Individual Income Tax Returns, Selected Income and Tax Items, Tax Years 1990 to 2023 (March 2026), Table A, row 'Net capital gain less loss: Number of returns', 2023 column.

IRS Statistics of Income counts returns that report gains, losses and income taxed at each capital gains rate. Tax year 2023 is the latest complete year.

• About 16.3% of the 160,602,107 individual returns filed for tax year 2023 reported a net capital gain or loss (calculated from IRS SOI Table A). Source: IRS Statistics of Income, SOI Tax Stats, Table A: All Individual Income Tax Returns, Selected Income and Tax Items, Tax Years 1990 to 2023 (March 2026), Table A, rows 'All returns' and 'Net capital gain less loss: Number of returns', 2023 column.
• For tax year 2023, 12,392,020 returns reported a taxable net gain from sales of capital assets on Schedule D. Source: IRS Statistics of Income, SOI Tax Stats, Table 1.4: All Returns, Sources of Income, Adjustments, and Tax Items, by Size of AGI, Tax Year 2023 (March 2026), Table 1.4, 'All returns, total' row, Sales of capital assets: Taxable net gain, Number of returns.
• In tax year 2023, 10,415,629 returns had income taxed at the 0% capital gains rate. Source: IRS Statistics of Income, SOI Tax Stats, Table 3.5: All Returns, Tax Generated by Rate and by Size of AGI, Tax Year 2023 (March 2026), Table 3.5, 'Total' row, 0 percent (capital gains), Number of returns.
• In tax year 2023, 17,801,613 returns had income taxed at the 15% capital gains rate, the most of any capital gains rate. Source: IRS Statistics of Income, SOI Tax Stats, Table 3.5: All Returns, Tax Generated by Rate and by Size of AGI, Tax Year 2023 (March 2026), Table 3.5, 'Total' row, 15 percent (capital gains), Number of returns.
• Only 1,656,396 returns had income taxed at the top 20% capital gains rate in tax year 2023. Source: IRS Statistics of Income, SOI Tax Stats, Table 3.5: All Returns, Tax Generated by Rate and by Size of AGI, Tax Year 2023 (March 2026), Table 3.5, 'Total' row, 20 percent (capital gains), Number of returns.

How much in capital gains do Americans report each year?

Individual taxpayers reported $936.8 billion of net capital gains, less losses, for tax year 2023. Source: IRS Statistics of Income, SOI Tax Stats, Table A: All Individual Income Tax Returns, Selected Income and Tax Items, Tax Years 1990 to 2023 (March 2026), Table A, row 'Net capital gain less loss: Amount', 2023 column (thousands of dollars: 936,812,909).

Realized gains swing with markets and with big one-time sales of businesses and real estate.

• Net capital gains reported on individual returns fell 24.5% from tax year 2022 to tax year 2023. Source: IRS Statistics of Income, SOI Tax Stats, Table A: All Individual Income Tax Returns, Selected Income and Tax Items, Tax Years 1990 to 2023 (March 2026), Table A, row 'Net capital gain less loss: Amount', percent change 2022 to 2023 column.
• Net capital gains on individual returns hit a record $2.03 trillion in tax year 2021, more than double the 2023 total. Source: IRS Statistics of Income, SOI Tax Stats, Table A: All Individual Income Tax Returns, Selected Income and Tax Items, Tax Years 1990 to 2023 (March 2026), Table A, row 'Net capital gain less loss: Amount', 2021 column (thousands of dollars: 2,032,553,466).
• Returns with a taxable net gain on Schedule D reported $966.2 billion of gains in tax year 2023. Source: IRS Statistics of Income, SOI Tax Stats, Table 1.4: All Returns, Sources of Income, Adjustments, and Tax Items, by Size of AGI, Tax Year 2023 (March 2026), Table 1.4, 'All returns, total' row, Sales of capital assets: Taxable net gain, Amount (thousands: 966,168,014).
• Tax generated at the 15%, 20%, 25% and 28% capital gains rates totaled about $191.7 billion in tax year 2023 (calculated from IRS SOI Table 3.5). Source: IRS Statistics of Income, SOI Tax Stats, Table 3.5: All Returns, Tax Generated by Rate and by Size of AGI, Tax Year 2023 (March 2026), Table 3.5, 'Total' row, Tax generated at rate for 15, 20, 25 and 28 percent (capital gains).
• Income taxed at the 20% capital gains rate generated $136.5 billion of federal income tax in tax year 2023. Source: IRS Statistics of Income, SOI Tax Stats, Table 3.5: All Returns, Tax Generated by Rate and by Size of AGI, Tax Year 2023 (March 2026), Table 3.5, 'Total' row, 20 percent (capital gains), Tax generated at rate.

Who pays the most capital gains tax?

Returns with adjusted gross income of $10 million or more reported 37.1% of all Schedule D taxable net gains in tax year 2023 (calculated from IRS SOI Table 1.4). Source: IRS Statistics of Income, SOI Tax Stats, Table 1.4: All Returns, Sources of Income, Adjustments, and Tax Items, by Size of AGI, Tax Year 2023 (March 2026), Table 1.4, rows '$10,000,000 or more' and 'All returns, total', Sales of capital assets: Taxable net gain, Amount.

Gains are highly concentrated among very high income returns, often in the year an owner sells a business or property.

• Just 20,409 returns with adjusted gross income of $10 million or more reported $358.4 billion of taxable net capital gains in tax year 2023. Source: IRS Statistics of Income, SOI Tax Stats, Table 1.4: All Returns, Sources of Income, Adjustments, and Tax Items, by Size of AGI, Tax Year 2023 (March 2026), Table 1.4, '$10,000,000 or more' row, Sales of capital assets: Taxable net gain (thousands: 358,365,027).
• Taxable returns with adjusted gross income of $1 million or more reported $633.9 billion of taxable net capital gains in tax year 2023. Source: IRS Statistics of Income, SOI Tax Stats, Table 1.4: All Returns, Sources of Income, Adjustments, and Tax Items, by Size of AGI, Tax Year 2023 (March 2026), Table 1.4, Taxable returns '$1,000,000 or more' row, Sales of capital assets: Taxable net gain (thousands: 633,865,581).
• In tax year 2023, $682.6 billion of income was taxed at the 20% capital gains rate, nearly double the amount taxed at 15%. Source: IRS Statistics of Income, SOI Tax Stats, Table 3.5: All Returns, Tax Generated by Rate and by Size of AGI, Tax Year 2023 (March 2026), Table 3.5, 'Total' row, 20 percent (capital gains), Income taxed at rate.
• Taxpayers with adjusted gross income of $10 million or more had $359.5 billion of income taxed at the 20% capital gains rate in tax year 2023. Source: IRS Statistics of Income, SOI Tax Stats, Table 3.5: All Returns, Tax Generated by Rate and by Size of AGI, Tax Year 2023 (March 2026), Table 3.5, '$10,000,000 or more' row, 20 percent (capital gains), Income taxed at rate.
• In 2022, 58% of U.S. families owned stock directly or indirectly, such as through retirement accounts, up from 53 percent in 2019. Source: Federal Reserve Board, Changes in U.S. Family Finances from 2019 to 2022: Evidence from the Survey of Consumer Finances (October 2023), Box 'Families' Holdings of Publicly Traded Stock', first paragraph.

How is the sale of a business, farm or investment property taxed?

In tax year 2023, 1,979,380 returns reported $316.8 billion of net long-term gains carried to Schedule D from other forms, such as Form 4797 sales of business property. Source: IRS Statistics of Income, SOI Tax Stats, Table 1.4A: Returns with Gain or Loss from Sales of Capital Assets, by Size of AGI, Tax Year 2023 (March 2026), Table 1.4A, 'All returns, total' row, Net long-term gain from other forms (2119, 4797, etc.) (thousands: 316,779,349).

Business sales often mix capital gain, ordinary income from depreciation recapture and gains passed through from partnerships or S corporations. Installment sales under section 453, like-kind exchanges under section 1031 and qualified small business stock under section 1202 change when or whether gain is taxed.

• Partnerships and S corporations passed through $282.3 billion of net long-term capital gains to 1,219,800 individual returns in tax year 2023. Source: IRS Statistics of Income, SOI Tax Stats, Table 1.4A: Returns with Gain or Loss from Sales of Capital Assets, by Size of AGI, Tax Year 2023 (March 2026), Table 1.4A, 'All returns, total' row, Net long-term gain from partnership/S corporation (thousands: 282,281,744).
• In tax year 2023, 945,122 returns reported $49.6 billion of net gain from sales of property other than capital assets, gain generally taxed at ordinary rates. Source: IRS Statistics of Income, SOI Tax Stats, Table 1.4: All Returns, Sources of Income, Adjustments, and Tax Items, by Size of AGI, Tax Year 2023 (March 2026), Table 1.4, 'All returns, total' row, Sales of property other than capital assets: Net gain (thousands: 49,567,896).
• In tax year 2023, 6,492 returns paid $402.2 million of interest on deferred tax from certain large installment sales. Source: IRS Statistics of Income, SOI Tax Stats, Table A: All Individual Income Tax Returns, Selected Income and Tax Items, Tax Years 1990 to 2023 (March 2026), Table A, row 'Interest on deferred tax on gain from certain installment sales: Amount', 2023 column (thousands: 402,247).
• Sellers who are not dealers must pay interest on deferred tax when their total installment obligations exceed $5 million. Source: U.S. Department of the Treasury, Office of Tax Analysis, Tax Expenditures FY2027 (December 16, 2025), Description of provision 63, Deferral of income from installment sales.
• In a like-kind exchange, replacement property must be identified within 45 days and received within 180 days of transferring the property given up, or by the return due date if earlier. Source: Internal Revenue Service, 2025 Instructions for Form 8824, Like-Kind Exchanges (2025), General Instructions, timing requirements for identification and receipt.
• For qualified small business stock acquired after July 4, 2025, the per-issuer limit on excludable gain rises to $15 million under Public Law 119-21. Source: U.S. Congress (GovInfo), Public Law 119-21 (One Big Beautiful Bill Act) (July 4, 2025), Section 70431(b), new Section 1202(b)(4)(B).
• Qualified small business stock issued after July 4, 2025 can exclude 50% of gain after three years, 75% after four years and 100% after five years or more. Source: U.S. Department of the Treasury, Office of Tax Analysis, Tax Expenditures FY2027 (December 16, 2025), Description of provision 74, Capital gains exclusion of small corporation stock.
• In 2022, 14.6% of U.S. families owned business equity, up just over 1 percentage point from 2019. Source: Federal Reserve Board, Changes in U.S. Family Finances from 2019 to 2022: Evidence from the Survey of Consumer Finances (October 2023), Assets section, 'Ownership of business equity' paragraph.

How much gain on a home sale can you exclude?

Homeowners can exclude up to $500,000 of gain on the sale of a main home when filing jointly, or up to $250,000 for other filers. Source: Internal Revenue Service, Topic No. 701, Sale of Your Home (September 24, 2026), Opening paragraph, 'The $250,000/$500,000 home sale tax exclusion'.

Section 121 lets owners exclude part of the gain on a main home if they meet ownership and use tests.

• To qualify for the home sale exclusion, you generally must have owned and lived in the home for at least 24 months out of the 5 years before the sale. Source: Internal Revenue Service, Topic No. 701, Sale of Your Home (September 24, 2026), 'Qualifying for the exclusion' section.
• Treasury estimates the capital gains exclusion on home sales reduces federal revenue by $85.4 billion in fiscal year 2026. Source: U.S. Department of the Treasury, Office of Tax Analysis, Tax Expenditures FY2027 (Table 1, excel) (December 16, 2025), Table 1, provision 64, 2026 column (millions of dollars: 85,420).
• The U.S. homeownership rate was 66.1% in 2022, according to the Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances. Source: Federal Reserve Board, Changes in U.S. Family Finances from 2019 to 2022: Evidence from the Survey of Consumer Finances (October 2023), Summary, Assets bullet.

How much capital loss can you deduct?

Net capital losses can offset up to $3,000 of other income per year ($1,500 if married filing separately), with any excess carried forward to later years. Source: Internal Revenue Service, Topic No. 409, Capital Gains and Losses (September 24, 2026), 'Limit on the deduction and carryover of losses' section.

Capital losses first offset capital gains, and only a limited amount can offset other income each year.

• For tax year 2023, 13,833,037 returns claimed a taxable net capital loss totaling $29.4 billion, more returns than reported a net gain. Source: IRS Statistics of Income, SOI Tax Stats, Table 1.4: All Returns, Sources of Income, Adjustments, and Tax Items, by Size of AGI, Tax Year 2023 (March 2026), Table 1.4, 'All returns, total' row, Sales of capital assets: Taxable net loss (amount in thousands: 29,355,104).
• In tax year 2023, 5,622,923 returns carried over $349.9 billion of unused long-term capital losses from prior years. Source: IRS Statistics of Income, SOI Tax Stats, Table 1.4A: Returns with Gain or Loss from Sales of Capital Assets, by Size of AGI, Tax Year 2023 (March 2026), Table 1.4A, 'All returns, total' row, Long-term loss carryover (thousands: 349,944,357).

How much do capital gains tax breaks cost, and what about estates?

Treasury estimates the lower tax rates on capital gains reduce federal revenue by $135.3 billion in fiscal year 2026. Source: U.S. Department of the Treasury, Office of Tax Analysis, Tax Expenditures FY2027 (Table 1, excel) (December 16, 2025), Table 1, provision 73, 2026 column (millions of dollars: 135,340).

Treasury publishes yearly estimates of revenue lost to each tax preference. Assets held until death receive a basis step-up under section 1014.

• The lower capital gains tax rates are projected to cost $1.56 trillion in federal revenue over fiscal years 2026 to 2035, according to Treasury. Source: U.S. Department of the Treasury, Office of Tax Analysis, Tax Expenditures FY2027 (Table 1, excel) (December 16, 2025), Table 1, provision 73, 2026 to 2035 column (millions of dollars: 1,563,810).
• Step-up in basis at death, which erases built-in capital gains for heirs, is estimated to cost $40.3 billion in fiscal year 2026. Source: U.S. Department of the Treasury, Office of Tax Analysis, Tax Expenditures FY2027 (Table 1, excel) (December 16, 2025), Table 1, provision 75, 2026 column (millions of dollars: 40,260).
• Deferral of capital gains through like-kind exchanges is estimated to cost $12.7 billion in federal revenue in fiscal year 2026. Source: U.S. Department of the Treasury, Office of Tax Analysis, Tax Expenditures FY2027 (Table 1, excel) (December 16, 2025), Table 1, provision 78, 2026 column (millions of dollars: 12,720).
• The gain exclusion for qualified small business stock is estimated to cost $4.7 billion in fiscal year 2026. Source: U.S. Department of the Treasury, Office of Tax Analysis, Tax Expenditures FY2027 (Table 1, excel) (December 16, 2025), Table 1, provision 74, 2026 column (millions of dollars: 4,700).
• Deferral of income from installment sales is estimated to cost $2.4 billion in federal revenue in fiscal year 2026. Source: U.S. Department of the Treasury, Office of Tax Analysis, Tax Expenditures FY2027 (Table 1, excel) (December 16, 2025), Table 1, provision 63, 2026 column (millions of dollars: 2,420).
• Capital gains treatment of certain agriculture income, such as unharvested crops, is estimated to cost $2.04 billion in fiscal year 2026. Source: U.S. Department of the Treasury, Office of Tax Analysis, Tax Expenditures FY2027 (Table 1, excel) (December 16, 2025), Table 1, provision 50, 2026 column (millions of dollars: 2,040).
• The federal estate tax basic exclusion amount is $15,000,000 per person for 2026 under Public Law 119-21. Source: Internal Revenue Service, Revenue Procedure 2025-32 (2026 inflation adjustments) (October 9, 2025), Section 2.14.