⚠️ NOT FINANCIAL, TAX, OR LEGAL ADVICE. This calculator, its charts and graphs are for educational purposes only — results are illustrative estimates, not professional guidance. Always consult a qualified CPA, tax attorney, or financial advisor before making any financial decisions.

📊 LTCG Tax Calculator 2026

California + W2  vs  No State Tax + No W2  ·  Married Filing Jointly

2026 Federal MFJ Rates Standard Deduction Applied CA State Tax NIIT 3.8%
⚠️ Legal Disclaimer: This tool is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, tax, investment, or legal advice of any kind. Results are illustrative estimates that do not account for your individual circumstances, credits, exemptions, or life events. Always consult a qualified CPA, tax attorney, or licensed financial advisor before making any financial or tax-related decisions. SmartTax assumes no liability for decisions made based on this calculator. Data sources: Federal brackets & standard deductions from IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32 (MFJ std deduction $32,200 · LTCG 0% ≤ $98,900 · 20% above $613,700). CA brackets derived from EDD 2026 Method B Withholding Schedule (Table 6, Annual, Married) — statutory Form 540 rates (1%–12.3%) recovered by stripping the 1.1× withholding multiplier; MHST (1% on income > $1M) applied at the $1M threshold. Standard deduction applied before LTCG stacking; NIIT computed on MAGI (pre-deduction).
🏷️ 2026 Standard Deductions (MFJ):
Federal: $32,200
California: $11,412
Standard deduction reduces taxable ordinary income first; any excess offsets taxable LTCG. NIIT computed on MAGI (pre-deduction).
⚙️ Inputs
$
Cost basis: $103,849
$
Held >1 year — qualifies for preferential LTCG rates
$
$
🏠 Scenario A — California + W2
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✈️ Scenario B — No State Tax + No W2
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💰 Tax Savings — B vs A
Total Tax Saved by Choosing Scenario B
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— of LTCG gains
Federal LTCG savings—
NIIT savings—
CA state tax avoided—
Scenario A effective rate—
Scenario B effective rate—
Rate difference—
Savings as % of Scenario A tax—
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Required Return
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on total proceeds
How it's calculated
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extra tax (A − B)
÷
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total proceeds
=
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required return
What it means
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💼 Total Tax Burden — Full Picture (W2 + Ordinary + LTCG)
Complete tax liability across all income types. Scenario A includes W2 salary, other ordinary income, and LTCG while living in California. Scenario B has no W2 and no state income tax (federal only). Federal ordinary income tax uses 2026 IRS brackets (10%–37%); CA uses 2026 EDD-derived statutory brackets.
Total Federal Tax — W2 + CA
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Fed ordinary income tax—
Federal LTCG tax—
NIIT (3.8%)—
Effective fed rate—
Total State Tax — CA (all income)
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CA income tax (all income)—
MHST (1% over $1M)—
Effective CA rate—
Total Fed + State — W2 + CA
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Federal (all)—
California (all)—
Combined total—
Blended effective rate—
Total Tax — No W2, No State (Scenario B)
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Fed ordinary income tax—
Federal LTCG tax—
NIIT (3.8%)—
State tax$0
Effective rate—
📊 Tax Component Comparison
🥧 Tax Breakdown Overview
🔢 Step-by-Step Calculations
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📈 Tax Scaling — W2 Income $100k → $1.2M (MFJ, CA Resident)
Shows how total tax burden grows as W2 income rises, using your current LTCG gains from the inputs above. All three lines use MFJ filing status and 2026 brackets. W2 + CA ordinary income tax only    W2 + CA + LTCG (total — Scenario A)    LTCG only, no W2, no state (Scenario B — flat)
Hover over the chart for exact values at each income level. Federal ordinary income uses 2026 MFJ brackets (10–37%). CA uses 2026 EDD-derived statutory brackets (1%–12.3% + 1% MHST above $1M). Standard deductions applied.