Tax Loss Harvesting Calculator
Estimate the tax saved by harvesting an investment loss at your capital gains tax rate.
What this calculator does
The Tax Loss Harvesting Calculator estimates your result instantly from the values you enter, using standard taxes & income formulas. Estimate the tax saved by harvesting an investment loss at your capital gains tax rate. Calculations run in your browser, so nothing you type is sent to a server, and the output is an estimate for planning rather than financial advice.
Result
About Tax Loss Harvesting Calculator
The Tax-Loss Harvesting Calculator estimates the income-tax saving from selling an investment at a loss and using that realized loss to offset taxable gains or income. You enter the size of the harvested loss and the tax rate that would otherwise apply, and the tool returns the tax you could save by claiming the loss.
The math is deliberately simple: the saving is the harvested loss multiplied by your tax rate. The loss must be entered as zero or greater, because a harvested loss is a positive amount of value you are giving up. Keep in mind that the estimated saving is only available if the sale is not undone by wash-sale rules, which disallow the loss when you buy back the same or a substantially identical security inside the restricted window.
Formula & Mathematical Calculation
Tax saving = Harvested loss × Tax rate ÷ 100
Calculation Example
Say you realize a $10,000 capital loss and your applicable tax rate is 24%. The estimated saving is $10,000 × 24 ÷ 100 = $2,400.00. That $2,400 is only locked in if the trade is not disqualified by wash-sale rules.
Key Benefits
- Turns a harvested loss and a tax rate into an estimated saving
- Applies the exact tax rate you enter rather than an assumed bracket
- Guards the input so the harvested loss must be zero or greater
- Reminds you the saving depends on avoiding wash-sale violations
- Helps you weigh whether realizing a loss now is worth the trade
How to Use this Calculator
-
Enter the harvested loss
Type the dollar amount of the loss you plan to realize; it must be zero or more. -
Enter your tax rate
Provide the percentage tax rate the offset would apply against, such as 24. -
Calculate the saving
The tool multiplies the loss by your rate and divides by 100 to estimate the tax saved. -
Check wash-sale exposure
Confirm you will not repurchase the same or a substantially identical security within the wash-sale window. -
Review the result
Read the estimated tax saving and use it to decide whether harvesting the loss is worthwhile.
Assumptions & Limitations
What the calculation assumes
- Every value you enter is treated as an exact, known amount.
- Rates and contributions are assumed to stay constant for the whole period unless the form asks for them separately.
- Results use standard financial formulas and ignore fees, penalties and promotional terms that are not entered above.
- Inflation, tax changes and market volatility are not modelled unless a field for them is provided.
- Amounts are unit-agnostic: results are returned in the same currency you enter.
What it does not cover
- Tax Loss Harvesting Calculator produces estimates for education and planning, not a quote, offer or professional advice.
- Real-world outcomes differ when fees, taxes, rounding rules or provider-specific terms apply.
- Local regulations and tax rules vary by country and change over time; verify current rules for your jurisdiction.
- Figures are only as accurate as the inputs you supply — check them before acting on the result.
- For decisions with lasting financial impact, confirm the numbers with a qualified professional.
Frequently Asked Questions
Free to use, no account needed. Calculations run in your browser, so nothing you type is sent to a server. Results are estimates — how we build and check our calculators.
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Next step: browse the full Taxes & Income calculators or read the related guides for context before you decide.