Estimate a crypto disposal gain or loss

Method and limitations

The result is an illustrative estimate based on a single disposal and published 2026 tax thresholds. Taxable income, reliefs, transaction classification, residency and reporting rules can materially change a real liability.

What this estimate includes and excludes

The simple transaction result is sale proceeds minus adjusted cost basis and disposal fees. A positive result is an illustrative gain; a negative result is shown as a loss and simplified tax for this single disposal is set to zero. Real annual tax depends on all transactions, loss rules, residence, deductions and classification, so one transaction cannot establish a final return.

The US path distinguishes a selected short-term marginal rate from a simplified long-term stacking model using 2026 thresholds. The UK path illustrates the 2026–27 annual exempt amount and common individual CGT rates. Both omit important situations including state and local taxes, NIIT, staking or mining income, special reliefs and complex matching rules.

Maintain exchange exports, wallet transfers, acquisition basis, timestamps, fees and currency conversions. Use official IRS and HMRC sources in the crypto recordkeeping guide, then verify the full-year result with qualified advice. This tool is informational, not tax advice.

Worked example: understand the transaction math

Assume an asset is sold for $10,000, the supported adjusted basis is $6,500 and eligible disposal fees are $50. The simple realized gain is $10,000 minus $6,500 minus $50, or $3,450. That arithmetic does not itself determine the amount due. For a US long-term disposal, taxable income and filing status influence where the gain fits into the 0%, 15% and 20% federal bands. For a UK individual, the estimate depends on the remaining annual exempt amount, unused basic-rate band and applicable 18% or 24% rate. An actual annual computation must combine all relevant disposals and allowable losses under current rules.

Entering proceeds without reconstructing basis can make the result meaningless. Keep acquisition dates, units, trade confirmations, wallet transfers, fees and the currency conversion used. A movement between wallets you control should be reconciled rather than incorrectly counted as a sale. An exchange of one token for another can have different consequences. If a transaction involves staking, mining, employment, a business, decentralized finance or unusual assets, the simple capital-gain model may not apply cleanly.

Use official rules and preserve the audit trail

The companion guide links to IRS digital-asset filing information, the federal 2026 threshold publication and HMRC’s current Capital Gains Tax page. Confirm the tax year, residence and reporting method before using any threshold. The estimator is deliberately limited to one disposal and excludes state/local tax, the US net investment income tax, complex loss matching, reliefs and income-tax events. It is a planning aid to help spot arithmetic issues, not a tax filing product or a personal liability determination.