How much could I save by harvesting losses before year-end?
Enter Your Numbers
Your Estimated Savings
Enter your realized gains, unrealized losses, and tax rate and click Calculate to see an estimate of what harvesting could save you.
How this is calculated
Harvestable loss first offsets realized gains dollar for dollar, up to whichever is smaller: your realized gains or your available unrealized losses.
Under current U.S. federal rules, any loss left over after offsetting gains can deduct up to $3,000 of ordinary income per year ($1,500 if married filing separately), with the rest carried forward to future years.
Estimated savings equals the total amount deducted this year (gains offset plus the ordinary-income deduction) multiplied by your marginal tax rate.
The wash sale rule can disallow this deduction if you buy back the same or a substantially identical security within 30 days before or after the sale. Selling a loser to harvest the loss, then immediately buying it back, does not work.
This is a simplified federal estimate. It does not account for state taxes, the specific mix of short-term versus long-term gains and losses, or your full tax situation.
This is not tax advice. Confirm your specific numbers with a qualified tax professional before making any year-end trades based on tax treatment.
Risk & liability disclaimer: This calculator applies the standard U.S. federal capital loss offset rule to the numbers you enter and is not tax, legal, or financial advice. It does not account for state taxes, short-term versus long-term holding periods, alternative minimum tax, or your complete tax situation, and it does not check whether a specific trade would trigger the wash sale rule. Tax law and limits can change. Trading Habits is not a tax professional or registered investment adviser. Consult a qualified CPA or tax attorney before making any trading decision based on tax treatment.
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