RSU Sale Tax Calculator
Estimate capital gain tax on RSU share sales using vest FMV as basis — separate from vest wage tax already on your W-2.
You already vested RSUs and are selling (or sold) shares. Vest tax hit your W-2; you want to estimate capital gain tax on the sale using vest FMV as basis and rates you choose for short- or long-term treatment.
What you need before using this
- confirmation with per share on the for the lot you sold.
- Sale trade confirmation or with proceeds and reported basis.
- for the year to confirm wages were already reported.
- How long you held shares after (short-term vs long-term for ).
- Your expected federal rate — from IRS rules, your bracket, or last year's return.
Capital gain estimates only, using rates you supply. Vest wage tax, AMT, NIIT, and full-return interactions are not modeled.
Start here
Planning estimate
Basis depends on your vest records and 1099-B. Match your own documents before you file.
We do not pre-fill personal financial values. Estimates appear only after you enter your own numbers.
Enter your details to estimate
Add your equity, income, state, and withholding details to see an educational estimate. No personal financial values are pre-filled.
Start with the fields below.
Your details
Enter your own numbers below. This is an estimate, not a filing position.
Required to estimate
Fair market value when RSUs vested — your cost basis and amount taxed on W-2.
Required to estimate
Price received when you sold (before commission).
Required to estimate
Generally one year or less is short-term; more than one year is long-term for federal capital gains. Pick the rate that matches your situation.
Enter the marginal rate you expect on this gain (long-term vs short-term). We do not load bracket tables — use your own estimate from IRS rules or your prior return.
Required to estimate
Leave blank if your state has no tax on gains or you will skip state here.
What your broker reported. Leave blank to treat as $0 — common for RSUs.
Reduces sale proceeds in the gain calculation.
Results will appear here once you enter the required details on the left.
Related guides
- RSU Vesting vs Selling: Tax Difference
Think of vesting as the wage-income event and selling as a separate transaction with its own reporting.
- Should I Sell RSUs Immediately After Vesting?
Selling right after vest is a personal finance choice. tax at vest usually already happened; the sale may mostly affect capital gain or loss.
- Schedule D for RSU Sales
RSU sales go on Form 8949 and Schedule D with basis tied to vest wage income — separate from W-2 vest reporting but connected through cost basis.
- RSU Cost Basis Calculator
Cost basis on sold RSUs usually ties back to vest FMV already taxed as wages. this tool helps you model that link.
- How to Adjust RSU Cost Basis
Basis adjustments connect vest wage income to later sales. document FMV from vest records.
When to use this calculator
- You sold shares after and want to estimate tax separate from wage tax on your .
- You are deciding whether to sell soon after and need a rough tax on price change since .
- You have sale proceeds from and want to see tax on corrected gain, not on full proceeds.
Inputs you need
- Shares sold, sale price per share, and -date per share from confirmation.
- Your expected federal rate for short-term or long-term treatment (you enter the rate).
- Optional state rate on if your state taxes stock sales.
- reported basis if you want to compare unadjusted vs corrected gain.
How to interpret the result
- Gain equals sale proceeds minus basis (minus fees). Tax applies to that gain at the rates you entered, not to gross proceeds.
- Estimated net after gain tax is proceeds minus estimated tax — wage tax paid at is separate.
- If shows zero basis, the tool highlights how much gain tax could be overstated without a Form 8949 adjustment.
What this calculator does not know
- Your exact federal bracket, NIIT, or — you supply gain rates instead of us loading bracket tables.
- Wash sale deferrals, capital loss carryforwards, or offset against other portfolio gains.
- State conformity when you moved between states after .
- Whether multiple lots should be split on separate Form 8949 lines.
Documents to verify before filing
- confirmation with per share.
- and trade confirmation for the sale.
- for year showing wages.
- Broker gain/loss report if provided separately from .
Next pages to read
These links are for education and planning. They are not filing instructions and do not replace review of your own documents or a qualified tax professional.
Why this happens
tax splits into two events for most employees. day creates wage income on your at . Selling later creates a or loss measured from that to sale price.
Many people search for sale tax because the proceeds look large. Proceeds are not profit. Basis should reflect already taxed as wages.
Short-term on shares held one year or less since is generally taxed at rates on your return. Long-term gain on shares held more than one year may use lower federal rates when you qualify. This calculator uses rates you enter rather than loading bracket tables that may not match your full return.
State tax on varies. Some states tax gains as ; others have preferential rates or no income tax. Enter a state rate only if you know how your state treats stock sales.
Brokers often report $0 on sales. If you ignore that, tax software may calculate tax on the full proceeds. The sale tax estimate here uses basis regardless of what shows, and optionally compares to reported basis.
Selling immediately after usually produces a small gain or loss equal to price movement between and sale, not the full sale proceeds. That is why sale tax is often much smaller than wage tax when basis is correct.
Net investment income tax and alternative minimum tax can apply to some filers with high income. This tool does not model those surcharges — it applies only the rates you type in.
Wash sale rules may defer losses if you repurchased company stock or received a new within 30 days of a loss sale. See the wash sale guide if Box 1g on shows an adjustment.
What to check
- Corrected vs sale proceeds alone.
- Federal and state rates you entered vs your actual bracket and holding period.
- Whether basis matches — if not, adjust on Form 8949 before filing.
- Short-term vs long-term label matches days held since for that lot.
- Commission and fees reducing proceeds in the gain math.
- Whether you sold multiple lots that need separate calculator runs.
- Estimated net proceeds after gain tax vs cash you need for other goals.
- That already appears on — you are not paying wage tax again on the same dollars when basis is correct.
Multiplying sale proceeds by your income tax bracket
What to check in your documents
- confirmation PDF with and share count.
- Boxes 1d (proceeds), 1e (basis), and 3 (holding period if shown).
- Box 1 for the year including wages.
- Trade confirmation with net proceeds after commission.
- Form 8949 draft if you already started your return in software.
Example scenario (hypothetical)
Illustration only, not your tax situation.
Questions people ask
- How much tax when I sell RSU shares?
- Tax on the sale is generally tax on price change since , not tax on full proceeds. was usually taxed as wages already. Enter basis and sale price here; add the rates you expect on the resulting gain.
- Is selling RSUs taxed twice?
- value was wage income. The sale taxes gain above basis. That is two events, not double tax on the same dollars when basis is correct. See the are taxed twice guide for the and picture.
- Short-term vs long-term RSU sale tax?
- Holding period for usually starts at for shares. One year or less is typically short-term; more than one year is long-term for federal purposes. Pick the holding period in the calculator and enter a rate that matches IRS rules for your situation.
- Why does the calculator ask me for tax rates?
- rates depend on income, holding period, and filing status. We do not guess your bracket. You enter rates from IRS publications, your preparer, or prior returns so the estimate reflects your assumptions.
- How is this different from the RSU tax calculator?
- The tax calculator estimates wage tax at . This tool estimates tax when you sell shares you already received. Use both if you and sell in the same planning conversation.
- How is this different from the cost basis calculator?
- Both use as basis. The calculator emphasizes adjustments and gain if basis is wrong. This calculator adds estimated tax on gain using rates you enter and net proceeds after gain tax.
- Does this include FICA or Medicare on the sale?
- No. FICA applied at as wages. The sale is a capital transaction on Schedule D, not new payroll wages.
- What if I sold at a loss?
- The calculator shows capital loss when proceeds are below basis. It does not estimate how much loss you can deduct this year — capital loss limits and carryforwards follow IRS rules on your full return.
- Should I sell RSUs immediately after vest?
- That is an investment decision. Tax at usually already happened. Immediate sale often means small short-term gain or loss on price change since . This tool helps you see the tax size, not whether to hold the stock.
- Where do RSU sales go on my tax return?
- Form 8949 and Schedule D using data with basis adjusted to when needed. still reports wages separately. See the Schedule D for sales guide.
When to get help from a tax pro
- You sold , , and option shares in one year with mixed basis.
- Wash sale adjustments appear on and you are unsure how to report.
- You are subject to NIIT or live in a state with complex rules.
- basis disagrees with records and the broker will not correct it.
Related calculators
- RSU Cost Basis Calculator
Cost basis on sold RSUs usually ties back to vest FMV already taxed as wages. this tool helps you model that link.
- RSU Tax Calculator
Model federal and state taxes on your RSU vest, compare withholding to estimated tax, and see what you may keep.
- RSU Net Proceeds Calculator
See estimated net shares and cash after taxes and withholding. useful for budgeting around vest dates.
Related pages
- RSU Vesting vs Selling: Tax Difference
Think of vesting as the wage-income event and selling as a separate transaction with its own reporting.
- Should I Sell RSUs Immediately After Vesting?
Selling right after vest is a personal finance choice. tax at vest usually already happened; the sale may mostly affect capital gain or loss.
- Are RSUs Taxed Twice?
Vest income and later sales can both show up on tax forms. that is not always double tax on the same dollars.
- Schedule D for RSU Sales
RSU sales go on Form 8949 and Schedule D with basis tied to vest wage income — separate from W-2 vest reporting but connected through cost basis.
- RSU Wash Sale Rules
Wash sales can defer capital losses when you sell at a loss and acquire the same stock within 30 days — including from a scheduled RSU vest.
Sources and notes
Primary tax claims on this page are supported by the official and secondary sources below. Broker and software links describe reporting mechanics — confirm rules against IRS or state guidance.
Capital gain on RSU sales after vest FMV basis; user-entered gain rates, not site bracket tables.
- IRS Publication 550 — Investment Income and Expenses
Internal Revenue Service · Official
Wash sale rules, capital gain and loss reporting, and basis adjustments on stock sales.
- About Form 1099-B — Proceeds from Broker and Barter Exchange Transactions
Internal Revenue Service · Official
Broker reporting of sales proceeds and basis; basis on 1099-B may be incomplete for equity-compensation shares.
- Instructions for Form 8949 — Sales and Other Dispositions of Capital Assets
Internal Revenue Service · Official
How to report sales when broker-reported basis is incorrect, including adjustment codes.
- Filing taxes for restricted stock, RSUs, or performance awards (tax guide PDF)
Fidelity Stock Plan Services · Brokerage explainer
Explains W-2 vest income, 1099-B with $0 basis, supplemental adjusted cost basis, and Form 8949 reporting.
For learning, not filing
VestingTax.com is not a CPA firm or tax preparer. Grants, employers, and states all differ. Use the cited IRS and state sources above, your own documents, and a qualified tax professional before you make decisions from this guide.