Capital Gains Tax Calculator for Real Estate Sellers

Enter your numbers below to see a ballpark estimate of what a sale could cost in taxes, and compare it against a 1031 exchange or an owner-financed installment sale.

Step 1: Your Property and Sale Details

Your Estimated Tax: Straight Sale

Option A: What a 1031 Exchange Could Defer

A properly structured 1031 exchange defers the entire tax bill above by rolling it into a new like-kind property. Here is what that deferred amount could illustrate if it stayed at work in real estate instead of going to the IRS and the Franchise Tax Board.

This growth illustration is hypothetical and for educational purposes only. It is not a projection, forecast, or guarantee of investment performance. Real estate values can rise or fall, and past performance never guarantees future results.

Option B: What Owner Financing Could Look Like

In an installment sale, you carry the note instead of selling outright. Adjust the terms below to see the estimated monthly income and how much smaller your first-year tax bill could be, since most of the capital gain is recognized gradually as principal is repaid. Depreciation recapture is still due in full in the year of sale under IRC Section 453(i).

Get Your Personalized Summary

Want to walk through these numbers with someone who knows your property and your market? Share your contact info below and we will follow up with a closer look, no pressure.

This calculator provides a simplified, hypothetical estimate only and does not constitute tax, legal, or investment advice. Figures are rounded and based on assumptions you provide. Actual results will vary based on your full financial picture, entity structure, and any state outside California. Consult a licensed CPA, tax attorney, or financial advisor before acting on a property sale.