California Collectibles Capital Gains Tax 2026: Graduated income tax (top rate up to 13.3%)

California Collectibles capital gains in this model: Graduated income tax (top rate up to 13.3%). Use this calculator to stack federal long-term or short-term tax, NIIT when it applies, and California's modeled treatment. California generally taxes the gain as ordinary state income, so the state line can rival or exceed the federal long-term rate on a large sale.

Rates last verified: August 2026

Capital Gains Calculator

Federal · NIIT · All 50 states

2026 ratesIRS verified

Follow the three steps, save the sale, then calculate. Required fields are marked with *.

Your tax profile

These apply to every sale in this estimate.

Tax year

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State

Annual taxable income (before these gains)

Capital loss carried from prior years

What you sold

Prices and quantity for this lot. Give it a name if you will add more than one sale.

Asset type

Asset name

Buy price

Sell price

Quantity / units

Selling expenses

When you bought and sold

The IRS uses these dates to decide short-term vs long-term rates.

Buy date

Sell date

Next: Save this sale to the order log, then click Calculate now. Tax results do not update until you calculate.

Order log

Sales included in this tax estimate.

Please fill in the details to see your results. Follow the three steps on the left, then save a sale here.

California tax on collectibles

California generally taxes collectibles gains under its graduated income-tax framework (Graduated income tax (top rate up to 13.3%)). This estimate applies the top modeled California rate to remaining taxable gain.

Federal rules for collectibles: Long-term collectibles (art, many coins, certain metals) face a 28% federal ceiling instead of the usual 20% LTCG cap. Short-term collectibles still use ordinary rates. Holding period still matters for LTCG vs STCG except where a longer QSBS or real-estate test applies.

Open the parent California calculator for a generic sale, or the national Collectibles lander for asset-only copy. Nearby states below keep the same collectibles preset so you can compare residency. Estimates are not tax advice.

Long-term collectibles use a 28% federal ceiling, not the 20% long-term cap. The 3.8% NIIT can still stack when income is high enough. Short-term collectibles stay on ordinary rates.

California does not give capital gains a preferential state rate. The model applies graduated income tax with a top rate up to 13.3% to taxable gain, the same way it treats wages. A long-term federal 15% or 20% bill can therefore sit next to a larger California line on a big sale.

The Mental Health Services Tax is not added on top of that 13.3% figure in this calculator. Residency, not the exchange where the shares traded, is what this page assumes for the state line.

Rates last verified: August 2026. Official source: https://www.ftb.ca.gov/.

California calculator Collectibles (all states)U.S. Capital Gains Tax Calculator Collectibles and gold Holding period

Illustrated tax on a long-term gain

Collectibles held long enough for long-term treatment in California. Investment real estate does not use Section 121 in this table. QSBS uses a more-than-five-year hold.

Gain	Federal	NIIT	California	Texas state tax
$25,000.00	$5,500.00	$0.00	$3,325.00	$0.00
$100,000.00	$23,486.00	$0.00	$13,300.00	$0.00
$250,000.00	$70,000.00	$4,940.00	$33,250.00	$0.00

Single filer, tax year 2026, $80,000.00 of other taxable income. Texas is the no-tax comparison. Illustration only, not your return.

FAQ

California Collectibles FAQs

How does California tax collectibles capital gains?

Does California use the 28% collectibles rate?

The 28% ceiling is a federal long-term collectibles rule. California applies graduated income tax (top rate up to 13.3%) to taxable collectibles gain in this estimate, not a separate 28% state bracket.

Which IRS forms apply to a California collectibles sale?

Plan around dealer or auction statements, Form 8949, and Schedule D. California may require its own income-tax return when the state line is not $0. NIIT, if any, is computed on Form 8960.

Does California tax collectibles gains if I am a part-year resident?

This page assumes full-year California residency and applies graduated income tax (top rate up to 13.3%) to taxable collectibles gain. Part-year allocation and nonresident sourcing are not modeled — use California instructions or a CPA.

What does the California Collectibles illustration assume?

The California Collectibles rows use a single filer with $80,000 of other income and a long-term gain in 2026. Long-term collectibles use a 28% federal ceiling, not the 20% long-term cap. The 3.8% NIIT can still stack when income is high enough. Short-term collectibles stay on ordinary rates. Texas is the no-tax comparison, not a second residency.