Realized Gains Calculator
Calculate crypto capital gains with FIFO, LIFO, or HIFO methods
Purchase Lots
Sale Details
Short-Term (≤1yr)
Long-Term (>1yr)
Lot Breakdown
| Lot | Bought | Qty | Cost | Proceeds | Gain | Type |
|---|
FIFO
First In, First Out. Sells your oldest coins first. Default IRS method. Over time, produces more long-term gains.
LIFO
Last In, First Out. Sells newest coins first. Good when recent buys are at higher prices than older ones.
HIFO
Highest In, First Out. Sells highest-cost lots first. Minimizes taxable gains. Requires specific lot ID.
When You Need This
Before Selling
Run the numbers before you hit sell. Compare FIFO vs HIFO. A 2 BTC sale might owe $3,000 in taxes with FIFO but only $800 with HIFO. Know your options.
Tax Prep
April is coming. You made 47 trades last year. This tool breaks down each lot so you can fill out Form 8949 without losing your mind.
Loss Harvesting
Made $5K in gains from ETH? Find lots sitting at a loss to sell and offset. This calculator shows exactly which lots to target.
Holding Period Check
That BTC lot from last March? In 2 weeks it hits long-term status. The difference: 24% tax rate vs 15%. Sometimes waiting pays off big.
CPA Handoff
Your accountant asks for cost basis details. Download the CSV, send it over. No more back-and-forth emails about which coins you bought when.
Real Returns
Your portfolio app says +40%. But after cost basis from 12 different buys at different prices? Actual gain is +28%. Know your real number.
Common Questions
What counts as a realized gain?
Selling crypto, trading for another coin, or spending it. Anything that converts your crypto to cash or another asset. Just holding? That's unrealized.
Which method saves the most taxes?
Usually HIFO, since it uses your highest-cost lots first. But it depends on your specific purchases. Run all three methods and compare.
365 days exactly - short or long term?
365 days = still short-term. You need 366+ days (over one year) for long-term treatment. One day can make a big difference.
Can I switch methods mid-year?
For the same asset, you should stay consistent. But with specific identification (HIFO), you can choose which lots to sell per transaction.
Crypto-to-crypto trades taxable?
Yes. Swapping ETH for BTC? You "sold" ETH. Calculate gain/loss on the ETH, and your new BTC cost basis is its value at trade time.
Should I use this for actual taxes?
Use it for planning and estimates. For filing, get proper tax software (Koinly, CoinTracker) or work with a crypto-savvy CPA.
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