How the capital gains tax calculator works
Last updated 10 November 2026
When you sell an asset for more than it cost you, the profit is a capital gain. South Africa taxes part of it as income, through your normal tax return. This calculator works out your tax for the year twice, with and without the gain, and shows the difference.
How it works
- Choose what you are selling and enter the selling price and base cost.
- Enter your other taxable income for the year, and any other gains or an assessed loss from earlier years.
- Read the gain, the exclusions used, the taxable gain and the tax.
Worked example
With the starting figures:
- A sale for R 1 250 000 of an asset with a base cost of R 700 000 is a gain of R 550 000.
- After the annual exclusion of R 50 000, 40% of R 500 000 is taxable, which is R 200 000. The extra tax is R 59 935.00, or 10.9% of the gain.
Gain, base cost and the inclusion rate
A capital gain is what you sell an asset for, less what it cost you (its base cost). Assets held on 1 October 2001 have special valuation rules that this tool does not model.
Only 40% of the net gain is added to your income. That is why the top effective rate for an individual is 18%, not 45%.
The exclusions
Each year the first R 50 000 of your total gains is excluded. Your primary residence has a separate exclusion of R 3 000 000 on the gain. In the year of death the yearly exclusion is R 440 000. The small business exclusion is R 2 700 000. The small business exclusion applies to the sale of an active business asset by someone aged 55 or older, if the business assets are below the limit. The tool does not check whether you qualify.
Losses
A capital loss is set against capital gains. A loss you cannot use this year becomes an assessed capital loss that carries forward to later years.
Enter an assessed capital loss from earlier years to use it against this year’s gain.
Where the figures come from
The inclusion rate and exclusions come from the SARS Budget 2026 Tax Guide and SARS pages. The method comes from the SARS guide on capital gains tax for individuals. We read them on 10 November 2026. The figures register shows the source and the date.
What this page does not cover
It does not model assets owned before 1 October 2001, the time-apportionment method, foreign assets, trusts, companies, or special rules for particular assets. This is an estimate from public tables, not tax advice. Read the full disclaimer.
Things to watch
- Keep records of what each asset cost you, including the costs of buying and selling.
- Tax tables and exclusions can change in each Budget.
Related: the home buying costs calculator, the crypto tax calculator and the tax on interest and dividends.