Question on documentation of stock purchases and sales?
Question:
Answer:
It is your responsibility to keep a record of the costs of your investments. Most mutual funds will provide this for you. But when you purchase stocks, you need to save the purcase receipt for your tax records. Your stock broker will provide you and the IRS with a record of your stock sales. If your tax return does not match the sales reported by your broker, you will hear for the IRS. If you are audited you will be required to prove the amount that your reported paying for the stock. You will also be required to prove the amount you paid for mutual funds. So do not dispose of any records until 3 years after filing your taxes. After that date you are safe.
you should get a statement from them at the years end stating you gains and losses with the companies name, address and taxe number for your taxes
You will need to know what your capital gains are (short-term and long-term) for your tax returns. It helps to keep your brokerage statements from all your buys and sells.
One does need to keep a detailed log of each investment so as to know 1) the total cost base and 1) the unit cost base, at all times. I wouldn't rely on the brokerage account, although it can be helpful. If you transferred shares into this account, for example, they won't know the true cost base. Their computer might assign a cost base of 0 (zero - will create false mega-capital gains when you sell) or perhaps the market price on day of transfer (could be injurious to your interests). In addition, the broker's reportage won't be able to track an identical holding you may have in another account.
So, although it's a hassle, it's best to keep a clear record of one's own.
How to do? Easiest cases to document are those in which investor buys and subsequently sells all the shares, leaving him with none. If you're in the US the question then becomes whether it's a long-term or short-term gain.
Trickier calculations are necessary when the investor buys shares, sells only a few, then buys a few hundred more, then sells some, and so on. In this scenario he does not eliminate his position, but rather keeps adjusting it, and each adjustment is a taxable event. Some mutual fund capital gains histories resemble this scenario, in that they pay dividends which are reinvested in additional units. In all these cases it's necessary to keep a rolling calculation or log that will always maintain several sequences of numbers.
All this becomes comical when it comes to day-traders. Most of them hardly seem to know how to report their trades. Many use either a FIFO or a LIFO method, others employ slap-dash whatever rule will lower their capital gains. Too funny!
How to calculate properly to satisfy the tax authorities is too daunting to explain in a few words. It would require a small book complete with examples. Do you know an accountant who could get you set up? Your bank manager? A knowledgeable friend? Could you find a helpful book in your library or bookstore? Once you've understood the methodology it'll work in every case.
Wishing you the very best of luck.
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