On a more positive note

[rfassett]

I was just doing a return with some stock sales and had a flash back to when I had to go to the basement and dig through the archives to find stock basis.  Thanks IRS - for bringing the brokerage firms into the current century.  That little thing (well, not so little) has saved me tremendous time on some returns.

[Elrod]

I always felt ..........IF  a client doesn't know what he paid for stock.....They shouldn't be buying it..BUT..That's just me...O' Well

[Catherine]

2 minutes ago, Elrod said:

I always felt ..........IF  a client doesn't know what he paid for stock.....They shouldn't be buying it..BUT..That's just me...O' Well

Nice idea.  Do you know what you paid for a stock you bought in 1952?  Or even 1992?  Or when you got three lots in the same year, via RSU's, ESPP's, and QSO's -- which one got sold and what's the basis?  

Even the nice brokerage statement basis figures frequently need more investigation.  And DRIPs.  Don't forget the corrections for DRIPs.

[Elrod]

Catherine,  I would know....That's the way I handle all my investments....And I let all Heirs know also....That's just the way I do it.

BUT NOT ALL DO..

[JohnH]

You heirs won't need top know what you paid for your stock. 

===========================================

It's easy to make a lot of money buying stock.

Just take all your savings and buy a good stock that you know is going to go up.

When it goes up, sell it.

If it don't go up, don't buy it.

(With apologies to Will Rogers)

 

 

[Roberts]

When I got into the investment business, coming up with a cost basis for the myriad of spin-offs from ATT was a days work.

here is a flow chart of all the spin offs and mergers.

[Randall]

Some say the way to make a small fortune is to start with a large fortune.

 

[Richcpaman]

Ron:

There are some parts of this job that are getting easier...

Rich

 

[Catherine]

12 hours ago, Roberts said:

When I got into the investment business, coming up with a cost basis for the myriad of spin-offs from ATT was a days work.

here is a flow chart of all the spin offs and mergers.

I still have the spreadsheet re-figuring my cost basis from when my ESPP shares from GTE got forcibly converted to Verizon - and then later for all the spin-offs.  Whenever I decide to sell VZ, I'm ready!  (If memory serves I ditched all the spin-offs pretty quickly.)