Try the brokerage firm’s website to see if they have that data or call them to see if it can be provided. If you are absolutely stumped and have no records showing what you paid for your stocks, our recommendation is you go a website such as bigcharts.marketwatch.com that has historical quotes of stock prices.

What do you do if you don’t know cost basis?

To find an unknown cost basis for stocks and bonds, you first must determine the purchase date. If no purchase records exist, take an educated guess about when you might have bought the securities based on life events happening when they were purchased. If you inherited the stocks or bonds, find the date of death.

How do you determine the cost basis of stock?

You can calculate your cost basis per share in two ways: Take the original investment amount ($10,000) and divide it by the new number of shares you hold (2,000 shares) to arrive at the new per-share cost basis ($10,000/2,000 = $5).

Is it better to sell stock FIFO or LIFO?

FIFO stock trades results in the lower tax burden if you bought the older shares at a higher price than the newer shares. The LIFO method typically results in the lowest tax burden when stock prices have increased, because your newer shares had a higher cost and therefore, your taxable gains are less.

Can you sell lots on Robinhood?

In the fine print of trade confirmations sent to customers after they’ve sold shares, Robinhood does offer the option of specifying lots. But the process is complicated. Customers at Robinhood can’t specify a lot at the time of sale, as they typically can at traditional brokers.

How to enter stock sale with no cost basis or acquisition date?

June 3, 2019 1:16 PM How do I enter stock sale with no cost basis or acquisition date? I sold a 20+ yearl old stock that I received as a gift. I don’t have the exact date of acquisition nor the cost basis and it is not possible to get the info for that. Federal tax has been withheld for the proceeds. How do I report the cost/basis?

How to find a stock’s cost basis if I dont know?

If your best estimate is a date range rather than a specific date, use the historical prices at the start date and end date of that time frame to come up with an average stock price for that time period. Make sure you keep a record of your calculation in case the IRS wants to know how you came up with the cost basis.

How much does it cost to get stock trading records?

For older trading records, you may need to pay a research fee that – according to one discount broker I spoke to – ranges from about $40 to $200, depending on the age and complexity of the records requested.

What’s the tax rate on no cost basis stock?

The capital gains rate normally is much less than the tax rate on ordinary income. For instance, if you sold stock for $1,000, had no cost basis and your capital gains tax rate was 15 percent, your tax would only be $150. Herb Kirchhoff has more than three decades of hands-on experience as an avid garden hobbyist and home handyman.