Question about Lots and Capital Gains

[Rich Bloch]

I can confirm that there is a change in lots functionality between 2.2.1 and
2.2.4.

I am now seeing a "Realized Gain/Loss" field when scrubbing an equity
account.

This is good news.

Thanks all.


On Mon, Mar 31, 2008 at 6:16 PM, Rich Bloch <richbl at gmail.com> wrote:

> Sounds like at least two variables to consider:
>
> --Running Linux (Debian) v. Windows (XP)
> --Version 2.2.1 v. 2.2.4+
>
> I also see a bug fix (#492137) that suggests some activity in the lots
> code, so that may be the diff.
>
> Thanks for your help Charles.
>
>
>
> On Mon, Mar 31, 2008 at 5:02 PM, Charles Day <cedayiv at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > On Mon, Mar 31, 2008 at 4:39 PM, Rich Bloch <richbl at gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > > Thanks for the info Charles.
> > >
> > > I cannot repro the situation that you describe.
> > >
> >
> > Here's what I recall in a little more detail:
> > 1. Open the stock account's register.
> > 2. Enter a stock buy of 4 shares @ $2 on day 1.
> > 3. Enter a stock buy of 10 shares @ $3.50 on day 2.
> > 4. Enter a sell of 6 shares @4.10 on day 3, with no splits for capital
> > gains.
> > 5. Actions->View Lots
> > 6. Click Scrub Account.
> > 7. View Lots shows Lot 0 with 4 shares (all sold), and Lot 1 with 10
> > shares (2 sold, 8 remaining).
> > 8. The stock account's register shows two new transactions for the
> > capital gains: one for the 4 shares sold from Lot 0, and one for the 2
> > shares sold from Lot 1.
> >
> > I am using the latest build of GnuCash from SVN on Windows XP, but I
> > doubt that this part of the source code has been modified for at least
> > several versions.
> >
> > Tell me if the above doesn't help, and I'll attach a screen shot.
> >
> > Cheers,
> > Charles
> >
> >
> > > After entering a stock sale, and then scrubbing the equity account, I
> > > do not see any changes made to that account. I see the list of lots in the
> > > dialog, but nothing is altered in the equity account.
> > >
> > > Perhaps there are some subtle account settings that need changing?
> > > What version and what platform are you running?
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > On Mon, Mar 31, 2008 at 1:44 PM, Charles Day <cedayiv at gmail.com>
> > > wrote:
> > >
> > > > On Mon, Mar 31, 2008 at 11:22 AM, Derek Atkins <warlord at mit.edu>
> > > > wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > Hi,
> > > > >
> > > > > Quoting Rich Bloch <richbl at gmail.com>:
> > > > >
> > > > > > Hello all,
> > > > > >
> > > > > > I'm running 2.2.1, and I'm in the process of learning how to
> > > > > manage stock
> > > > > > purchases/sales. However, I'm having a difficult time
> > > > > understanding how
> > > > > > "lots" work.
> > > > >
> > > > > Unfortunately Lots are not fully implemented at this time.
> > > > >
> > > > > > There's a dialog accessed by View Lots off the main account
> > > > > window,
> > > > > > which--not surprisingly--permits me to scrub and view stock
> > > > > lots. However,
> > > > > > this dialog doesn't appear to do much else (either that, or I'm
> > > > > just not
> > > > > > seeing any functional changes). So, here are my questions:
> > > > > >
> > > > > > --If I want to sell a stock, how does gnucash identify the stock
> > > > > lot--and
> > > > > > it's basis--to determine capital gains?
> > > > >
> > > > > It doesn't... Nor does it compute capital gains for you.
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > > I found by accident yesterday that "View Lots" actually seems to do
> > > > capital gains calculations:
> > > > 1. Enter a sale of stock in the register without accounting for the
> > > > capital gains.
> > > > 2. Choose Actions->View Lots.
> > > > 3. Click the "Scrub Account" button.
> > > > 4. Capital gains get calculated and a new transaction is
> > > > automatically created in the register to account for them.
> > > >
> > > > So there would seem to be more functionality behind the "View Lots"
> > > > dialog than viewing alone.
> > > >
> > > > > --What accounting policy does gnucash use for determining capital
> > > > > gains? I
> > > > > > believe FIFO is most typically used, though LIFO is also legal,
> > > > > as is lot
> > > > > > selection.
> > > > >
> > > > > None.  See above.  But the partial implementation is FIFO, IIRC.
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > > The "Scrub Account" button used FIFO in my experiments.
> > > >
> > > > -Charles
> > > >
> > > > > --Are there specific docs available that address how gnucash
> > > > > handles lots
> > > > > > (in 2.x)? I spent some time picking through notes and
> > > > > conversations on
> > > > > > gnucash.org and the wiki, and haven't really found anything
> > > > > definitive.
> > > > >
> > > > > There may be a lots.txt somewhere.  But the only definitive source
> > > > > would be, um, the source.
> > > > >
> > > > > > Thanks much.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > --
> > > > > > rich
> > > > >
> > > > > > Please remember to CC this list on all your replies.
> > > > > > You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All.
> > > > >
> > > > > -derek
> > > > >
> > > > > --
> > > > >       Derek Atkins, SB '93 MIT EE, SM '95 MIT Media Laboratory
> > > > >       Member, MIT Student Information Processing Board  (SIPB)
> > > > >       URL: http://web.mit.edu/warlord/    PP-ASEL-IA     N1NWH
> > > > >       warlord at MIT.EDU                        PGP key available
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > rich
> >
> >
> >
>
>
> --
> rich




-- 
rich