Balancing profit/loss when selling stocks

hppweu hppweu at frontier.com
Mon Apr 4 13:13:52 EDT 2016


I am having difficulty getting correct results on the trial balance report after stock sale transactions.  I have read both the help manual and the ' tutorial and concepts guide' multiple times and have searched this list, but I am still confused.  

I have created a new gnucash file. 
I have followed the examples in Chapter 8 - Investments, in the tutorial and concepts guide. 
But there is an inconsistency in the section: Example - Sale of stock with profit.   The paragraph immediately following that heading and what is shown in both Table 8.2 and the screen capture example right after Table 8.2 do not use the same value for the PROFIT.

The paragraph states that the PROFIT from the AMZN example is $1525.(GROSS_SALE - TOTALBUY - COMMISSION, 3600 - 2000 - 75)
Both Table 8.2 and the screen shot the the transaction use $1600 as the PROFIT. (Which omits the commission from the calculation)

When I follow the example using a profit of $1,525, I get the following results:
    The Trial Balance report shows the debit total = $13,675.24 and credit total = $13,600.24 (a difference of $75)
    The Advanced Portfolio report shows a Realized Gain = $1,525 and Total Return = $1,525
    The Income:Cap Gain (Long):AMZN = $1,525

When I follow the example using a profit of $1600, I get the following results:
    The Trial Balance report shows the debit total = credit total
    The Advanced Portfolio report shows a Realized Gain = $1,525 and Total Return = $1,525
    The Income:Cap Gain (Long):AMZN = $1,600

So if I include the commission expense in my profit calculation, my Income:Cap Gain (Long):AMZN account will agree with what gets reported by my brokerage statement and with what is on the advanced portfolio report, BUT my trial balance report WILL NOT balance.

And if don't include the commission in my profit calculation, my Income:Cap Gain (Long):AMZN account WILL NOT agree with what gets reported by my brokerage statement and with what is on the advanced portfolio report, but my trail balance report will balance.

Is it possible to have my Income:Cap Gain match what my brokerage statement reports and have the trial balance sheet be balanced?

Thanks,
PDL



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