[GNC] Tracking capital gains, commissions and the Trial Balance report

[Michael or Penny Novack]

On 12/20/2021 9:34 PM, Daniel Torstenson wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I've been looking into tracking my capital gains and commissions for a
> brokerage account, and I'm running into an issue that I see others have run
> into. Namely, I'd like to account for my commissions and also keep track of
> my capital gains, as my brokerage reports them (and as the IRS expects
> them).
>
>   I found a few threads on this topic, but didn't really see a good
> resolution.
>
Your actual problem is not in TRACKING how much spent on commissions but 
in assuming that you need have it grouped with expenses as well as being 
part of the basis of the investment << as needed for capital gains tax 
purposes >>

And yes, this not a specific gnucash "problem" but a double entry 
problem as you are allowed only one CoA hierarchy.

Something to keep in mind that you perhaps haven't realized. One of the 
things you can usually change with "report options" is the title of a 
report. So let's say that you have a number of investments and each has 
an associated "commissions" sub account. That means you can show your 
commissions cost by running a report that will allow you to select JUST 
these accounts and you can make what shows as the title of the report 
"Total Cost of Commissions" or whatever you like.

No, not under "Expense" because it isn't an expense (legally, for 
reporting purposes) but part of the cost related to acquiring the asset.

Michael D Novack