[GNC] IRA/401K income detection (David G. Pickett)

[Derek Robinson]

I handle qualified plans with 3 generic transactions.
1. Contributions to plan: credit cash (if making a contribution from a bank account) or wage income (if making the contribution directly from your paycheck), debit to your plan
2. Gains to your plan. Unrealized gains should adjust the plan balance automatically as you update prices of the underlying holdings. If you have realized gains, create an equity account called "Gains and Losses," credit that, debit your plan.
3. Distributions from your plan: if you want to track these tightly, it is easiest as two transactions (or really one four-line transaction). Create an equity account called "Qualified Plan Drawdowns" and a revenue account called "Qualified Plan Income." For each distribution: credit your plan, debit Qualified Plan Drawdowns, credit Qualified Plan Income, debit cash. Your "Qualified Plan Drawdowns" are essentially dividends - money you pay yourself.