[GNC] unrealized gain / losses for mutual funds

[Kenneth Schneider]

Ken Schneider 

> On May 18, 2022, at 10:49 AM, David T. via gnucash-user <gnucash-user at gnucash.org> wrote:
> 
> A couple of points here:
> 
> First, the analogy of a painting's unrealized gains to those of any other asset is perfectly valid. The only difference is that there is only one "share" of the painting, while there are many shares of a stock or mutual fund. Their change in value is going to be the unrealized gain or loss. The math for gain on a single item is simple, making the example perhaps easier to comprehend, at the risk of oversimplification the questions. 

With introduction of NFT’s this no longer stamped in concrete.

> 
> Second, my (admittedly very basic) understanding of accounting is that unrealized gains, from an accounting perspective *don't exist.* You don't have the gains until you sell the asset. Gnucash applies this concept rather strictly. 

If you live in the U.S. our illustrious leaders have indicated that they would like taxing gains as the occur in a held investment. Whether this happens or not is anyone’s guess.

> 
> These points being said, there have been suggestions made in this list by others more qualified than I on the circumstances in which a user might need to track unrealized gains and account for them on an ongoing basis. I believe the term they used was "mark to market." You might look for those threads in the list archives. 
> 
> David T.