Cost basis info to paste to Excel

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Topic Author
jefmafnl
Posts: 598
Joined: Sun Mar 25, 2007 7:11 am

Cost basis info to paste to Excel

Post by jefmafnl »

Vanguard's confirmations are pdf files, not so handy for copying and pasting to an Excel spreadsheet to ease tax preparation.

Any suggestions for how to copy the cost basis info (when placing the order? later?) from a different place on the Vanguard website so that it can easily be pasted to Excel?

Thanks!

J
Topic Author
jefmafnl
Posts: 598
Joined: Sun Mar 25, 2007 7:11 am

Re: Cost basis info to paste to Excel

Post by jefmafnl »

And...the exact cost basis doesn't show up in the confirmation, only the date and number of shares in the original purchase.
Where can I find this info on the website?

Thanks.

J
The Wizard
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Joined: Tue Mar 23, 2010 1:45 pm
Location: Reading, MA

Re: Cost basis info to paste to Excel

Post by The Wizard »

Hmm, in the old days I did similar, a spreadsheet for tracking basis.
But I wasn't too bright then and had a lot of smallish distributions reinvested in my taxable account which complicated it.

Nowadays, I don't reinvest distributions and just buy "good sized" lots. And Vanguard monitors the cost basis of each lot. Hence, no spreadsheet needed for this anymore.

Why does OP think a spreadsheet of these details will simplify tax prep?
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The Wizard
Posts: 13356
Joined: Tue Mar 23, 2010 1:45 pm
Location: Reading, MA

Re: Cost basis info to paste to Excel

Post by The Wizard »

jefmafnl wrote:And...the exact cost basis doesn't show up in the confirmation, only the date and number of shares in the original purchase.
Where can I find this info on the website?

Thanks.

J
Using the Vanguard app on my phone, I go to my Brokerage Account, click the More button and then on Cost Basis and it's all there.
Probably similar directly on their website...
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nolesrule
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Re: Cost basis info to paste to Excel

Post by nolesrule »

On the Balances & Holdings page, each account has a Cost Basis link. On the Unrealized Gains tab, each investment in the account will show the overall cost basis, with a "Show Details" link that will break it down by Purchase Lot (assuming Specific ID).
Topic Author
jefmafnl
Posts: 598
Joined: Sun Mar 25, 2007 7:11 am

Re: Cost basis info to paste to Excel

Post by jefmafnl »

Thanks for all the replies.

AFTER one sells, the cost basis information is no longer there for the shares that were sold.
My question is how to find a way to copy to Excel the cost basis information for shares that were sold,
to aid in tax preparation.

J
dbr
Posts: 46137
Joined: Sun Mar 04, 2007 8:50 am

Re: Cost basis info to paste to Excel

Post by dbr »

I'm a little unclear on why a one-time only entry can't just be typed in by hand as opposed to copying it from a web page. Arranging a way to automatically update Excel from web forms is a different issue.
VaR
Posts: 760
Joined: Sat Dec 05, 2015 10:27 pm

Re: Cost basis info to paste to Excel

Post by VaR »

Is your tax software able to directly import data from Vanguard?
Topic Author
jefmafnl
Posts: 598
Joined: Sun Mar 25, 2007 7:11 am

Re: Cost basis info to paste to Excel

Post by jefmafnl »

Thanks again to all who replied.

I put all the transactions into a spreadsheet that I send to my accountant.

I think the lesson I learned is: when selling from a taxable account,
1) print (and copy and paste if possible) the cost basis records of that fund BEFORE selling, and
2) print (and copy and paste if possible) the on-screen confirmation of the transaction,
since it includes tax lot information that is NOT in the pdf file of the confirmation that one receives later.

J
Sailor36
Posts: 21
Joined: Mon May 04, 2015 7:15 pm

Re: Cost basis info to paste to Excel

Post by Sailor36 »

Quicken Premier for Windows does an excellent job of tracking tax lots if you use it carefully. It is essential if you are tracking old "uncovered" mutual fund lots. I trust its data more than Vanguard and use it for tax preparation, even if it differs from Vanguard's 1099.

So far the IRS has never complained. I feel confident that if they ever do, I have the data to back up my tax return.
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