Wash rule

[jimmyjazz]

Can anyone explain how they manage their short-term trades on stock, both long and short, with regards to wash rules? I am confused about the effect of a loss being washed out yet accounted for in the cost basis of the next trade. For higher-frequency swing traders, does this mean it all comes out in the . . . wash? (Pun intended.)

Followup: how would trading long calls and long puts as proxy for long and short underlying be affected by wash rules?

This isn't for my 2013 taxes, by the way.

 

[ras72]

Can anyone explain how they manage their short-term trades on stock, both long and short, with regards to wash rules? I am confused about the effect of a loss being washed out yet accounted for in the cost basis of the next trade. For higher-frequency swing traders, does this mean it all comes out in the . . . wash? (Pun intended.)

Followup: how would trading long calls and long puts as proxy for long and short underlying be affected by wash rules?

This isn't for my 2013 taxes, by the way.

It comes down to not mixing whites with colored. Just the other day I ruined my favorite sweater.

 

[sprstpd]

Can anyone explain how they manage their short-term trades on stock, both long and short, with regards to wash rules?

It is such a pain in the butt dealing with wash sales if you are an active trader that it seems like the best options are:

1. Never have a losing trade.

or

2. Declare mark-to-market accounting for securities trading (see Green Trader Tax for specifics - this assumes that you can be considered a "trader" for tax purposes).

or

3. Don't trade any symbol in January if you traded it in December the previous year. I.e., take a month long break across the year boundary so that you can avoid the effects of wash sales.

or

4. Spend money to buy a tax reporting package that automatically calculates wash sales for you. If you take this route, then be prepared to have deferred losses that you can't immediately take advantage of for your taxes.

Good luck.

 

[Catoosa]

It is such a pain in the butt dealing with wash sales if you are an active trader that it seems like the best options are:

1. Never have a losing trade.

or

2. Declare mark-to-market accounting for securities trading (see Green Trader Tax for specifics - this assumes that you can be considered a "trader" for tax purposes).

or

3. Don't trade any symbol in January if you traded it in December the previous year. I.e., take a month long break across the year boundary so that you can avoid the effects of wash sales.

or

4. Spend money to buy a tax reporting package that automatically calculates wash sales for you. If you take this route, then be prepared to have deferred losses that you can't immediately take advantage of for your taxes.

Good luck.

I have used "your number 3" method for several years and it works well. However, for me, trading futures has been the best and easiest solution with the 60/40 tax reporting advantage and single number profit/loss 1099-B.