David, Spinoffs can be confusing. The way I've decided to handle them is to do two transactions. The first exchanges 40 CMCSA for 6.2 VSNT. The second sells .2 VSNT for $6.70. Gains get handled in the normal way for each transaction. I've tried the all in one method, but find the display in GnuCash too confusing. Having one transaction that says "CMCSA spinoff to VSNT 7:1" and a second one that says "Sale of fractional VSNT" is easier for me to follow later on.
As for basis, either speak to the broker and ask for either a basis or a purchase date. With the latter, you'd have to ultimately track through the ticker history for any basis-changing events (splits, capital returns, etc.) prior to your GnuCash books. According to a web search, NetBasis is a major service that calculates cost basis from a simple date/shares purchased form. It costs $35 per report, though--although you could potentially enter all your holdings and get a single report with all for cost basis calculations. HTH, David T. On February 13, 2026 3:15:10 AM GMT+05:30, "David G. Pickett via gnucash-user" <[email protected]> wrote: >GNUCash seems to lack tools to allow me to deal with our 40 CMCSA spinning off >6.2 VSNT, never mind how to handle the $6.70 from the .2 VSNT. I might be in >trouble because I started the CMCSA with opening balance, not a historical >buy. The basis is deep buried in family and ATT history, derived off a stock >option of the wife's first husband, also a David! They have web sites for >that sort of thing, but I have no record of his stock receipt! Sometimes I >use his death date, when title shifted to his wife, but I am sure that is not >a legal fudge. I suspect the difficulty establishing a basis compounds the >problems of showing the spinoff. I look forward to having to report capital >gains on .2 shares $6.70 ! Is there a basis editor hiding in there somewhere? > Maybe I can get the broker to do $6.70 in fractional shares! One tutoring >student made me aware that Robinhood has people trading in tiny fractional >shares, like 6 places! She wants to keep the shares, as before he died, he >said "Never sell, this is good stuff!" I suppose it is another curse on her >estate and executor, who might be me! >_______________________________________________ >gnucash-user mailing list >[email protected] >To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe: >https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user >----- >Please remember to CC this list on all your replies. >You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All. _______________________________________________ gnucash-user mailing list [email protected] To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe: https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user ----- Please remember to CC this list on all your replies. You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All.
