David,

You’re right that there’s no basis transfer with the Stock Split Assistant. I 
don’t remember offhand what the Stock Assistant does but I do recall that 
CDB-Man bringing up basis when he and Chris were developing that so it might 
handle it.

The best way that I can think of to record the basis transfer manually is to 
price the new-stock split and balance it with a 0 amount split in the old stock 
account more or less like a return of capital. That still doesn’t preserve the 
fact that the holding period for the new stock really begins when you acquired 
the old one.

I don’t know if the lots scrubber can handle that.

Regards,
John Ralls



> On Feb 12, 2026, at 19:48, David T. <[email protected]> wrote:
> 
> John, 
> 
> I don't remember now, since I now use the manual method I mentioned, ISTR 
> that the assistants create a single whole share split and a cash split, 
> rather than create and sell off the fractional share. 
> 
> The problem I found with this was that there is no price entry made for the 
> spinoff, leaving the user in some doubt about the basis value of the new 
> stock. Further, the value of the cash in lieu isn't clearly deducted from the 
> basis, and I'm not sure the lot manager addresses this. 
> 
> I am also not sure whether the basis in Equity gets properly transferred from 
> the old to the new commodity. I believe it should? 
> 
> David T.
> 
> 
> On February 13, 2026 7:48:16 AM GMT+05:30, John Ralls <[email protected]> 
> wrote:
>> 
>> 
>>> On Feb 12, 2026, at 13:45, 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!
>> 
>> 
>> It’s basically the same as a stock split, you just get a different stock 
>> instead of more CMCSA. Both the Stock Split Assistant and the Stock 
>> Assistant know how to handle it. The $6.20 is called “cash-in-lieu” because 
>> they’re paying you cash instead of giving you fractional shares.
>> 
>> Regards,
>> John Ralls
>> gnucash-user mailing list
>> [email protected]
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