Neither one of them would likely be your cost basis for reporting a gain or loss on disposition of your interest in the partnership. The fact that the beginning balance is negative would probably indicate that the partnership sustained losses as those would reduce your basis. You can't deduct losses that reduce your basis in the venture below $0, so if you reported losses on your tax return to the extent they were equal to your net contribution, your cost basis for reporting the disposition of your interest in the partnership would be $0. Otherwise, your cost basis for reporting the disposition of your ownership interest would be what you contributed over the years, plus income from the venture you entered on your tax return, less losses you deducted, less money distributed to you.
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