Capital Gains or Ordinary Income

[AlanR]

I have about $65 thousand in a Mutual Fund that I have added to over several years with no idea as to how much and when the contributions were made. When I withdraw money from this fund, how is the withdrawal treated- as ordinary income? If as capital gains, how is the cost basis treated as I have no idea when the investments were made?

[ColeenD3]

If you can't identify a basis or the length of time the money was invested, then it defaults to zero basis. It will also default to short term which is taxed as ordinary income. 

It would be to your benefit to do some digging to see if you can't come up with some figures to make the sale more advantageous.

[NCperson]

certainly the mutual fund company has the records; suggest calling them and asking. 

[fanfare]

whatever you original cost, it is increased by the capital gain distributions that you pay tax on every year.

See IRS Pub 550 Investment Income and Expenses
page 44 Table 4-1 for a sample table showing
the many years of basis records that you should have been maintaining.
The text in that section describes how to track your basis over time.