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PhilBax
New Member

How do I calculate cost basis for noncovered RSU?

I had some RSU stocks that I sold last year. The 1099-B provides no cost basis.

Looking back at my transaction history in Computershare, I found the entry for the sale. Under "Cost Basis and Tax Information", it breaks the sale down into two chunks:

- 5 shares that had vested in 2013, and were "spun off" into my current account when my company split. These shares have a valid cost basis: [5 shares] x [FMV of the stock when they were "spun off" into my current account].

- 68 shares that vested over 2014 and 2015. No cost basis is provided for these shares. The documentation for each of the share "deposits" gives no cost basis or market value of the stock when they vested.

My question is two-fold:

First, do I need to calculate the cost basis? In my online searching, I've come across some sites that suggest the RSU vesting should be included as income in my W2. I haven't found anything like that on my W2, but I may just not be looking at the right place.

Second, if I *do* need to calculate cost basis, how do I do it? Do I need to manually go back and find the FMV of the stock at each vesting date (and if so, opening or closing value?) and multiply by the number of shares awarded? Then do I simply add up all of the amounts to get my final cost-basis?

Thanks in advance for your time and help!

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1 Best answer

Accepted Solutions
PhilBax
New Member

How do I calculate cost basis for noncovered RSU?

Alright, figured it out.

The RSU vesting was reported on my W-2, but not explicitly. It was just part of my wages. I confirmed this by checking my last paystub of 2015, which listed it as part of my total income for the year.

As far as cost basis, the cost basis is simply the number of remaining shares (after withholding) * FMV when sold. I had to navigate to a different section of Computershare's site to find that information, but I eventually tracked it down.

The last part of the puzzle was "lots". I had multiple lots of shares that vested over the last couple of years, and the sale info in Computershare broke down which shares from which lots were sold (in my case, I sold all of them).

So:

- I had to tell Turbo Tax I would enter the cost basis info later
- Tell it I would enter the extra info it needed now
- Tell it that I had shares as part of a ESPP program, etc.
- Tell it specifically these were RSU shares
- Click through a few forms
- Tell it shares were from multiple lots
- Break down each lot with: shares that vested (after withholding), date vested, and FMV at the time of vesting

TurboTax figured out the cost basis and how much I had in capital gains and losses.

Finally, during the Federal Review, it asked if the shares that vested this year were reported on my W-2. The *description* mentioned it may be listed on my paystub. At first, I clicked "no", as it wasn't explicitly listed (I thought it might be an entry in box 12), but I later discovered it was listed on my paystub, and my total income on my last paystub of 2015 -- vested stock included -- matched the total amount on my W-2.

I couldn't figure out a way to change my answer, so I had to go back and delete the 1099-b and redo that whole process. -_-

Finally done!!!

View solution in original post

4 Replies
PhilBax
New Member

How do I calculate cost basis for noncovered RSU?

Okay, I just looked at a different section of Computershare. I had forgotten that I elected to "withhold enough shares to pay for taxes" when my shares vest. At each vesting of shares, I'm able to see the [shares delivered] x [FMV], see where they calculated what I owed in taxes, and see how many shares they withheld to cover that amount.

So, for example, at one point ~25 shares vested, and they withheld 10 shares to cover taxes.

I'm not sure in what way, if any, this affects the answer, but at least I know where to find the stock's FMV at the time of vesting.
PhilBax
New Member

How do I calculate cost basis for noncovered RSU?

No answers from anyone? Do the TurboTax folks no longer look at this section of the site? They seem to have made it harder to get to from TurboTax. 😕

I *believe* I need to get the cost basis by calculating each [set of shares] x [FMV when those shares vested] and adding those amounts up. ....But I don't know that that makes sense, as I don't know how I would've done this if I had only sold some of my shares. o_o
PhilBax
New Member

How do I calculate cost basis for noncovered RSU?

Alright, figured it out.

The RSU vesting was reported on my W-2, but not explicitly. It was just part of my wages. I confirmed this by checking my last paystub of 2015, which listed it as part of my total income for the year.

As far as cost basis, the cost basis is simply the number of remaining shares (after withholding) * FMV when sold. I had to navigate to a different section of Computershare's site to find that information, but I eventually tracked it down.

The last part of the puzzle was "lots". I had multiple lots of shares that vested over the last couple of years, and the sale info in Computershare broke down which shares from which lots were sold (in my case, I sold all of them).

So:

- I had to tell Turbo Tax I would enter the cost basis info later
- Tell it I would enter the extra info it needed now
- Tell it that I had shares as part of a ESPP program, etc.
- Tell it specifically these were RSU shares
- Click through a few forms
- Tell it shares were from multiple lots
- Break down each lot with: shares that vested (after withholding), date vested, and FMV at the time of vesting

TurboTax figured out the cost basis and how much I had in capital gains and losses.

Finally, during the Federal Review, it asked if the shares that vested this year were reported on my W-2. The *description* mentioned it may be listed on my paystub. At first, I clicked "no", as it wasn't explicitly listed (I thought it might be an entry in box 12), but I later discovered it was listed on my paystub, and my total income on my last paystub of 2015 -- vested stock included -- matched the total amount on my W-2.

I couldn't figure out a way to change my answer, so I had to go back and delete the 1099-b and redo that whole process. -_-

Finally done!!!

locust0
New Member

How do I calculate cost basis for noncovered RSU?

Just read your answer and it applies to my situation--it's by far the most detailed answer I've read, but I'm still struggling with the forms.
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