1099-B and information I don't have. PLEASE ADVISE.

[jbucks]

I'm really confused by a 1099-B form I received this year. Years and years (decades?) ago a few shares and CBS and Viacom stocks were put in my name, most likely gifted to me by my grandmother long enough ago nobody knows when nor has a record of this. My grandmother died 13+ years ago. Normally I only get a 1099-Div for CBS and a 1099-Div for Viacom; simple straightforward forms I enter into TurboTax and I'm done with it.

This year, the trust company sends me the two 1099-Div forms, but then also a 1099-B. From what I can tell, I think this is considered "non-covered". TurboTax is now asking whether this is short or long term. The 1099-B, in fact, states “You must determine short-term or long-term based on your records.” I don’t have any records! So, the 1099-B form doesn't say, and when I called the customer service number for the trust company that sent me the form, they couldn't tell me either. I can maybe guess it’s long term, but I don’t really know.

Other information for which I’m also being asked and don’t have the information:
Date I received gift.
Date acquired by original owner.
Total cost basis on the date of gift.
Original owner’s total cost basis.

Box 1b date acquired is blank and box 1e cost basis is blank.   PLEASE ADVISE.

[Bsch4477]

The stock is long term. That is the easy part. You can put any date for stock acquired as long as the date is more than a year before the sale or choose “inherited “ from the drop down menu. The hard part is determining the cost basis.  You could make a good faith effort to arrive at it by researching what you think is a reasonable average price about the time it was gifted. Google historical stock prices for sites that offer that information.  If the IRS challenges it, your basis will be zero.