On my 1099-B, the 1b (date acquire) field is blank. It doesn't have anything in it at all. When I try to leave that space blank n TurboTax, it tells me I must enter date

[proff007]

On my 1099-B, the 1b (date acquire) field is blank. It doesn't have anything in it at all. When I try to leave that space blank n TurboTax, it tells me I must enter date

[ToddL]

You will need to enter a "Date Acquired". 

If the "Date Acquired" field is blank on your Form 1099-B, it means the Payer didn't have that information. You would need to provide an answer from your records or enter a date that is consistent with the holding period.

If you held the security for more than 1 year, then enter a  "Date Acquired"  that is more than 1 year before the date you sold the security.  

If you held the security for less than 1 year, then enter a  "Date Acquired"  that is less than a year before the date you sold the security (1/1/2015 will work).

If you aren't sure how long you held the security, try looking for the "Box" or "Code" on your 1099-B.

If Box A or B is checked, then the holding period was less than one year. 

If Box D or E is checked, then the holding period was more than one year. 

[fanfare]

A date that is one year before the date you sold indicates a Short Term Gain.

[infobiker]

The answer really does not help.  I received three 1099B's from Vanguard for my mutual fund this year I have no information regarding dates, etc.  They just include a footnote that a blank Box 1b means securities were acquired on a variety of dates (with no information of those dates) and just to leave it blank.  Fine, but Turbotax will not allow that so what to do?

[Bees]

Do you have a cost basis provided by the broker?  Is the amount of sale and amount of cost basis broken out by short term(under a year) and long term. You used to be able to enter various as a date, (can't get my mock up to work right now)

[infobiker]

Turbotax will not accept "various".  Input requires date format.  Turbotax, if you read this stuff.....FIX IT.

[JamesG1]

See the page titled Now we’ll walk you through entering the info on your (provider name) 1099-B.

Under Box 1b see hyperlink Learn more to the right of Something other than a date.  It reads:

“What if there is no date?   If you don't have a single date listed in Box 1b of your 1099-B, you can select Something other than a date. After you select this, you can choose from two options: Blank or Various (or more than one date).”

You find these options in the box What do you see in Box 1b?.

[infobiker]

Thanks for help.  That fixed it. My oversight.

[croby]

This works initially but when I get to the final review it mandates that I again put in a date which I do not have. Did anybody figure this out?

[DaveF1006]

You can safely create a date acquired without repercussions.  For example, if it is a long term transaction, create a date that is more than one year from the sale date.  If is short term, create a date within the year of the sale. the 1099B you receive should specify if long term or short term..

[RicardoT]

My completecheck list has 200+ items because the broker left it blank. I've been marking it bank but it takes forever, is there anyway to do it in bulk? 

[xdovexcstcpa]

That would be correct, except that even when you choose "blank" in that walk-through for your 1099-B, TurboTax will call it out later during your final review as unacceptable. It then insists you enter a date.  It will not allow you to type "blank" or "various"... it insists on a MM/DD/YYYY format. There is no longer a question mark or drop down choice to say that you have "blank" or "various."  If you try to just continue without entering a date, it simply will not let you.  It will not file your taxes without a date.

Might be the first year in a decade I don't use TurboTax, since they clearly haven't addressed this issue in over 2 years of people asking the same question.   For the record, I have a BBA in accounting, so I probably should be saving the $70 on my taxes every year, but I also liked saving paper.

Additionally, for my own situation, I initially invested a sum of money distributed among 5 funds in 2015. I had my broker sell 2 of those in 2020 and add the proceeds to one of the remaining funds. This has been the only activity I have EVER done, no other deposits or withdrawals in 5 years.  My 1099-B  has BOTH short and long term information for each sale of my 2 funds... but they do not list acquired dates for any of it, and I am certain I didn't hold these less than 12 months... Sounds like I'm not alone... so... must be an issue with Turbo Tax, not with all of our different investment companies' reporting formats.

[xdovexcstcpa]

you can "safely create a date" .... CREATE a date???? LIE on your taxes? I'm sorry, I am not going to knowingly provide false information on my federal income tax form because TurboTax can't fix an IT bug.  If it IS truly so trivial, and clearly it is not a required piece of reporting information otherwise we all would have it provided already on our 1099-B's... then TurboTax should quit asking.  We already said if it was short or long term, if it doesn't matter, then TurboTax shouldn't ask.

[mishkathlay]

This glitch is still annoyingly present in 2021.

[AmyC]

The IRS requires a date acquired field solely to determine if short term or long gain. A blank line will not let your forms process correctly. In the program, there is a link, What if some of my info is missing? 

TurboTax is aware that brokers don't always fill the forms out completely. Date acquired and cost basis are the main two that we see all the time.

This is not a glitch, this a requirement that must be answered as either short term or long term so the proper tax rates can be used. Short term gains and losses are netted and taxed at your normal tax rate, same as wages.

Long term gains and losses are netted and use capital gains tax rates which range from 0-20% tax.

There is more to the story but that is the short version.

@mishkathlay