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Subject Author Date
Stock Cost Basis Dennis Marks 04-23-2006
Posted by Dennis Marks on April 23, 2006, 1:43 am
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 I purchased one share of stock from OneShare.com as a
novelty. I was issued an actual stock certificate. I will
probably never sell it but I would just like to know the
answer to the following since I like trivia.

The stock is DreamWorks Animation. The charge was $27 for
the stock (which was pretty close to the actual price), $39
transfer fee, and $7.99 shipping. I had a discount code for
free shipping but what they did was actually take $7.99 off
the transfer fee.

Stock $27
Transfer fee $31.01
Shipping $7.99
Total $66

I received a W-9 from the transfer agent and returned it. I
never received anything from a stock broker. I assume that
OneShare.com buys large lots of stock and then just has
single shares transferred as needed.

My question is what is my cost basis? If I ever did sell it
how much would the gain have to be before it has to be
reported? If I receive dividends, at what point does it
have to be reported?

Be sure to see Shrek 3 when it comes out so I can make some
money.

--
Dennis

Disclaimer: The above is my opinion. I do not guarantee it.
Be sure to back up any files involved and use at your own
risk. Batteries not included. Not for internal use. Don't
run with knives.

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Posted by Dick Adams on April 24, 2006, 10:35 am
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> Stock $27
> Transfer fee $31.01
> Shipping $7.99
> Total $66
>
> My question is what is my cost basis?

My first wife adamantly insisted on possession of the stock
certificate. It was a family tradition for her. I dismissed
it, but tolerated it, as a subculture paranoia. Then a major
brokerage firm had its doors padlocked.

The Stock and the transfer fee (which I suspect is really
the commission and internal costs) go into the basis.
Shipping a piece of paper should not cost $7.99, but you
paid it as part of the purchase and I would put it in the
basis - others may disagree. But it is diminimus.

You have no deduction in the current year. You will pay
taxes on the dividends, if any, as you receive them or are
credited with them, i.e., a DRIP. Divendends reinvested via
a DRIP increase basis because you paid taxes on them in the
appropriate taxt year.

Someone buy one share of stock at 2.44 times its value is not
in this for the money. My suggestion is do not sell it until
it gets to $300 because the selling costs are going to be
outrageous.

Dick

<< ======================================================= >>
<< The foregoing is intended for educational purposes only >>
<< and does NOT constitute legal OR professional advice. >>
<< >>
<< The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting >>
<< messages to this newsgroup are at www.asktax.org. >>
<< Copyright (2006) - All rights reserved. >>
<< ======================================================= >>

Posted by Rich Carreiro on April 24, 2006, 10:35 am
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denmarks@yahoo.com (Dennis Marks) writes:

[original poster buys single share of stock and
has certificate sent to him]

> Stock $27
> Transfer fee $31.01
> Shipping $7.99
> Total $66

[snip]

First question -- does DreamWorks even exist as a
separate company anymore? :) Didn't Paramount or Sony
gobble it up?

> My question is what is my cost basis?

That's an interesting question. The naive (but still quite
possibly correct) answer is $66. Does OneShare require you
to take the physical certificate, or could you have left it
on deposit with OneShare and saved the $39 of transfer and
shipping fees?

> If I ever did sell it how much would the gain have to be before it
> has to be reported?

You have to report the sale regardless of what your gain or
loss is. You report it on Sched D and (also on Sched D)
compute your gain or loss on the sale.

> If I receive dividends, at what point does it have to be reported?

Right from the very beginning. There's *no* "I don't have
to report dividends until I get back what I paid for the
stock" rule.

--
Rich Carreiro rlcarr@animato.arlington.ma.us

<< ======================================================= >>
<< The foregoing is intended for educational purposes only >>
<< and does NOT constitute legal OR professional advice. >>
<< >>
<< The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting >>
<< messages to this newsgroup are at www.asktax.org. >>
<< Copyright (2006) - All rights reserved. >>
<< ======================================================= >>

Posted by Barry Margolin on April 25, 2006, 7:30 am
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> Does OneShare require you
> to take the physical certificate, or could you have left it
> on deposit with OneShare and saved the $39 of transfer and
> shipping fees?

Why would anyone buy from them *except* to get the physical
certificate? For instance, many people buy Disney stock
because their stock certificates are a work of art, suitable
for framing.

If he didn't want the certificate, he presumably could have
bought the stock through a normal broker and avoided those
outrageous fees.

--
Barry Margolin, barmar@alum.mit.edu
Arlington, MA
*** PLEASE don't copy me on replies, I'll read them in the group ***

<< ======================================================= >>
<< The foregoing is intended for educational purposes only >>
<< and does NOT constitute legal OR professional advice. >>
<< >>
<< The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting >>
<< messages to this newsgroup are at www.asktax.org. >>
<< Copyright (2006) - All rights reserved. >>
<< ======================================================= >>

Posted by Bill on April 24, 2006, 10:35 am
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denmarks@yahoo.com (Dennis=A0Marks) posted:

> I purchased one share of stock from
> OneShare.com as a novelty. I was issued an
> actual stock certificate. I will probably never
> sell it but I would just like to know the answer
> to the following since I like trivia.
> The stock is DreamWorks Animation. The
> charge was $27 for the stock (which was
> pretty close to the actual price), $39 transfer
> fee, and $7.99 shipping. I had a discount code
> for free shipping but what they did was
> actually take $7.99 off the transfer fee.
>
> Stock $27
> Transfer fee $31.01
> Shipping $7.99
> Total $66
>
> I received a W-9 from the transfer agent and
> returned it. I never received anything from a
> stock broker. I assume that OneShare.com
> buys large lots of stock and then just has
> single shares transferred as needed.
>
> My question is what is my cost basis?

That's easy: $66 (what it cost you)

> If I ever did sell it how much would the gain
> have to be before it has to be reported?

Reporting would be required, regardless -- to show your
proceeds from the sale, and the result might be a gain, a
loss or -0-, depending on the proceeds amount vs the cost.

> If I receive dividends, at what point does it
> have to be reported?

Anything you receive as a dividend theoretically has to be
reported -- unless it's below 50 cents. .50 and up would
become $1, etc. (I actually once saw a 40-cent dividend
reported on a separate 1099-DIV, which I ignored.)

Bill

<< ======================================================= >>
<< The foregoing is intended for educational purposes only >>
<< and does NOT constitute legal OR professional advice. >>
<< >>
<< The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting >>
<< messages to this newsgroup are at www.asktax.org. >>
<< Copyright (2006) - All rights reserved. >>
<< ======================================================= >>

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