q.lurker - thank you for the reply. I thought about this more after I asked the question and wondered if it had to do with trading and taxes IRT long term and short term gains. If there were a stock that you held for in excess of a year that underwent a name change and you sold right after the name change than as the program is written, it would correctly treat your profits as long term capital gains. If the name did not change back to the date of acquisition than the program would see the sale as a short term gain. The difference in taxes could be substantial. Short term gains are taxed at the ordinary income rate. Long term capital gains are taxed at a much lower rate. Those in the 15% income tax bracket pay 0% tax on long term capital gains. Those in the highest 39.6% income tax bracket still pay only 20% on long term capital gains. Likewise my same stock that did a name change (JDSU) did a spin-off just prior to that and I noted that the acquisition of the spin-off shares were back dated to the time of the acquisition of the original shares. Thus, I think I now understand the logic of the programming.
Terry,If your daughter gets married and changes her name from "First Middle Family" to "First Family Hubby'sFamily" is she not STILL your daughter?By any name, old or new, you HAVE owned it the whole time (and she's still your daughter). The name change didn't change that.
q.lurker, NotACPA,
I appreciate your advice on using the Corp Acquisition. I see that does a much better job of reflecting what has actually transpired. The analogy about my daughter was good for a chuckle, although q.lurker is right, her past records will not change even when her name does. Fortunately, I have a few more years before I have to worry about my daughter getting married. For now I will anxiously await the release of Quicken 2018 to update my room for improvement 2015 version. Until then I shall plod along with 2015 occasionally seeking advice from sages such as you. Thanks.