Investment Accounts - Simple vs. Complete

MSStateDawg

After securing backups I thought I'd give Simple a try.

I converted my accounts to Simple and then once I sold all of my positions my account values went to zero.

Is this expected? Does Simple only reflect current positions and not cash?

As one would expect this has a profound impact upon the net worth calculation until other positions are acquired.

Sherlock

My understanding is Simple Investing relies on the update from the financial institution to provide the balances.

Chris_QPW

It certainly should be tracking the cash balances too, but as Sherlock said that would depend on the financial institution sending the correct information.

I wonder if the problem could be a delay in the information being downloaded.

MSStateDawg

Chris_QPW said:

I wonder if the problem could be a delay in the information being downloaded.

Interesting thought. How do you mean?

Chris_QPW

With Vanguard the "cash" transactions are always delayed by third days (until the buy/sell settles), so you can get some strange things.  The "cash" is a security not the actual cash balance.  So, what can happen is that you get buy which takes from the account balance (it goes negative), until the "cash security" is bought a few days later and zeros it out.

And if Quicken could be coming in and zeroing the cash amount (instead of it being negative) because the financial institution says there is zero cash in the account.

Later the buy of the cash security might then come in and everything is in sync again.
Was the sell recent?
If so, I would wait a few days.

You might turn Complete back on to look at what transactions put in the account.