How do I configure Quicken Mac to receive 'investment' income into a linked 'bank' account?

Dr_B
Dr_B Member ✭✭
I have looked all over and cannot find this most basic configuration instruction. I have brokerage accounts that hold shares that pay me dividends. In QM2007 I just recorded the dividends and in the same line of the register I specified the bank account that received the cash. It was then simple for me to transfer cash between bank accounts. I can't seem to configure the current Quicken for Mac to automatically direct income into the bank account associated with the brokerage account and use to purchase shares and receive income. I need to be able to transfer money from this investment-associated bank account without having to duplicate every single dividend transaction with a Payment/Deposit transaction into a savings/checking account.

There seems to be a 'wall' between cash activity in 'investment' accounts and traditional 'bank' accounts. Surely it is arbitrary and cash should be able to flow between any accounts?

If I receive 240 dividend payments per year and want to write one gift check to my kid, I shouldn't have to enter 240 payment transactions into the bank account so that I can then account for the one check?

This was never a problem in Quicken 2007.

Comments

  • RickO
    RickO SuperUser, Mac Beta Beta
    I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but this is going to require two transactions in the investment account for each dividend paid. The first is the transaction that shows the dividend received. This results in a positive cash balance in the investment account. The second is a transaction of type Payment/Deposit, with a transfer to the checking account. That removes the cash from the investment account and results in a corresponding credit transaction in the checking account.

    In the Payment/Deposit transaction in the investment account, you will enter Transfer:[checking-account-name] in the Category field (or just put "checking-account-name" in the Transfer field. You can memorize this transaction as a Quick Fill rule to save some typing each time.

    Sorry, I don't think there's another way to do this since unfortunately, QMac doesn't allow filling the Transfer field directly in the Dividend Received transaction.
    Quicken Mac Subscription; Quicken Mac user since the early 90s
  • jacobs
    jacobs SuperUser, Mac Beta Beta
    There's possibly another option — if you're willing not to move the cash in Quicken into a separate bank account. Would you have a problem just letting the cash sit in the investment account? In other words, when you receive a dividend, record the transaction in the investment account, which will add to the cash balance in that account. When you need to write a check, just record the check in the investment account, to the appropriate category(ies), the same as you would in a separate bank account. You can reconcile the cash in an investment account just like you can in a bank account.
    Quicken Mac Subscription • Quicken user since 1993
  • Dr_B
    Dr_B Member ✭✭
    I think I have converged on jacobs recommendation. Thank you.
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