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How to adjust cost basis of a stock position without changing cash balance?

questionsforever

Hi, I need to adjust the cost basis in Quicken of a stock position without changing the cash balance. For example, say the current cost basis of stock xyz is reported in Quicken as $20,000 USD, $30,000 CAD.

How can I adjust the register for the US stock so that it shows cost basis of $18,000 USD (-2000 USD) and also somehow adjust the CAD basis using transaction exchange rate to say $27,000 CAD (-3000 CAD), all without adjusting the US cash balance of the account?

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Tom Young

Generally, (though I don't know how this plays out when you have a security priced in two currencies), you could do a RtrnCapX action for $2,000 (USD) specifying the money is transferred to the same Account as the Account in which you're making the entry. That will reduce basis and leave cash unchanged.

This shows a return of capital of $96 on "Child Bond", reducing the basis of Child Bond by $96 but leaving cash unchanged:

questionsforever

Thank you. You could then I suppose go to the investment report in whatever currency you like and then set the exchange rate in the returnofcapital transaction so it always comes out the same in the foreign currency too under the Portfolio Value & Cost Basis Report. Only thing is the currency is set on the ledger line it seems, the pop-up box for ReturnofCapital doesn't have a spot to enter the exchange rate.

Tom Young

I've never used "dual currencies" so I'm pretty much at sea there.

questionsforever

Do you know if this is the only transaction type that adjusts basis of shares without changing cash? Could you also do some type of transaction that adjusts the cash balance, then adjust it back with a cash-in or cash out transaction?