How to handle converting from Mutual Fund into ETF (edit)

Jeff Kantner

How best to record the exchange of shares from a mutual fund that becomes an ETF?
Remove/Add?
Sale/Purchase?
Else?
In particular, how to retain the cost basis. Fidelity recently converted a couple of holdings; the transactions downloaded as sale (for $0), purchase (for $0), leaving a cost basis of 0 for the ETFs.

q_lurker

If it truly is a non-taxable exchange, I would:

1. Try a Mutual Fund conversion (Enter Transactions button), OR
2. Try a Corporate Acquisition (Enter Transactions button)

The second option will get applied in all accounts with the acquired fund, possibly not what you want. The effects can be undone simply by deleting the generated transactions in those other accounts. Both approaches will Remove Shares of the acquired fund and Add Shares of the new ETF per lot with applicable cost and acquisition dates.

q_lurker

If it truly is a non-taxable exchange, I would:

1. Try a Mutual Fund conversion (Enter Transactions button), OR
2. Try a Corporate Acquisition (Enter Transactions button)

The second option will get applied in all accounts with the acquired fund, possibly not what you want. The effects can be undone simply by deleting the generated transactions in those other accounts. Both approaches will Remove Shares of the acquired fund and Add Shares of the new ETF per lot with applicable cost and acquisition dates.

Jeff Kantner

Full marks! (1.) was exactly what I was looking for (even though I did have to use it in two separate accounts with the same holding). Did not realize the MF conversion transaction type was an option. Much obliged.

Jeff Kantner