Adjusted Cost Base (ACB) Calculator

When to Use the ACB Calculator

For investors with non-registered accounts, tracking the ACB of all securities is essential. Unlike registered accounts such as TFSAs, RRSPs, and FHSAs, which are tax-sheltered, non-registered accounts require ACB tracking to ensure proper tax reporting.

• Managing ACB Across Brokerages
  The CRA requires a single ACB for identical securities, even if they are held at multiple brokerages. Since brokerages only track assets within their own platform, investors must consolidate their holdings to maintain an accurate ACB.

• Handling ACB After Transfers
  When transferring securities between brokerages, transaction histories may be incomplete or lost. Investors should manually reconstruct their ACB to avoid miscalculations.

• Verifying Brokerage Accuracy
  Brokerages may incorrectly calculate ACB due to missing data, incorrect cost allocations, or unreported distributions. Cross-checking with an independent calculator helps ensure accuracy and compliance.

*For additional information on how to calculate capital gains when buying and selling stocks, see our guide Calculating Capital Gains on Stocks Using Adjusted Cost Base.

How to Use the ACB Calculator

The Adjusted Cost Base (ACB) Calculator is a tool designed to help Canadian investors track the ACB of individual securities.

• Initial Transaction:
  The calculator starts with a buy transaction ready to complete. Enter the Number of Shares, Price per Share, and any Commission (if applicable). Then click the Save button to save the transaction. After saving, the ACB-related fields will be computed and displayed.

• Additional Transactions:
  To add more transactions, click the Add Transaction button. Fill out the transaction details and click Save. The ACB fields will update accordingly.

• Edit Transactions:
  To edit a transaction, click the Pencil button on a saved transaction. Once in editing mode, the values can be changed. A transaction can be removed using the Garbage icon.

• Ordering Transactions:
  In the edit menu, the Grabber icon can be used to reorder transactions. The top of the table represents the most recent transaction, as indicated in the order column.

• Capital Gains / Losses:
  The calculator will automatically compute capital gains or losses from Sell transactions using the ACB fields. Capital gains are shown as positive values and capital losses are negative. You may input the results into our income tax calculator to estimate their tax implications.

Important Notes:

• The calculator assumes all transactions occur outside a registered account (e.g., a non-taxable account such as a TFSA, RRSP, etc.), which does not require ACB tracking.
• The calculator assumes all transactions are capital transactions, not income. In certain scenarios, investment activity is considered income.
• All transactions are for a single security. To track multiple securities, all unrelated transactions must be cleared.
• The calculator tracks "buy" and "sell" transactions. Certain securities often have additional distributions that impact ACB, such as reinvested distributions or return of capital. Many funds have such distributions (e.g., mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), real estate investment trusts (REITs), and mortgage investment corporations (MICs)). For additional information, see Understanding Fund Distributions: Taxation & Adjusted Cost Base.
• The superficial loss rule may apply if you repurchase the same security shortly after selling it at a loss.