Let me start by saying that...
Most online brokers do not make it easy for their clients!
There are absolutely no standards for trade history reporting from one broker to the next. This presents a real challenge for any trader who wants to analyze his or her trade history.
How does one get their trades into some sort of trade analysis software or spreadsheet? How can this be done for several different brokers?
What do they provide?
Some brokers provide simple trade history reports while others provide very complex statements or reports which have so much HTML formatting that it makes it virtually impossible for any one to copy and paste the information into a personal spreadsheet! Few provide a comma or tab delimited text file or Excel file download, and even these differ greatly in column formatting.
A few brokers have interfaces to personal finance software programs such as Quicken or MS Money. But these programs were never designed to handle the volumes of trades made by the active trader, and most have serious limitations when it comes to properly matching these to IRS requirements.
Active traders need to analyze their profits and losses. Trades must be imported and matched. This needs to do be done simply and regularly if they are to ever get a handle on their trading gains and losses.
This may be the most overlooked problem facing active traders today.
David Eich, Author
TradeLog? trade accounting and tax software
http://www.armencomp.com/tradelog
The stock market can present you with a lot of... Read More
As one of my regular readers you know I have... Read More
With an insecure job market, overworked employees, insufficient retirement savings... Read More
If you have a pension plan at work you will... Read More
You have heard about a particular mutual fund from a... Read More
I cringe every time I hear a novice investor tell... Read More
A 'stock option' is a contract between two parties giving... Read More
Every day on CNBC-TV they show a 200-day moving average... Read More
Fundamental analysis.Fundamentals analysis says the best way to predict the... Read More
Let me start by saying that...Most online brokers do not... Read More
What a great statement!I just heard someone use it in... Read More
Everything you invest in has risk so you want to... Read More
Stocks breakout from properly formed bases everyday but many investors... Read More
This is an extract of an article which was first... Read More
I often hear from people, "I don't trade. I invest.... Read More
The Shadow knows. There used to be a radio program... Read More
Sidney felt sick as she looked at her latest OptionsXpress... Read More
In today's volatile and confusing stock markets everyone is searching... Read More
This is a rather simple strategy with which I am... Read More
Ever wondered what is a mutual fund? A mutual fund... Read More
This is the continuing story of our two imaginary traders,... Read More
I constantly hear the talking heads on CNBC-TV, the radio... Read More
Two weeks ago I wrote about what the Securities and... Read More
In my opinion, due to the volatility of stock market... Read More
You've decided to try your luck at trading stocks or... Read More
high-end home cleaning Des Plaines ...First let's see what protectionism is. According to Mr. Webster... Read More
When you stand on the ocean shore and watch the... Read More
What is the Series 7 Exam? If you... Read More
Did you know you can make money (and a lot... Read More
Ever notice how behavior in one area of life can... Read More
Hedge current portfolio positions and gain access to capital resources... Read More
I receive emails from Morningstar. This company provides statistics and... Read More
I read a comment by a forum member on another... Read More
You remember (they show it on TV every year) the... Read More
There has been great condemnation recently because China has been... Read More
It has been said that low cost or even free... Read More
I have a 2-car garage. There are nice shelves on... Read More
It is commonly reported that the stock market averages about... Read More
I often hear from people, "I don't trade. I invest.... Read More
For the last few weeks we have seen the stock... Read More
Money: the most charged word in the planet. It means... Read More
With all the bad news that has been dumped upon... Read More
We all know that emotions control every decision that an... Read More
I am taking the time to help others learn the... Read More
Every broker and financial planner will tell you that you... Read More
I was devastated!I just couldn't believe it. I was 10... Read More
A stock market index is a statistical measure of changes... Read More
As I said in Part I everyone in the insane... Read More
The recent criminal fiasco in the mutual fund industry is... Read More
The Shadow knows. There used to be a radio program... Read More
Stocks & Mutual Fund |