TRADERS
SERVICES: TRADE ACCOUNTING WITH TRADELOG

Most securities traders are very busy and focused on trading, and some traders don't want to deal with accounting headaches for securities, and controversial IRS cost-basis reporting problems on 2012 tax returns. TradeLog software is the only good solution for securities traders. Futures and forex traders don't need TradeLog, they can rely on the summary reporting provided by their brokers - on a Form 1099-B for futures and a report in-lieu of a 1099 for spot forex.

While many securities traders use TradeLog on their own, others prefer that our highly-experienced CPAs — we are the leading CPA firm in trader tax and TradeLog — do this tricky and very important accounting work for them. One simple mistake can throw off your tax bill by thousands of dollars.

20%-off promotion from May 8 to May 31, 2013 (Regular price is $225 per hour).
Applies only to new jobs started with our specialist Christie Kam, CPA.

Trade Accounting Services - one hour time block with a highly-experienced CPA in our firm. If you want to purchase more than one hour, please add this to your cart and then change the Units in the cart before CheckOut. A separate TradeLog program license is required. Disclaimer $180 Per hour 20%-off promotional price

We support other CPA firms: Many other CPAs and tax preparers have clients that get involved with a material volume of securities trading. While these other tax preparers may be great in other industries, they don't know trader tax and cost-basis reporting rules well enough. They are afraid to sign tax returns with material unreconciled differences on securities trades reported on Form 8949. Many CPAs and tax attorneys seek our support and we're very happy to provide it without any competition with their clients. We appreciate being the trader-tax partner of local CPAs who have great relationships with their clients. Let us be your missing link on cost-basis reporting, Form 8949 and trader tax matters. We can handle just those portions of your clients' tax returns.

File a correct Form 8949 and expect some differences with 1099-Bs: Many securities traders remain frustrated as they are unable to reconcile large differences with broker-corrected 1099-Bs. While our TradeLog accountants can help you prepare an accurate Form 8949to feed into Schedule D, we expect there will still be some unreconciled differences with your broker-issued 1099-Bs. As pointed out in our extensive content on the cost-basis reporting crisis, brokers have one set of rules (apples) and taxpayers have a different set of rules (oranges). Watch a MoneyShow video interview with Robert A. Green, CPA on this subject from the June 2012 Traders Expo Dallas: "Tax Flubs That Can Cost You Thousands."

Important notice for 2012 trade accounting and tax returns:

The IRS cost-basis reporting rules apply to 2012 and 2011 tax returns and brokers are struggling. It's hard to believe, but in most cases for 2011, brokers’ 1099-Bs were wrong - or different from what taxpayer's need - on proceeds, cost basis and wash sales. Many brokers reported potential wash sales rather than actual wash sales and there is a huge problem in reporting over wash sales. The IRS requires brokers to report wash sale "identical positions", whereas the IRS requires taxpayers to report wash sale "substantially identical positions" across all their accounts including IRA accounts. No broker can ever give a taxpayer what they fully need. TradeLog handles wash sales correctly for taxpayer reporting. We expect similar problems on broker-provided 1099-Bs for 2012, where mutual fund reporting is phased in for 2012.

The new cost-basis reporting rules require reconciliation with 1099-Bs on the controversial new (for 2011) tax form 8949. Taxpayers must enter trades on Form 8949 instead of Schedule D. TradeLog remains the one shining light of sanity in the trade accounting for 2012 and 2011 taxes. Its calculations are correct when used properly and it generates form 8949 with adjustments required to reconcile with the 1099-B. See our suggested tax return footnote above for use with TradeLog, "Tax Return Footnote: 2011 Form 8949 and Cost-Basis Reporting Rules." Get a grip on 2012 and 2011 trade accounting and tax reporting for securities traders with TradeLog.

Even after using TradeLog, many traders are still lost with unreconciled differences with their broker-provided 1099-Bs. Traders are turning to our CPA firm in droves for help. Our highly trained TradeLog accountants can review your TradeLog data files, do the original downloads if you prefer, complete your accounting work and try to reconcile your data to botched 1099-Bs. The goal is filing a Form 8949 with your Form 1040 that makes sense.

If there are large unreconciled differences, our accountants and CPAs can help you request 1099-B corrections from your broker. But, don't turn to us for investigating all the botched errors made by brokers on their 1099-Bs. That can turn into a wild-goose chase and lead to few solutions, which could raise our cost to you and not solve the problem. TradeLog's customer support desk may be willing to review your Form 1099-B and TradeLog data file to investigate some of the differences, without cost to you. Our firm and a leading accounting industry group asked the IRS for relief and we may get that, too. See our in-depth cost-basis reporting section and please sign our petition to get the IRS help we need.

General Information:

We prefer to use the best trade accounting program on the market TradeLog® for GreenTraderTax. A separate license is required. Click here to learn more.

Not only do we save traders valuable time but, more importantly, we get the trade accounting right! As good as TradeLog® is, we still suggest that an experienced trader tax accountant reviews the results for wash sales and other complex tax treatment reporting, as well as reconciling the results to broker-generated Form 1099s and year-end statements. Other industry available trade accounting solutions often have problems with wash sales (ie. stocks to options), MTM reporting, 481(a) adjustments, tax treatment and more.

TradeLog® refers its customers to our CPA firm for these trade accounting services.

Trade accounting is too important to botch. Keep in mind that the most important elements of a trader tax return are the trade accounting results. Not only must your trade accounting be correct dollar-wise, it must adhere to very complex tax rules for trader tax treatment (wash sales, Section 475 MTM, short sales and much more).

Most consumer (off-the-shelf) accounting and tax preparation programs are useful for general finances and simple tax preparation, but they fall very short for hyperactive trade accounting. Most don't account for wash sales, or short sales or mark-to-market accounting correctly. Some confuse securities with futures with forex.

Cutting corners on trade accounting is a huge mistake. Make one mistake on one trade lot and your numbers can be far off. Confuse a future as a security and you may overpay taxes by 12 percent on those gains (the difference in rates for 2012). Overstate wash sales and overpay your taxes. Understate wash sales and be subject to back taxes, penalties and interest. Don't reconcile to your 1099s with tax reporting and you can expect a tax notice and maybe even a tax exam. Use summary reporting for securities and that can trigger a tax exam too, since proper line-by-line reporting is required on securities. The list goes on and on.

We recommend TradeLog® for GreenTraderTax, since we have provided some tax support to this third-party product for more than seven years; and we think TradeLog® does an excellent job on wash sales, mark-to-market accounting, short sales and other complex tax treatment for active traders.

If you need trade accounting help, please allow us to help you. We provide our services throughout the year. If you want our help on TradeLog®, please purchase the product/subscription through us as resellers; so we can support your purchase. Click here.

How our service works:

If you like, you can give a temporary password to your assigned GreenTrader CPA to quickly access your transaction information on your brokerage firm's Web site. Otherwise, just email us your data file. TradeLog® allows us as accountants to work with you on their program. We ask you to change your password immediately after we download the trades into the program (as we don't need future access). You can trust our CPAs and accountants.

Note that some traders have many thousands of complex trades, and some of these trade accounting jobs can be difficult. Some have taken five hours or more.

We deliver your completed data files and you can continue using the program on your own going forward, or have us do the future accounting jobs as well. It's your choice.

Want a quote?
If you prefer, e-mail us your number of accounts, approximate number of transactions, list your brokers, tell us if you have cash or mark-to-market (MTM) accounting and mention if you have complex transactions if you use the cash method (straddles, offsetting transactions, etc.) E-mail us at info@greencompany.com or call our toll-free number. We will quickly reply with a time and cost estimate for our trade accounting services.

A separate program license is required.
TradeLog® is owned by Armen Computing a third-party firm, entirely independent of GTT. That's why we can't package the program along with our tax preparation services. But if you want our support on the product in tax preparation or otherwise, you need to purchase the program through our site, as we are resellers. Click here for our software page and then click through to Armen's site.

If you want to wait and see if our Trade Accounting Service will generate accurate results on your account before you purchase the license, that's OK. We will tell you it worked, and you can then purchase the required program license. After purchase, we will deliver the results.

Disclaimer:
The use of TradeLog branded products is governed by Armen Computing Ltd. (“Armen”) applicable license agreements. TradeLog and the TradeLog logo are registered trademarks and/or service marks of Armen. Armen is solely responsible for the information, content and software products provided by it.

Green NFH, LLC cannot guarantee that such information and content supplied is accurate, complete, timely, or that the software products provided produce accurate and/or complete results. Green NFH, LLC does not make any warranties with regard to the information, content or software products or the results obtained by their use. Green NFH, LLC disclaims any liability arising out of your use (or the results
obtained from, interpretations made as a result of, or any tax position taken in reliance on information provided pursuant to, your use) of these Armen software products or the information or content furnished by Armen.

Futures/Commodities and Currency transactions may or may not be included within TradeLog and may be reported separately by your broker. Depending on your particular circumstances you may or may not need to adjust or combine certain accounts. We will not review anything related to your particular tax situation including, but not limited to, your qualification for trader tax status, the ability to use Internal Revenue Service (“IRC”) Section 475(f), whether or not the prior year positions can be used in an IRC Section 481 adjustment. We will not be issuing any accounting report which may address any of the above missing elements.

Any questions about the TradeLog reconciliation or its application to your particular situation should be reviewed by your CPA before filing your taxes so that any necessary adjustments can be made.

If you have any questions about our TradeLog accounting services, please contact us at info@greencompany.com or call us.

Thank you for placing your trust in us,
Robert A. Green, CPA and Managing Member of Green NFH, LLC
Darren L. Neuschwander, CPA and Managing Member of Green NFH, LLC