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Wash sale detector across all your brokerages.
Free wash sale detector. Inputs sale lots and replacement purchases across multiple brokerages including spousal accounts. Outputs IRC §1091 disallowed losses, cost-basis adjustments to replacement shares, and Rev. Rul. 2008-5 spousal-IRA risk flags.
Educational only · not investment, tax, or legal advice · confirm with your CPA
Common questions about this calculator.
What is the wash sale rule?
IRC §1091: if you sell a security at a loss and buy "substantially identical" stock or securities within 30 days BEFORE or AFTER the sale, the loss is disallowed. The disallowed loss adds to the cost basis of the replacement shares.
Does the wash sale rule apply across brokerages?
Yes. Most operators don't realize this. If you sell SPY at Schwab for a loss and buy SPY at Fidelity within 30 days, the loss is disallowed. Brokerages don't track wash sales between each other — you have to track it yourself.
Does the wash sale rule apply to spousal accounts?
Yes — Rev. Rul. 2008-5 confirms that a sale in your taxable account followed by a purchase in your spouse's IRA (or any IRA you control) within 30 days triggers wash sale. The disallowed loss is permanently lost (not just deferred) because you can't add it to IRA basis.
What counts as "substantially identical"?
Same security: definitely. Different share classes of the same company: usually yes. Different ETFs tracking the same index: gray area (SPY vs IVV is risky; SPY vs VOO is safer because the indices differ slightly). Bonds with different maturities: usually different enough.