Wash Sale Calculator 2026 β€” Disallowed Loss & Adjusted Basis

Determine if your trade triggered a wash sale. Calculate the disallowed loss, adjusted cost basis of replacement shares, and remaining deductible loss.

Original Sale (at a Loss)

$
$

Repurchase (within 30-day window)

$
Leave 0 if no repurchase
0 if no repurchase within 30 days
$0
Disallowed Loss
$0
Adjusted Cost Basis (new shares)
$0
Deductible Loss
β€” days
Days from Sale to Repurchase

Step-by-Step Basis Adjustment

How the Wash Sale Rule Works

The wash sale rule (IRS Code Section 1091) prevents you from claiming a tax loss if you buy back the same or substantially identical security within 30 days before or after the sale. The 61-day window runs from 30 days before the sale through 30 days after the sale.

If the wash sale rule applies, the disallowed loss is not permanent β€” it is added to the cost basis of your replacement shares. This defers the loss until you eventually sell the replacement shares, at which point the adjusted basis results in a larger deductible loss (or smaller gain).

The Formula

Loss per Share = Cost Basis βˆ’ Sale Price
Total Loss = Loss per Share Γ— Shares Sold
Disallowed Ratio = Repurchased Shares / Sold Shares (max 1.0)
Disallowed Loss = Total Loss Γ— Disallowed Ratio
Adjusted Basis = Repurchase Price + (Disallowed Loss / Repurchased Shares)
Deductible Loss = Total Loss βˆ’ Disallowed Loss

Example

Sold 100 shares at $38 (basis $50), repurchased 100 shares at $40 twelve days later:
Total loss: 100 Γ— ($38 βˆ’ $50) = βˆ’$1,200
Wash sale triggered (12 days within 30-day window)
Disallowed loss: $1,200 (100% repurchased)
Adjusted basis of new shares: $40 + ($1,200 / 100) = $52 per share
Deductible loss this year: $0 (fully disallowed, deferred to future sale)
Extended

Multiple Lot Wash Sale Tracker

Analyze up to 5 sell/buy pairs β€” identify which trigger wash sales and calculate aggregate adjusted basis

Track multiple sell/repurchase pairs. The calculator identifies which trigger wash sales and aggregates your disallowed losses and adjusted bases.

#SymbolSell DateLossWash Sale?DisallowedAdj. Basis/ShareDeductible

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a wash sale?
A wash sale occurs when you sell a security at a loss and buy the same or a substantially identical security within 30 days before or after the sale. The IRS disallows the tax loss in the current year. The disallowed loss is not gone forever β€” it is added to the cost basis of the replacement shares, deferring the loss until you eventually sell those shares.
What counts as a substantially identical security?
Substantially identical means the same company's stock, bonds convertible into the same stock, or options to buy the same stock. ETFs and mutual funds tracking the same index from different providers are generally NOT considered substantially identical (e.g., SPY and IVV are both S&P 500 ETFs but considered different). Individual stocks and their direct equivalents are the most common trigger.
Does the wash sale rule apply to crypto?
As of 2026, the wash sale rule does NOT apply to cryptocurrency under current IRS rules, because crypto is classified as property, not a security. You can sell Bitcoin at a loss and immediately rebuy it without triggering a wash sale. However, proposed legislation may change this in the future.
What happens to the disallowed loss?
The disallowed loss is added to the adjusted cost basis of the newly purchased shares. This means when you eventually sell those replacement shares, your gain is reduced (or loss increased) by the disallowed amount. The holding period of the old shares also carries over to the new shares for determining long-term vs. short-term treatment.
Can partial repurchases trigger a wash sale?
Yes. If you sold 100 shares and repurchased 60 shares within the 30-day window, 60% of your loss is disallowed. The remaining 40% of the loss (for the 40 shares not repurchased) is still deductible. The disallowed loss per share is added to the adjusted basis of each of the 60 repurchased shares.