Wash Sale Re-Entry Window Planner

Stay within the IRS 30-day wash-sale rule before you rebuild a position. Enter the loss trade date and the waiting period your broker or plan enforces, then optionally add dividend reinvestment or auto-invest cadence to flag any purchases that would still violate the rule.

Enter the trade date in YYYY-MM-DD or MM/DD/YYYY format (trade date, not settlement).
Use 30 days for the IRS minimum or extend it to mirror plan or advisor requirements.
Leave blank if you do not auto-reinvest; enter the cadence in days to check DRIP or auto-invest timing.

Examples

  • Sold on 2024-05-28 with a 30-day wait and 14-day auto-invest cadence ⇒ Window spans 2024-04-28 through 2024-06-27, earliest compliant repurchase is 2024-06-27, and the next scheduled auto-invest on 2024-06-11 would trigger a wash-sale warning.
  • Sold on 11/18/2024 with a 45-day hold and no auto-investment ⇒ Window runs 2024-10-04 through 2025-01-02 and the earliest compliant repurchase date is 2025-01-02.

FAQ

Does a reinvested dividend count as a purchase?

Yes. Dividend reinvestment into the same security is treated as a purchase. Include your DRIP cadence or pause reinvestments until the wash-sale window closes.

How should I handle different broker settlement dates?

The IRS looks at trade dates, not settlement dates. Enter the trade date of the sale and purchases even if settlement spans weekends or holidays.

Can my spouse's account trigger a wash sale?

Yes. IRS attribution rules aggregate trades across accounts you control and your spouse's accounts. Review shared auto-invests or retirement plans when planning re-entry.

How do I document compliance for my tax records?

Export the calculator output or note the earliest repurchase date in your trading journal alongside broker confirmations so your tax preparer can validate the loss harvest.

Additional Information

  • Wash-sale windows run 30 days before and after the loss sale trade date; entering a longer period captures employer-plan or advisor overlays.
  • The calculator highlights the exact calendar date you can repurchase while preserving the loss for tax purposes.
  • Automatic reinvestments, dividend reinvestment plans, and spousal accounts follow the same clock, so cadence conflicts are flagged in the output.
  • The backward-looking portion of the window surfaces any purchases you may need to reverse or adjust before the loss is harvested.

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