™Free eight-lesson course
Wash sales,
made understandable.
Follow the rule from the basic 61-day window through partial lots, adjusted basis, multiple accounts, IRAs and commonly misunderstood replacement investments.
Start lesson oneWhy this needs a course
One rule. Several moving parts.
A wash sale is not only a date calculation. The result can depend on which shares were sold, what was acquired, where it was acquired and how the disallowed loss changes future records.
This sequence builds those ideas in order, with plain-English explanations and linked examples. It is general U.S. tax education, not individualized tax advice.
Course syllabus
Build the rule step by step.
Read in order for the clearest foundation, or return directly to the part you need.
What Is a Wash Sale?
Understand when a loss sale and a substantially identical replacement can trigger the U.S. wash-sale rule.
The Wash-Sale 61-Day Window
See exactly how the 30 days before and after a loss sale form one easy-to-misread timeline.
Wash Sales, Cost Basis and Holding Period
Follow a disallowed loss into the replacement shares’ adjusted basis and holding period.
Partial Wash Sales and Multiple Lots
Learn how replacement quantities can disallow only part of a loss and why share matching matters.
Wash Sales Across Accounts, Spouses and IRAs
Understand why checking only one brokerage statement can miss important replacement purchases.
Wash Sales: ETFs, Options and Digital Assets
Explore how substantially identical investments and asset classification complicate common substitutes.
How to Avoid Accidental Wash Sales
Use a practical review process for replacement trades, automation, account overlap and year-end loss sales.
Wash-Sale Recordkeeping Checklist
Build the transaction record needed to review dates, matched shares, adjusted basis and future disposals.
A clear boundary
Education first. Tax decisions need current facts.
Tax rules and classifications can change, and a broker may not see activity in every relevant account. Verify material decisions with current IRS guidance and a qualified tax professional.