
In 2008, Congress passed legislation that required brokers to report the adjusted cost basis for securities and mutual funds to both investors and the IRS, with an effective date of January 1, 2011, for some securities. This legislation created the distinction between covered and non-covered securities, with transactions occurring after the effective date considered covered and those before considered noncovered. The difference between the two primarily lies in the reporting requirements for brokers and taxpayers.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Covered securities definition | Any stock in a corporation, including American Depositary Receipts (ADRs), acquired on or after Jan. 1, 2011 |
| Mutual funds acquired on or after | Jan. 1, 2012 |
| Stocks or ADRs acquired through a dividend reinvestment plan (DRIP) on or after | Jan. 1, 2012 |
| Less complex bonds, derivatives, and options purchased on or after | Jan. 1, 2014 |
| More complex bonds, derivatives, and options purchased on or after | Jan. 1, 2016 |
| Noncovered securities definition | Any investments purchased before the effective dates listed above |
| Noncovered securities also include | Stocks sold by foreign intermediaries or foreign persons (i.e., those not in the country for at least 183 days in the calendar year) |
| Noncovered securities also include | An investment purchased in 2011 but transferred to a DRIP (dividend reinvestment plan) that uses the average cost method |
| Noncovered securities also include | If a shareholder elected to NOT participate in a dividend reinvestment program (DRP), these securities were covered as of Jan. 1, 2011. If they are part of a DRP, they became covered in 2012 |
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What You'll Learn
- Covered securities are those acquired on or after 1 January 2011
- Noncovered securities refer to investments purchased before 1 January 2011
- Noncovered securities include stocks sold by foreign persons
- Covered securities require brokers to report cost basis to the IRS
- Noncovered securities require taxpayers to report cost basis to the IRS

Covered securities are those acquired on or after 1 January 2011
In 2008, Congress passed legislation that came into effect on 1 January 2011, requiring brokers to report the adjusted cost basis for taxable accounts to the IRS and taxpayers via Form 1099-B. This legislation applied to the following securities:
- Any stock in a corporation, including American Depositary Receipts (ADRs).
- Mutual funds acquired on or after 1 January 2012.
- Stocks or ADRs acquired through a dividend reinvestment plan (DRIP) on or after 1 January 2012.
- Less complex bonds, derivatives, and options purchased on or after 1 January 2014.
- More complex bonds, derivatives, and options purchased on or after 1 January 2016.
Securities acquired before these dates are considered "noncovered", meaning that brokers are not required to report the cost basis to the IRS. For noncovered securities, taxpayers are responsible for reporting cost basis information to the IRS when they file their taxes. If taxpayers do not report their cost basis, the IRS considers their securities to have been sold at a 100% capital gain, which can result in a higher tax liability.
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Noncovered securities refer to investments purchased before 1 January 2011
In 2008, Congress passed legislation requiring brokers to report the adjusted cost basis for taxable accounts to the IRS and taxpayers via Form 1099-B, starting with the 2011 tax year for some securities. This legislation also required brokers to provide the cost or basis of the underlying security and indicate whether the gain or loss was short-term or long-term. Transactions occurring after the effective date of this legislation are considered "covered", and the basis in the stock is reported on Form 1099-B. A security transaction that occurs before the effective date is considered "noncovered", and the basis is not reported on Form 1099-B.
Even though the cost basis does not need to be reported to the IRS, income from the sale of a noncovered security may still be taxable, and the taxpayer must report it on their tax return. The IRS considers securities noncovered if they are acquired through a corporate action, such as stock splits, stock dividends, and redemptions, and if their cost basis is derived from other noncovered securities. For example, an individual who bought 100 shares in a company in 2010 that split three-for-one in 2013 will receive an additional 200 shares. Even though the 200 shares were acquired after 2011, they are considered noncovered because they were split from shares acquired before 2011.
An investment purchased in 2011 but transferred to a dividend reinvestment plan (DRIP) that uses the average cost method is also considered a noncovered security. Noncovered securities also include stocks sold by foreign intermediaries or foreign persons (i.e., those not in the country for at least 183 days in the calendar year).
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Noncovered securities include stocks sold by foreign persons
In 2008, Congress passed legislation requiring brokers to report the adjusted cost basis for taxable accounts to the IRS and taxpayers via Form 1099-B. This legislation came into effect for the 2011 tax year for some securities, including stocks, shares, and ADRs. Transactions occurring after the effective date of this legislation are considered "covered", and the basis in the stock is reported on Form 1099-B. A security transaction occurring before the effective date is considered "noncovered" and the basis is not reported on Form 1099-B.
Noncovered securities refer to any investments purchased before the effective dates. The detailed cost basis following the sale of a noncovered security does not need to be reported to the IRS by a broker. However, the gross proceeds or redemption value from a sale may still be reported to the IRS. The IRS considers securities noncovered if they are acquired through a corporate action, such as stock splits, stock dividends, and redemptions, and if their cost basis is derived from other noncovered securities. For example, an individual who bought 100 shares in a company in 2010 that split three-for-one in 2013 will receive an additional 200 shares. Even though the 200 shares were acquired after 2011, they are considered non-covered because they were split from shares acquired before 2011.
Noncovered securities also include stocks sold by foreign intermediaries or foreign persons (i.e., those not in the country for at least 183 days in the calendar year). An investment purchased in 2011 but transferred to a DRIP (dividend reinvestment plan) that uses the average cost method is also considered a noncovered security. For noncovered securities, the taxpayer must determine the basis for all noncovered securities using their own records before making any entries on Form 8949 for those securities. Sales of both covered and noncovered securities are reported using Form 8949.
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Covered securities require brokers to report cost basis to the IRS
In 2008, Congress passed legislation requiring brokers to report the adjusted cost basis for taxable accounts to the IRS and taxpayers via Form 1099-B, with the law taking effect from the 2011 tax year. This legislation created the distinction between covered and non-covered securities.
Covered securities refer to stocks, bonds, options, and other securities acquired on or after specific dates. For individual stocks and ADRs, the acquisition date is January 1, 2011. For mutual funds, stocks or ADRs acquired through a dividend reinvestment plan (DRIP), and less complex bonds, derivatives, and options, the date is January 1, 2012. More complex bonds, derivatives, and options are covered if purchased on or after January 1, 2016.
For covered securities, brokers are required to report the cost basis and sale information to the IRS. This includes the cost or basis in the underlying security and an indication of whether the gain or loss is short-term or long-term. This information is reported on Form 1099-B.
It is important to note that even if a taxpayer does not receive a cost basis report for covered securities, they are still responsible for reporting their adjusted cost basis to the IRS. This information is typically reported on Form 8949 or Form 1040, Schedule D. Therefore, taxpayers should maintain their records and confirm that the information reported by their broker matches their own records.
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Noncovered securities require taxpayers to report cost basis to the IRS
In 2008, the US Congress passed legislation requiring brokers to report the adjusted cost basis for securities and mutual funds to both investors and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), effective from the 2011 tax year. This legislation also required brokers to provide the cost or basis in the underlying security and indicate whether the gain or loss was short-term or long-term. Any transactions that occurred after this effective date are considered "covered" and are reported on Form 1099-B.
A noncovered security is a designation given by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to securities that are small and limited in scope. This designation means that brokerage firms are not compelled to report their cost basis to the IRS. The adjusted cost basis of noncovered securities is only reported to the taxpayer, who is responsible for reporting the sale of these securities to the IRS. The IRS considers securities noncovered if they are acquired through a corporate action and if their cost basis is derived from other noncovered securities.
For example, an individual who bought 100 shares in a company in 2010 that split three-for-one in 2013 will receive an additional 200 shares. Even though the 200 shares were acquired after 2011, they are considered non-covered because they were split from shares acquired before 2011. A dividend reinvestment plan (DRIP) allows an investor to reinvest dividends for additional shares in the same company. An investment security purchased in 2011 but transferred in the same year to a DRIP that uses the average cost method of calculating the cost basis for an asset is a noncovered security.
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Frequently asked questions
Covered securities refer to any investments purchased on or after the phase-in date for that type of investment. Non-covered securities refer to any investments purchased before the phase-in date for that investment type.
In 2008, Congress passed legislation requiring brokers to report the adjusted cost basis for taxable accounts to the IRS and taxpayers. This legislation came into effect in 2011 for some securities.
Shares of equities, stock, and ADRs are considered covered if acquired on or after January 1, 2011. Mutual funds acquired on or after January 1, 2012, are also covered.
A common stock purchased before January 1, 2011, is non-covered. Shares of the same common stock purchased on or after January 1, 2011, are covered. Another example is shares of a mutual fund; if purchased before January 1, 2012, they are non-covered, but if purchased on or after that date, they are covered.























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