How to fill out Form 8949: A step-by-step guide for 2026

Form 8949 is where many taxpayers report the details behind sales and exchanges of capital assets. If you sold stocks, bonds, digital assets, land or other property held for investment, or other capital assets, the form helps reconcile the information reported to you and the IRS with the amounts on your tax return. Sales of rental or business property can follow different reporting rules.

What is Form 8949?

Form 8949, Sales and Other Dispositions of Capital Assets, lists individual capital-asset transactions and calculates each gain or loss. Its subtotals carry to Schedule D, where capital gains and losses are combined. It is commonly used alongside Form 1099-B, Form 1099-DA, Form 1099-S, or a substitute brokerage statement.

Think of Form 8949 as the transaction-level record and Schedule D as the summary. Complete Form 8949 before completing the related Schedule D lines.

Who needs to file Form 8949?

You may need Form 8949 if you sold or exchanged a capital asset and the transaction is not reported directly on another required form or schedule. Examples can include stocks, bonds, digital assets, investment property, and certain other assets. The form is also used to report adjustments to information shown on a brokerage statement, including wash-sale adjustments or basis corrections.

Not every capital transaction needs to be listed line by line on Form 8949. Some transactions can be reported directly on Schedule D when the IRS conditions are met, but you must follow the current instructions. Do not omit a sale simply because no Form 1099-B or similar statement was received.

What you need before filling out Form 8949

• Forms 1099-B, 1099-DA, and 1099-S, plus any substitute broker statements
• Purchase dates, sale dates, proceeds, cost basis, and transaction fees
• Records for stock splits, reinvested dividends, inherited property, gifts, and prior adjustments
• Information about wash sales, nondeductible losses, and other adjustment codes
• Your Schedule D and any related forms required for the transaction

Use the figures reported by the broker for proceeds and, when the basis was reported to the IRS, the basis shown on the statement. Then make adjustments only where the form and instructions require them.

How to fill out Form 8949, step by step

1. Separate short-term and long-term transactions

Part I is for short-term transactions—generally assets held one year or less. Part II is for long-term transactions—generally assets held more than one year. The holding period is essential, so confirm acquisition and disposition dates before entering a transaction. Inherited property is generally reported in Part II; the instructions describe the applicable box and notation.

2. Choose the correct reporting box

Within each part, select the box that matches the reporting information you received. For many non-digital-asset transactions, the box depends on whether the basis was reported to the IRS and whether a Form 1099-B or substitute statement was received. The 2025 form also has dedicated boxes for short-term and long-term digital-asset transactions. Broker statements may identify the appropriate box; consult the current form instructions before grouping transactions.

3. Complete columns (a) through (e)

In column (a), describe the property—for example, the number and name of shares, an asset description, or another clear identifier. Enter the date acquired in column (b) and the date sold or disposed of in column (c). For stocks and bonds traded on an exchange or over-the-counter market, use the trade date. Column (d) is proceeds, and column (e) is cost or other basis.

If you sold a block acquired in different lots, “VARIOUS” may be used for the acquisition date in the situations allowed by the instructions. Basis is generally your investment in the property, but it can change after events such as stock splits, reinvested dividends, gifts, inheritance, or prior tax adjustments.

4. Report adjustments in columns (f) and (g)

If an adjustment applies, enter the applicable code in column (f) and the adjustment amount in column (g). A wash sale is a common example. The instructions also cover other adjustments, including certain nondeductible losses. Do not put an adjustment in this column without selecting the code and confirming the required treatment.

5. Calculate gain or loss in column (h)

Calculate the gain or loss from proceeds, basis, and adjustments. Complete each section’s totals, then transfer the subtotals to the correct lines of Schedule D. Keep the transaction statement and calculation support with your tax records.

Form 8949, Schedule D, and Form 1099-B: How they work together

Form 1099-B or a substitute statement gives you and the IRS transaction information. Form 8949 is where you report transactions and any needed corrections or adjustments. Schedule D combines the Form 8949 subtotals with other capital gain and loss information to determine the overall result.

Review every brokerage statement against the form. A reported basis can be incomplete or different from your adjusted basis, particularly after corporate actions or transfers between brokers. The IRS instructions explain when you may summarize transactions and attach a statement instead of entering every transaction individually.

Special situations to review carefully

Digital assets

Digital assets are property for federal tax purposes. The current Form 8949 instructions contain specific reporting boxes for digital-asset transactions. Keep transaction-level records, including acquisition costs and fees, and distinguish short-term from long-term activity.

Wash sales

A wash sale can change the current loss treatment when you sell stock or securities at a loss and acquire substantially identical stock or securities within 30 days before or after the sale. Brokerage reporting can help, but it may not capture transactions across all accounts. Confirm adjustments using the IRS instructions.

Home sales and other property

A home sale, installment sale, business-property disposition, like-kind exchange, or casualty transaction can require a different form, a special rule, or a Schedule D instruction. Do not assume all real-estate proceeds go on Form 8949 in the same way.

Common Form 8949 mistakes to avoid

Small reporting errors can lead to mismatched records, an incorrect gain or loss, or extra work when you prepare Schedule D. Review these common mistakes before filing:

• Mixing short-term and long-term transactions: Report assets held for one year or less in Part I and assets held for more than one year in Part II.
• Using settlement dates instead of trade dates: For stocks and bonds traded on an exchange or over-the-counter market, use the trade date.
• Leaving out a sale because no brokerage form arrived: You may still need to report the transaction, even if you did not receive Form 1099-B, Form 1099-DA, or another statement.
• Copying an incorrect or unadjusted basis: Review your records for stock splits, reinvested dividends, gifts, inherited property, and other events that can affect basis.
• Reporting a wash-sale adjustment incorrectly: Use the required adjustment code and confirm the correct nondeductible-loss amount.
• Choosing the wrong reporting box: Pay close attention to whether the basis was reported to the IRS and whether the transaction involves a digital asset.
• Forgetting Schedule D: Transfer each Form 8949 subtotal to the correct Schedule D line before filing.

Form 8949 Generator by Jotform

Tracking asset sales can involve several brokerage statements, purchase dates, proceeds, cost basis figures, and adjustment codes. The Form 8949 Generator by Jotform helps you organize transaction details in a fillable format and download a completed PDF for review. Labeled fields make it easier to collect the information you need before completing Schedule D.

Keep investment information secure

Form 8949 can include your taxpayer identification number and sensitive transaction details. Jotform protects submissions with 256-bit SSL encryption and GDPR- and CCPA-enabled features. For an added layer of protection, you can use Encrypted Forms.

Enter transaction details from any device

Whether you are reviewing brokerage statements at your desk or checking trade details on the go, you can complete Form 8949 on a computer, tablet, or phone. The responsive layout makes it easier to enter dates, proceeds, basis amounts, and adjustment details whenever your records are available.

Download the standard IRS layout

After entering your information, download the completed PDF in the original IRS layout. You can review it, keep it with your tax records, or share it with your tax preparer. Jotform does not submit Form 8949 to the IRS, and it does not determine your basis, holding period, gain or loss, or whether a special reporting rule applies.

Report capital-asset transactions with confidence

Form 8949 helps you report capital-asset transactions accurately, but correct reporting depends on complete records and careful review of your brokerage statements, basis adjustments, and holding periods. Before filing, verify that each transaction appears in the correct Form 8949 section and that the subtotals transfer to the appropriate Schedule D lines.

Ready to organize your transaction details? Use Jotform’s Form 8949 Generator to complete the form online and download a PDF for review and filing.

AS ALWAYS, CONSULT AN ATTORNEY AND/OR OTHER APPLICABLE PROFESSIONALS BEFORE RELYING ON ANY INFORMATION ON THIS PAGE. THE CONTENT ABOVE IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. JOTFORM IS NOT PROVIDING LEGAL, TAX, FINANCIAL OR OTHER ADVICE.