if I had calculated the cost basis for the drips I closed last year when I closed them

I do things as I go - much less stressful, and everything's fresh in my mind. Plus, it nicely spreads out the work over the year:

- When I buy a stock, the very first thing I do is enter the date, number of shares purchased, and basis (cost + commission) in my basis spreadsheet, one page per stock.

- When I sell a stock, the very first thing I do is enter the date, number of shares sold, and net price in the same basis spreadsheet. While it's right there in front of me, I calculate the basis of the sold shares, work out capital gain/loss, and then make a one-line, Schedule D type entry in a second capital gain worksheet. By the time I make my last sale in December, my Sched D is essentially done - it's just a matter of waiting for the 1099-B from the broker in late January and verifying that my total sales figure agrees with his.

Lorenzo