How can we help?
Unrealised CGT Report
Available on Sharesight Starter, Standard, Premium and Sharesight Business plans.
Embedded content: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jR2_aoLpLEc
The Unrealised Capital Gains Report in Sharesight calculates unrealised capital gains in your portfolio and the resulting taxable income that would arise if these shares were sold on the report date. The report is designed for forecasting purposes only, please use the Capital Gains Tax Report to calculate your actual (realised) taxable capital gain income for a period.
The report is based on the ‘discount method’ for shares that have been held for more than 1 year and the ‘other method’ for shares held for less than one year. The discount rate used is the tax setting selected when the portfolio was set up, the default rate is 50%. The tax discount rate can be changed in the tax settings tab. For more information on Australian capital gain tax, visit the ATO website.
Jump to:
Report Overview
The Unrealised CGT Report shows the hypothetical capital gains tax liability that would arise if you sold all holdings in your portfolio on the report date. It is a forecasting tool — for actual realised gains, use the Capital Gains Tax Report.
The report is divided into four sections, each containing a table of individual parcels with the following columns:
Sale Allocation Method
The method used to determine which parcel is deemed sold first when calculating gains. Default is First In, First Out (FIFO). Can be changed to Last In First Out, Minimise Capital Gain, Maximise Capital Gain, or Minimise Capital Gain Tax.
Purchase Date
The date the parcel was purchased. This determines whether the holding qualifies for the long-term CGT discount (held ≥ 12 months as at the report date).
Quantity
The number of units or shares in the parcel. Adjusted by Sharesight for any capital returns or capital reconstructions.
Cost Base
The original purchase price of the parcel, adjusted for any capital returns or capital reconstructions. This is the baseline used to calculate the gain or loss.
Market Value
The value of the parcel on the report date, calculated as the market price on that date multiplied by the quantity held.
Gain (or Loss)
The difference between market value and cost base. A positive figure is an unrealised gain; a negative figure is an unrealised loss.
The report groups parcels into four sections:
Short Term Capital Gains (unrealised)
Holdings with an unrealised gain that have been held for less than 12 months as at the report date. Short-term gains are taxed in full with no CGT discount applied.
Long Term Capital Gains (unrealised)
Holdings with an unrealised gain that have been held for 12 months or more as at the report date. Long-term gains are eligible for the CGT discount (default 50% for Australian individuals, adjustable in Tax settings).
Capital Losses (unrealised)
Holdings currently sitting at an unrealised loss. These losses would offset capital gains if the holdings were sold, reducing your overall tax liability.
Summary
A hypothetical calculation of your net taxable capital gain if you were to sell your entire portfolio on the report date. Uses the same methodology as the Capital Gains Tax Report.
| Short-term (held < 12 months) | Long-term (held ≥ 12 months) | |
|---|---|---|
| Capital gains | Taxed in full | Eligible for CGT discount |
| Capital losses | Offset short-term gains first | Remaining losses offset long-term gains |
Step 1 — Adjust cost base
If any shares received a return of capital or capital reconstruction, the cost base of those shares is adjusted first.
Step 2 — Offset capital losses
Any unrealised losses are applied against short-term gains first. If losses exceed short-term gains, the remainder offsets long-term gains.
Step 3 — Apply the CGT discount
Long-term gains remaining after losses are discounted by your applicable rate (default 50% for Australian individuals). Adjust this in Tax settings.
Step 4 — Sum the result
Short-term gains (after losses) + discounted long-term gains = your hypothetical net taxable capital gain if the entire portfolio were sold on the report date.
Running the Unrealised Capital Gains Tax Report
1 — Click on the date field to select the date for when the report runs on.
2 — If you have any carry forward losses from the previous reporting period, select Advanced Options.
3 — Type in the amount of the loss into the Losses carried forward field.
4 — Click Apply.
The carry forward loss will be included in the capital losses section of the report.
Note: Sharesight does not automatically account for any capital losses in previous tax years. Capital losses to be carried forward must be accounted for manually. The carry forward amount is not saved and must be re-entered if you rerun the report.
5 — The Sale Allocation Method may be changed, default is First In, First Out. To change; click on ‘Change Sale Allocation Method’.
6 — From the dropdown list, select the sale allocation method, this can be chosen at the portfolio level or individual holding.
7 — Click Update current report.
Note: Changing the sale allocation method will be saved to the portfolio and will be applied to all reports and portfolio performance.
The report can be exported to either a Spreadsheet, PDF or to Google Drive.
Using the Unrealised CGT Report for tax planning
The Unrealised CGT Report is more than a snapshot of your current gains and losses — it's a tax planning tool. Here are five common scenarios where it can inform your strategy.
1. Tax loss selling
Situation: You've sold (or plan to sell) a profitable investment and want to reduce your CGT liability for the financial year.
Tax loss selling involves identifying holdings that are currently sitting at a loss and selling them to offset your capital gains. This reduces your net taxable income for the year.
Example: You bought a stock for $10,000 and it's now worth $28,000. You decide to sell because you believe the price has run ahead of its fundamentals — but this creates an $18,000 capital gain. By checking the Unrealised CGT Report, you might find other positions sitting at a loss that you've been meaning to exit anyway. Selling those in the same financial year offsets your gain and reduces your overall tax bill.
What to look at: The losses table in the report shows all positions with unrealised losses. Use these to identify candidates for tax loss selling before the end of the financial year.
2. Evaluating which parcels to sell
Situation: You hold multiple parcels of the same stock acquired at different times and prices, and you want to understand the tax impact before selling.
When you've built up a position gradually over time, each parcel has a different cost base and holding period — which affects whether the CGT discount applies and how much tax you'll owe on each.
Example: If you want to sell some of your CBA shares, the report breaks down each parcel, showing which ones qualify for the 50% CGT discount (held 12+ months) and the estimated tax liability for each. This helps you decide which sale allocation method — such as First In First Out, or Highest Cost — produces the best outcome for your situation.
What to look at: Compare the short-term and long-term gains tables to see the tax impact of selling different parcels. Try changing the sale allocation method in Advanced Options to see how it affects your total liability.
3. Drawing down your portfolio tax-efficiently
Situation: You want to draw a regular amount from your portfolio — say $3,000 per month — and want to minimise the CGT you trigger along the way.
Rather than selling whatever is most liquid or has performed best, you can use this report to sequence your sales in a more tax-efficient order.
Example: You might prioritise selling assets with a higher cost base (smaller gain), or those held over 12 months to access the CGT discount, before selling assets with larger short-term gains. The report gives you the information to make that call each time you need to draw down.
What to look at: Sort by estimated gain or tax liability to identify the least costly positions to sell first. Factor in the holding period column to see which positions qualify for the discount.
4. Retirement planning
Situation: You're approaching retirement and building a drawdown strategy that considers both your superannuation and investment portfolio.
Retirement planning often involves more than just knowing what you own — it requires understanding the tax consequences of liquidating assets over time, and potentially the implications of gifting or estate transfer.
Example: As part of your retirement strategy, you might plan to sell down your portfolio gradually over several years to stay within a lower tax bracket each year. The Unrealised CGT Report helps you model the tax impact of different liquidation sequences, so you can pace your sales in the most tax-efficient way. It's also a useful starting point for conversations with a financial adviser about estate planning and the CGT implications of gifting or inheritance.
What to look at: Use the report date to model different future sale scenarios — for example, what would your tax liability look like if you sold a portion of your portfolio in 12 months versus now?
6. Division 296 tax planning (Australia only)
Situation: Your total superannuation balance exceeds $3 million and you want to understand how unrealised gains in your SMSF holdings contribute to your Division 296 liability.
Division 296 is a 15% additional tax on super earnings for individuals with balances above $3 million — and unlike standard CGT, it applies to unrealised gains. This means your fund can face a tax liability in a year when no assets were sold.
Example: Your SMSF holds shares that have grown significantly over the year. Even if you haven'''t sold anything, that growth counts as earnings for Division 296 purposes. Running the Unrealised CGT Report at 30 June gives you a clear picture of your unrealised position, which you can use as an input when estimating your Division 296 exposure with your accountant.
What to look at: Run the report at 30 June and review the long-term and short-term gains tables. Share this with your SMSF accountant or auditor as part of your year-end planning. See Division 296 tax and Sharesight for a full explanation of how the tax is calculated and how Sharesight can help.
Sharesight does not calculate Division 296 tax. Division 296 is assessed by the ATO based on your total superannuation balance across all funds. Always consult a qualified tax adviser or SMSF specialist for an accurate liability estimate.
Sharesight does not provide taxation advice. For complex retirement or estate planning scenarios, we recommend consulting a qualified tax adviser or financial planner.
5. Rebalancing your portfolio without a large tax hit
Situation: Your portfolio has drifted from your target allocation — for example, it's become overweight in one sector — and you want to rebalance without triggering a large CGT event.
Selling your biggest winners to rebalance can create a significant tax liability. The Unrealised CGT Report helps you find a smarter path.
Example: If your Diversity Report or Exposure Report shows you're overweight in the technology sector, you can use the Unrealised CGT Report to identify tech holdings with the smallest gains — or losses — to sell first. You then reinvest the proceeds into underweight sectors, achieving your rebalancing goal while keeping your tax bill as low as possible.
What to look at: Cross-reference the Unrealised CGT Report with your Diversity Report and Exposure Report. Focus on positions in the overweight sector that appear in the losses table or have the lowest gain in the short-term gains table.
Last updated 17th April 2026