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Glossary
A reference guide to common terms and concepts you'll encounter in Sharesight.
A
AMIT (Attribution Managed Investment Trust) A type of Australian trust structure used by many ETFs and managed funds. AMITs issue an Annual Tax Statement after 30 June each year that breaks down the tax components of your distributions. See Australian AMIT tax components.
AMMA Statement (AMIT Member Annual Statement) The annual tax statement issued by managed funds structured under AMIT rules. If your fund issues an AMMA statement, Sharesight does not automatically update the tax components — you will need to enter them manually.
Adjustment A non-cash transaction that affects your portfolio, such as a stock split, consolidation, return of capital, or rights issue. Sharesight automatically generates many common adjustments.
B
Benchmark A market index (e.g. ASX 200, S&P 500) used to compare the performance of your portfolio. You can set a benchmark for each portfolio in Sharesight.
Broker import The process of importing your trade history directly from a broker into Sharesight, either by uploading a file or via a direct connection.
C
CGT (Capital Gains Tax) Tax payable on profits made from selling investments. Sharesight's Capital Gains Tax Report calculates your CGT position based on your trades.
CHESS (Clearing House Electronic Subregister System) The ASX's system for recording and transferring ownership of shares in Australia. If you hold shares directly with a broker (not via a custodian), you will have a HIN.
Contract note A formal confirmation issued by your broker when a trade is executed. Sharesight can automatically import trades from contract notes emailed by your broker. See Import trades via your broker's trade confirmations.
Corporate action An event initiated by a company that affects its shares, such as a stock split, consolidation, merger, demerger, or name change. Sharesight automatically applies many corporate actions to your holdings.
Cost base The original purchase price of an investment, adjusted for events such as return of capital, stock splits, and AMIT adjustments. The cost base is used to calculate your capital gain or loss when you sell.
D
Distribution Income paid by a trust (such as an ETF, managed fund, or REIT) to unit holders. Distributions may include income, capital gains, and other components, and are taxed differently to company dividends.
Dividend A payment made by a company to its shareholders out of its profits. In Australia, dividends may carry franking credits.
DRP (Dividend Reinvestment Plan) A plan offered by some companies that allows dividends to be automatically reinvested as additional shares instead of paid as cash. See Track dividend reinvestments.
E
ETF (Exchange Traded Fund) A fund that is listed and traded on a stock exchange, typically tracking an index or sector. ETFs are treated as trusts for tax purposes and may issue AMIT annual tax statements.
F
FIF (Foreign Investment Fund) A New Zealand tax regime that applies to certain foreign investments. Sharesight provides FIF reports for NZ-based portfolios. See FIF Report.
Franking credit A tax credit attached to dividends paid by Australian companies that have already paid corporate tax on their profits. Franking credits reduce the amount of tax you pay on dividend income.
H
HIN (Holder Identification Number) A unique number that identifies your shareholdings under the CHESS system in Australia. Your broker will provide your HIN if you hold shares directly (not via a custodian).
Holding An individual investment within your portfolio — for example, shares in a specific company or units in a fund.
L
LIC (Listed Investment Company) A company listed on a stock exchange that invests in a portfolio of other securities. LICs may issue special tax components such as LIC capital gains. See Australian LIC capital gain tax components.
M
Managed fund A pooled investment vehicle managed by a professional fund manager. Managed funds are not listed on a stock exchange and typically issue AMMA statements at EOFY.
Money-weighted return (MWR) Sharesight's method for calculating portfolio performance. MWR accounts for the size and timing of cash flows (contributions and withdrawals), giving a true picture of your investment performance. See Return calculation.
P
PIE (Portfolio Investment Entity) A New Zealand investment structure that taxes investors at their prescribed investor rate (PIR). See PIE distributions.
Portfolio A collection of investments tracked together in Sharesight. Each portfolio represents a tax entity (e.g. an individual, company, SMSF, or trust) and has its own tax residency setting.
R
REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) A trust that invests in property and is listed on a stock exchange. Australian REITs (A-REITs) are often structured as stapled securities.
Return of capital A payment to investors that is not derived from earnings but from the capital of the fund. It reduces your cost base rather than being treated as income.
S
Stapled security An investment structure where two or more securities (typically a company share and a trust unit) are legally bound together and traded as a single unit. Common in Australian REITs and infrastructure trusts. See Stapled securities.
T
Tax residency The country setting applied to a portfolio in Sharesight that determines which tax rules, reports, and calculations are used. See Tax Residency of a Portfolio.
Trade A buy or sell transaction recorded in your portfolio. Trades form the basis of Sharesight's performance and tax calculations.
Last updated 27th March 2026