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When you receive shares from a deceased estate, you need to add them to your Sharesight portfolio manually. The cost base you use depends on when the deceased originally acquired the shares.

Step 1 — Determine when the deceased acquired the shares

Australian CGT law treats inherited shares differently depending on the original acquisition date:

You can usually find this information from the deceased's tax records, broker statements, or by contacting their share registry. The executor of the estate may also have this information.

Step 2 — Add the shares to your portfolio

1. Open your portfolio. If you don't yet hold the stock, click Add investments, search for it by ticker code and add it.

2. Trade type: Opening balance

3. Opening balance date: The date the shares were transferred to you (typically when the estate was finalised), not the date the person died.

4. Total cost base: The total cost base is based on the rule above:

   • Pre-CGT shares: use the market value (closing share price) on the date of death
   • Post-CGT shares: use the deceased's original purchase price per share

5. Quantity: The number of shares you received (from your holding statement or share registry confirmation).

6. Click Add.

Pre-CGT shares — finding the market value at date of death

For shares acquired before 20 September 1985, you need the closing share price on the date the person died. You can find this from:

• Historical price data on the ASX website or Google Finance
• Your stockbroker
• The share registry (e.g. Computershare or Link Market Services)

Enter this figure as the total cost base in Sharesight (price per share × quantity received).

Post-CGT shares — finding the deceased's cost base

For shares acquired after 20 September 1985, you need the price the deceased originally paid, including any brokerage. Sources include:

• The deceased's old broker statements or trade confirmations
• Their historical tax returns (capital gains schedule)
• The share registry may hold some historical records
• The Australian Tax Office can sometimes assist the executor in reconstructing records

If the original cost base genuinely cannot be determined, the ATO may allow a market value substitution — consult a tax advisor before defaulting to this.

Frequently asked questions

What date do I use — date of death or date of transfer? Use the date the shares were formally transferred to you (the beneficiary). This is the date that appears on your holding statement from the share registry. The date of death is relevant only for calculating the cost base on pre-CGT shares, not for the trade date in Sharesight.

The shares were sold by the estate before I received anything — how do I record that? If the estate sold the shares and you received cash instead, you don't need to add a share holding. The capital gain on the sale would have been handled by the estate's tax return. Consult the estate's accountant or executor for details.

What if I inherited shares from someone overseas? The CGT treatment may differ depending on the deceased's country of residence and any applicable tax treaties. Seek advice from a tax advisor with international experience before recording the transfer.

Further reading

• How to record inherited shares in your portfolio — Sharesight blog
• ATO — Deceased estates and capital gains tax

Disclaimer

The guide above is a suggestion on how to record inherited shares in Sharesight and is not financial or tax advice. The tax treatment of inherited shares can be complex, particularly where pre-CGT assets, international holdings, or trust structures are involved. We advise you to consult your accountant or a tax advisor before recording any inherited holdings.