Data basis
The performance report is based on the Transaction and account data from Interactive Brokers, which are managed via so-called FlexQueries are provided.
Each individual entry (trade, dividend, withholding tax, corporate action, transfer, etc.) contains technical characteristics such as:
- AssetClass (e.g. STK, OPT, FUT, CFD, FUND, FX, BOND, ...),
- SubCategory (e.g. ETF, REIT, RIGHT, ...)
- TransactionType (e.g. dividends, withholding tax, broker interest),
- OpenPrice (original transaction price in the trading currency),
- FXRateToBase (exchange rate into the account base currency EUR),
- DateTime (time of booking),
- and numerous other fields.
At its core, the performance report uses the classification specified by Interactive Brokers (by AssetClass & SubCategory) and combines these into the categories required for the performance report. It will no independent interpretation of the securities in terms of type and category.
Overview of the main categories
The performance report is structured in a table. The first column shows the Product group (e.g. spot transactions, forward transactions, dividends & interest), in the second column the Asset class or income type (e.g. shares, bonds, dividends). Three values are shown for each of these lines:
- Realized gains
- Realized losses
- Balance (profits minus losses)
The following table shows the product groups, the associated subcategories and the typical identification features in the IB data:
| Product group | Asset class / income type | Typical allocation / identification features (IB data) |
|---|---|---|
| Spot transactions | Stocks | AssetClass = STK and SubCategory not ETF, REIT or RIGHT. |
| Bonds | AssetClass = BILL or BOND. | |
| Other securities | AssetClass = WAR or IOPT, as far as not marked as „worthless". | |
| Foreign currencies | Cash foreign currency balances, where the balance moves away from 0 and later back towards 0. | |
| Forward transactions | Options | AssetClass in {OPT, FOP, FSFOP, FSOPT}. In ENwithout premium classification; in AT/INTall options. |
| Option premiums | AssetClass in {OPT, FOP, FSFOP, FSOPT}, Jurisdiction EN, Short options → Category Praemie. | |
| Futures | AssetClass = FUT. | |
| CFDs | AssetClass = CFD or FXCFD. | |
| Dividends & interest | Dividends | TransactionType in {Dividends, Payment In Lieu Of Dividends} mit SubCategory not ETF/REIT. |
| Interest | TransactionType in {Broker Interest Received/Paid, Bond Interest Received/Paid}. | |
| Withholding taxes abroad | TransactionType in {Withholding Tax, 871(m) Withholding}, without national suffix. | |
| Domestic withholding taxes | TransactionType in {Withholding Tax, 871(m) Withholding}, mit national suffix (e.g. „DE TAX"). | |
| Costs & fees | Financial transaction taxes | Positions with TransactionTax (e.g. French/Italian FTT). |
| Sales taxes | Positions as SalesTax (e.g. VAT on market data). | |
| CFD fees | Positions as CFDCharges. | |
| Other taxes | Other tax items as TaxCharge. | |
| Other fees | TransactionType in {Advisor Fees, Commission Adjustments, Other Fees, Broker Fees}. | |
| ETFs | ETFs (price gains) | AssetClass = STK mit SubCategory = ETF or AssetClass = FUND. |
| Dividends from ETFs | TransactionType in {Dividends, Payment In Lieu Of Dividends}, SubCategory = ETF. | |
| Withholding taxes | TransactionType in {Withholding tax}, SubCategory = ETF. | |
| REITs | REITs (capital gains) | AssetClass = STK mit SubCategory = REIT. |
| Dividends from REITs | TransactionType in {Dividends}, SubCategory = REIT. | |
| Withholding taxes | TransactionType in {Withholding tax}, SubCategory = REIT. | |
| Other | Physical precious metals | AssetClass = CMDTY (e.g. physically deposited precious metals). |
| Derecognized without value | CorpActions with types such as Delisting/Expire or Code Ep. |
The most important categories are briefly explained below.
Spot transactions
- Stocks
- Purchases and sales of listed shares in all currencies.
- Including exchange rate effects during the holding period (valued in EUR).
- Bonds
- Purchases and sales of bonds, bills and other fixed-income securities.
- Other securities
- z. e.g. certain certificates, structured products, rights, unless they fall into other special categories.
Calculation principle:
- Realized profit/loss in EUR results from:
- Sales proceeds in EUR
- minus acquisition costs in EUR
- minus transaction costs/commissions (DE), if applicable.
Exchange rate effects during the holding period for non-euro-denominated securities are recognized directly in this category taken into account and fall not in the foreign currency category.
Foreign currencies
Foreign currency includes all realized gains and losses that occurred during the holding period of foreign currency holdings in your account.
- The following are recorded Gains/losses from cash foreign currency balances, arising from changes in exchange rates.
- A P&L arises as soon as a foreign currency position (long or short) Completely or partially closed will.
- The valuation is carried out in EUR based on the exchange rates at the opening and closing dates.
The details and a comprehensive example can be found on the subpage
"Foreign currencies: Understanding gains & losses".
Forward transactions
Under Forward transactions fall:
- Options (OPT) - Long or short options, provided they do not fall under the special premium logic (option writer transactions in DE).
- Lender premiums (premium) - Category for German customers in which premiums from short options are shown as realized.
- Futures - e.g. index futures, commodity futures.
- CFDs - Contracts for Difference, incl. CFD-specific fees.
Special case „premium":
- This category exists for German customers only.
- It shows realized gains/losses from Short options (short options), where the premium is deemed to have been realized on opening.
- If the position is closed out, the corresponding offsetting amounts are also recognized here (usually as a loss).
For further details see subpage
"Options & option writer transactions".
Dividends & interest
This block summarizes income from investment income and the associated withholding taxes:
- Dividends
- Dividend payments on shares and other securities (excluding ETFs, provided these are managed separately).
- Interest
- Interest from cash balances (e.g. „Broker Interest Received/Paid"),
- Interest from bonds (e.g. „Bond Interest Received/Paid").
- Domestic withholding taxes
- Domestic withholding tax on dividends/interest, e.g. for German clients positions with the „DE TAX" indicator.
- Withholding taxes abroad
- Foreign withholding taxes on dividends/interest, e.g. „US TAX", „FR TAX" etc.
Costs & fees
This block mainly contains Expenses, which are not considered classic trading losses:
- Financial transaction taxes
- z. e.g. French, Italian financial transaction taxes on certain purchases.
- Sales tax on market data
- Sales tax shares on data feeds and market data subscriptions.
- CFD fees
- specific fees in connection with CFDs.
- Other taxes
- other tax levies that are not directly classified as withholding tax on investment income.
- Other fees
- z. e.g. certain broker fees, advisor fees, other deductions.
The exact classification is based on the TransactionType-fields in the IB database (e.g. „Advisor Fees", „Other Fees", „Price Adjustments").
Normal Trade commissions (IB commissions) are treated differently depending on the jurisdiction:
- In the German variant (DE) The commissions for the respective securities category (e.g. shares, ETFs, futures) are recognized directly as Earnings-reducing component attributed.
- In the variants Austria (AT) and International (INT) the commissions, on the other hand separately under „Costs & fees" and are therefore visible as a separate cost block.
ETFs & REITs
The category ETFs includes:
- ETF price gains/losses - Purchases and sales of exchange-traded funds, including traditional funds.
- Dividends from ETFs - Distributions from ETFs / funds.
- Withholding tax abroad/domestic - Withholding tax deductions specifically in connection with ETF/fund dividends.
REITs are shown separately in their own category and are calculated in the same way as ETFs.
The exact distinction from other securities categories (e.g. shares) is made via the technical fields of IB („SubCategory = ETF/FUND" or „SubCategory = REIT").
Other
In the category Other items are recorded that do not fall into the standard groups, including
- Physical precious metals - e.g. gold or crude oil that is physically deposited.
- Positions derecognized without value - e.g. delisted or worthless expired positions.
Why this structure?
The categories of the performance report are selected in such a way that they:
- on the one hand the economic reality of your trading activity (e.g. recognizable blocks such as shares, ETFs, futures),
- on the other hand roughly the typical tax distinctions (e.g. separation of capital gains, interest, dividends, withholding taxes, fees).
In spite of this rough reference, the report No tax advice and does not reflect every nuance of tax law in detail.
Rather, it is intended as a structured basis to help you prepare your own documents and conduct discussions with a tax advisor more efficiently.