[sik68]

Maybe this is obvious to everyone else, but I just caught on so I am hoping to make some sense of it...In my Schwab, stocks set for "reinvest dividends" the dividend payouts add to the cost basis of the stock, and are not counted as gains.

For example, say you bought 10 shares of MCD @ $100. 3 months later say the share price is still $100, but you've been paid a div. 10x$0.80 = $8. In your "Gains / Loss" tab, the report will show a ZERO gain, but changes your cost basis to $1008.

This is the case with all my stocks...but I want to see my total return (share price delta + dividends)! So I emailed Schwab, and their response was murky: "for tax purposes, dividend payouts are added to the cost basis of the stock, and are not included in the unrealized gains of the holding."

Any tips for using the Schwab site to show my actual total return? Or am I going to have to track my buys and total return manually in a spreadsheet?!

Thanks guys.