ACB Calculator — Adjusted Cost Base for Canadian Investments
Track the adjusted cost base of your Canadian non-registered investments in just a few clicks. Essential for calculating capital gains and preparing your CRA tax return.
What is Adjusted Cost Base (ACB)?
The Adjusted Cost Base (ACB) is the weighted average cost of all identical units of an investment you hold. The CRA uses it to compute your capital gain or loss when you sell. Every purchase, reinvested dividend (DRIP), or return of capital (ROC) changes your ACB — getting it wrong can be expensive in an audit.
| Date | Type | Quantity | Price / unit ($) | Fees ($) | Cumulative ACB ($) | ACB / unit | Realized gain |
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Track your ACB automatically
Tired of recomputing ACB by hand? RSSUS imports your Wealthsimple/Questrade statements and tracks ACB across all your investments. Tax report (Schedule 3) and CRA-ready cover letter included.
🚀 Try RSSUS freeHow is ACB calculated?
The general formula:
- Buy: total ACB += (quantity × price) + fees
- Sell: Gain = proceeds − fees − (quantity × current avg ACB). ACB per unit does NOT change on a sale — that's a key principle.
- DRIP: behaves like a buy at the dividend value
- Return of capital (ROC): total ACB −= amount. Reduces your cost base without triggering an immediate gain.
Many Canadian ETFs (XEI, VFV, VDY, etc.) distribute ROC on their T3 slips. If you don't adjust for it, your ACB will be overstated — and the CRA will flag it.
Frequently asked questions
Why do I need to track my ACB?
The CRA requires you to report capital gains/losses on every sale. Without an accurate ACB, you cannot complete Schedule 3 of your tax return. In an audit, the burden of proof is on you.
What if I don't have my full history?
Request all T5008 and T3 slips from your broker (Wealthsimple, Questrade, RBC Direct, etc.) since the account was opened. Without complete history, the CRA can estimate your ACB at zero — which maximizes your taxable gain.
Does ROC (return of capital) really affect ACB?
Yes, and many people forget. Canadian high-yield ETFs (HDIV, ZWC, ZWB, etc.) often distribute part as ROC. Every dollar of ROC reduces your ACB by $1. Over 10 years that can mean thousands of dollars.
Is ACB the same for TFSA and non-registered accounts?
The concept only applies to non-registered accounts (and corporate accounts). Inside a TFSA, RRSP, or FHSA, you don't need to track ACB since there's no taxable capital gain.
How does RSSUS automate this?
RSSUS imports your CSV transactions from Wealthsimple, Questrade, BMO, etc., automatically detects DRIP and ROC, and tracks ACB continuously. The annual tax report is generated to fill Schedule 3.