How Do I Report Complex Options ?

You report each leg of a complex options trade on its own.

For example, when you are long a call spread, you buy one option and sell another. The call spread is an options trading strategy, but it consists of 2 distinct trades (which just happen to be made at the same time).

Each leg of a complex options trade has an opening and closing transaction. The closing transaction could be the expiration of the option, or could even occur as part of a roll forward strategy.

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There are many complex strategies for trading options, including vertical spreads, calendar spreads, straddles, strangles, butterflies, and condors. They're all reported the same way, though, by listing each leg of the strategy as its own trade.

Use Form 8949 to report each leg of complex options trades.

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