Adding shares from a spin-off

I recieved a number of free shares when a company went through a demerger.

What’s the best way to add these shares to my portfolio?

I did add them as a trade and didn’t enter purchase price or brokerage, is that the best way to do it? It just leaves capital gains and returns blank.

I don’t really see any other way, just thought I’d check.

It depends on the tax treatment of the demerger. If it is a non-income distribution (ie. relevant ATO ruling) a common way is to treat it as two transactions:

  1. a capital return of the original stock - being the value of the demerged stock - posting that “cash” to your cash account
  2. a buy of the new demerged stock at the deemed purchase price

These two cash transactions should offset, and create a the appropriate cost base for the demerged stock, and requisite reduction in cost base for the original stock.

Clear as mud?

(note the above ignores other tax treatments, or franking credits that may be involved!)