U.S. · Tax forms
Form 8949 column (f) codes.
The letters that explain an adjustment, and what to enter beside them.
Column (f) of Form 8949 takes a letter that explains any adjustment in column (g). Most sales need none. Common ones: B for a wrong basis on your 1099-B, E for selling expenses not reflected on the form, W for a wash sale loss, and H for the home sale exclusion. If more than one applies, enter all of them in alphabetical order with no spaces or commas, like BOQ.
Put your column (f) codes in order
Result
Column (f) codes
| Code | When to use it | What to enter in column (g) |
|---|---|---|
| B | The basis on your Form 1099-B or 1099-DA is incorrect | If the basis is reported to the IRS (boxes B, E, H or K checked): correct basis in column (e) and -0- in (g). If not reported (boxes A, D, G or J): the reported basis in (e) and the correction in (g) |
| C | You disposed of collectibles | -0- in column (g); report like any other sale |
| D | Your form shows accrued market discount in box 1f (1099-B) or 1h (1099-DA) | The amount from the Worksheet for Accrued Market Discount Adjustment; -0- if you chose to include market discount currently |
| E | Selling expenses, option premiums or digital asset transaction costs are not reflected on the form | Selling expenses as a negative number in (g); option premiums you received as a positive number |
| H | You sold your main home at a gain and can exclude some or all of it | The excluded gain as a negative number in parentheses |
| L | You have a nondeductible loss other than a wash sale loss | The nondeductible loss as a positive number |
| M | You report multiple transactions on a single row | -0- unless another code requires an adjustment |
| N | You received the form as a nominee for the actual owner | The resulting gain as a negative number (or loss as a positive), so column (h) is zero |
| O | You have an adjustment not described by another code | The adjustment amount |
| P | You are a nonresident alien, foreign trust, estate or corporation that sold an interest in a partnership engaged in a U.S. trade or business | Any adjustment under Regulations section 1.864(c)(8)-1(b) and (c) |
| Q | You sold qualified small business (QSB) stock and can exclude part of the gain | The exclusion as a negative number |
| R | You are postponing gain, for example by a rollover of gain from QSB stock | The postponed gain as a negative number |
| S | Loss on small business (section 1244) stock above the ordinary-loss maximum | See Small Business (Section 1244) Stock in the Schedule D instructions |
| T | The type of gain or loss in box 2 of your 1099-B (box 6 of 1099-DA) is incorrect | Report on the correct part of Form 8949 with -0- if no other adjustment |
| W | You have a nondeductible loss from a wash sale | The nondeductible loss as a positive number |
| X | You can exclude gain on DC Zone assets or qualified community assets | The exclusion as a negative number |
| Y | You are reporting gain from a QOF investment that you deferred in a prior year | See How To Report Gain Previously Deferred in a QOF Investment |
| Z | You are electing to defer gain by investing in a qualified opportunity fund (QOF) | See How To Report an Election To Defer Tax on Eligible Gain Invested in a QOF |
When you can leave it blank
The instructions say that for most transactions you do not need to complete columns (f) and (g). You may need them if a Form 1099-B, 1099-DA or 1099-S is incorrect, if you are excluding or postponing a capital gain, if you have a disallowed loss, or in certain other situations.
More than one code on a row
Enter all the codes that apply in alphabetical order, with no space or comma between them, for example "BOQ". Then enter the net adjustment in column (g): if one adjustment is $5,000 and another is ($1,000), enter $4,000. The tool above sorts and joins codes for you.
Worked example: the home sale (code H and E)
The instructions give this one. You sold your main home in 2025 for $320,000 with a basis of $100,000, and had $20,000 of selling expenses not included on the 1099-S. The $200,000 gain is fully excludable. On Form 8949 Part II you enter $320,000 in column (d), $100,000 in (e), "EH" in (f), and ($220,000) in (g): $20,000 of selling expenses plus the $200,000 exclusion. Column (h) is then -0-. Use the home sale exclusion calculator to test your own numbers.
Wash sales
Code W is for a nondeductible loss from a wash sale: report the sale and enter the loss in column (g) as a positive number. If the amount on your 1099-B or 1099-DA is wrong, enter the correct amount. The wash sale rule calculator shows how the disallowed loss adds to the replacement basis.
More form decoders
Other pages in this set: K-1 Box 11 Codes, 1099-C Box 6 Codes, 1099-MISC Boxes Decoder, Form 1098 Boxes Decoder. The 1099-R box 7 lookup and W-2 box 12 lookup cover the same kind of question for those forms.
Sources
- Instructions for Form 8949 (2025): Column (f) and (g) instructions and the table of codes. Read November 2, 2026.
IRS page last reviewed April 30, 2026. This is the tax year 2025 edition.
Frequently asked questions
What goes in column (f) of Form 8949?
A code letter that explains the adjustment you enter in column (g). If there is no adjustment, leave both columns blank.
How do I enter more than one code?
Enter every code that applies in alphabetical order, with no spaces or commas, and enter the net adjustment in column (g). For example, BOQ.
What is Form 8949 code B?
It means the basis shown on your 1099-B or 1099-DA is incorrect. Where you enter the correction depends on whether the basis was reported to the IRS.
What is code W on Form 8949?
A nondeductible loss from a wash sale. Enter the loss as a positive number in column (g).
Which code do I use for a home sale exclusion?
Code H. Report the sale as if you were not taking the exclusion, then enter the excluded gain as a negative number in column (g). Add E if you also have selling expenses not reflected on the 1099-S.
Not tax advice
This page summarizes IRS instructions, mostly written for the people who prepare the form, and is not tax, legal or financial advice. The payer, a CPA or an enrolled agent can confirm what a box or code means for your return. Everything runs in your browser; nothing you enter is sent anywhere.