Date of acquisition: Report the date the property was delivered to the lender or broker to close the short sale.
Date of sale: Report the date the borrowed property was sold to open the short sale.
But the 2011 Form 8949 instructions say:
Date of acquisition: For stock or other property sold short, enter the date you acquired the stock or property delivered to the broker or lender to close the short sale.
(this has changed from date it was delivered to date it was acquired)
Date of sale: For stock or other property sold short, enter the date you delivered the stock or property to the broker or lender to close the short sale.
(this has changed from date sold to date delivered)
This seems totally bizarre, since the date of the sale, which is the very thing reported on 1099-B, appears to not be asked for at all.
That can't be right?