The Purchase Value field should always reflect the current cost basis of the investment.
The Purchase Value should indicate what your client originally paid into the investment – the original capital investment.
...or property as of the beginning of the plan.
The Purchase Value can be a very important entry for taxable investments and properties because it acts as a foundation for the software’s capital gains tax (CGT) calculation.
Unless you are creating a hypothetical future investment that is to be funded in the future, a Purchase Value of 0 would indicate that the entire starting balance of the account plus any future capital growth is comprised entirely of gains, which is probably not the case, unless your client was given the investment.
At the very least, the Purchase Value should indicate what your client originally paid into the investment – the original capital investment.
Any difference between this purchase value/cost basis and the account's balance at the time of liquidation, aside from increases due to contributions, would be potentially subject to CGT at the time of liquidation. We also maintain a ratio of cost basis to gains whenever partial liquidations are taken from an investment.
When entering a hypothetical future investment – one that has a zero balance at the start of the plan but that will be funded at some point in the future through planned contributions or transfers –leave the Purchase Value set to zero. The software will know to add any future contributions made into the account to its cost basis.
When entering a future property purchase, the Effective Purchase Value should in most cases match its Market Value unless your client is buying the property from the outset at a loss or gain. It is the Market Value, not the Effective Purchase Value, that will set the future purchase price of the property.
Once a cost basis is set, Voyant then maintains a cost basis to capital appreciation ratio and will apply this ratio anytime some or all of the investment is liquidated.
Assets not subject to Capital Gains Tax
You may notice that Voyant still displays a Purchase Value field (or for properties, an Effective Purchase Value) for some types of properties and investments that are not subject to Capital Gains Tax (CGT) - e.g. one's primary residence or an ISA. In these cases simply disregard the Purchase Value. You may leave this field set to null since CGT will not apply.
However, do be sure to set the property or investment Type set appropriately to Main Residence or ISA.