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Investopedia explains 'Accommodation Trading'
An accommodation trade could occur when two traders agree to exchange a stock for a price well below the market value, allowing the seller to realize a large capital loss on the shares. For example, suppose that Bill purchased stock in Company XYZ at $55 per share. With tax season coming soon, Bill decides to sell the stock to Joe for $45, even though the shares are currently trading at $60. Bill realizes a capital loss of $10 per share, which he can use to lower the taxes paid on any capital gains on other investments. After the taxes are filed, Joe sells the stock back to Bill at $45. This trade, also known as a wash sale, allows Bill to cheat the tax system, while never actually losing any value on the stock.
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