u/soyalice123

I'm a confused about how my total assets are being calculated.

On the Portfolio Positions page, it seems like:

Net Account Value = sum of Price Paid + Total Gain + Cash

That appears to make sense.

However, when I go to the Gains & Losses, I see another Total Gain listed next to Deferred Loss. I tried calculating my account value by taking the original amount of money I deposited into E*TRADE months ago and adding that Total Gain (next to Deferred Loss), but the result doesn't match my Net Account Value.

How can I determine my actual overall gain or loss since I started investing?

My husband was recently diagnosed with diabetes, and we are currently in the middle of IVF treatment. We are both over 40 years old, so we have a few questions.

First, how should we proceed in this situation? Is the success rate with frozen sperm comparable to that of fresh sperm? We are considering having him freeze sperm before he starts taking diabetes medication, in case the medication could affect sperm quality.

Second, if he starts diabetes medication and we continue using fresh sperm instead of frozen sperm, could the medication negatively affect his sperm, embryo quality, or our chances of a successful pregnancy?

We would appreciate your advice on the best approach for our situation. Thank you.

I sold 6 stocks which are marked WS. When I sold them, the "Total Gain" column showed a positive $600, so I thought I had made a $600 profit. However, after the sale, the "Day's Gain Realized" shows -$600. Why is that? Did I make $600 or lose $600?

How can I test and document my indoor and outdoor air quality?

I have concerns about air pollution coming from both of my neighboring properties. I live in Orange County, Southern California.

The neighbor on my right burns large amounts of candles and essential oils both indoors and outdoors, seemingly 24/7. They frequently leave their windows open, and at times we can see smoke coming from multiple areas of their yard. The scent is often so strong that we can smell it from our driveway and throughout our yard. The odor is extremely intense and uncomfortable. We have spoken with them about our concerns, but they do not seem interested in changing their behavior.

The neighbor on my left appears to be operating a car-detailing business from a residential property. Cars are frequently being cleaned in the front yard, and there are often vehicle exhaust fumes, engine revving, and chemical odors from the cleaning products they use. We have contacted law enforcement, but the activity continues.

Because of these ongoing issues, I would like to know:

1. What is the best way to test and document both indoor and outdoor air quality?
2. Are there certified environmental or air-quality testing companies that can analyze the air and provide an official report?
3. What pollutants should be tested for, such as particulate matter (PM2.5), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), combustion byproducts, vehicle exhaust, or chemical solvents?
4. If testing shows unhealthy or potentially toxic air conditions, which government agencies or authorities should I report the results to?
5. What evidence is typically needed for authorities to investigate air-quality complaints related to residential activities or home-based businesses?

My goal is simply to determine whether the air around my home is safe and, if it is not, to understand the proper channels for reporting and addressing the issue.

My brother has a total gain of $20,000, but at the same time there is a deferred loss of $21,000. Does that mean his net balance is negative $1,000? Does this mean he's in debt

I have two questions:

1. We would like to have a reverse osmosis (RO) water system installed. What do you think of the Puronics Micromax 7000 (which I believe is the RO system?) along with the Puronics Defender iGen C (which appears to be a carbon filtration system and a tank with salt)? Do these products effectively remove harmful chemicals and contaminants from the water? How can we verify their performance and effectiveness?
2. We would also like to test our current water to determine whether it is safe to drink. Could you recommend some reputable, certified water testing laboratories in Southern California, particularly in Orange County?

Are there any IVF clinics and labs on the U.S. West Coast — especially in California, Washington, or Oregon — that are more suitable for women over age 42?

For example, I heard some IVF labs use lower oxygen levels (around 5% instead of 10–20%) to help embryos grow better and reduce the chance of embryos dying in the lab, although I heard about this outside the U.S.

If you know of any IVF clinics with advanced labs anywhere else in the U.S., that would also be helpful. I also checked SART, but I could not find information about IVF lab conditions or lab technology.

By the way, are there any newer technologies beyond current ICSI? For example, is it possible to inject sperm directly into follicles inside the body and skip the lab process?