After selling all her Novell shares, what is Jan's capital gain or loss for 2017?

In determining Jan's capital gain or loss from her Novell shares, it's crucial to consider both the acquisition and sale prices, as well as the holding period of the shares. A capital gain or loss is calculated by subtracting the basis (the amount paid for the asset, including commissions) from the selling price.

If the answer is $0, it implies that Jan neither gained nor lost money from the sale of her shares. This can occur if she sold the shares for exactly the same price at which she acquired them, which would mean her capital gains and losses are balanced out to zero.

In assessing the other options, a short-term loss would indicate a net loss within one year of holding the shares, while a long-term loss applies if the shares were held for more than a year and sold at a lower price than the purchase price. Both losses suggest that Jan experienced a negative financial outcome from her investment in Novell, which does not apply if her total gain or loss is evaluated at nil.

Thus, if the final outcome is a capital gain or loss of $0, this means that Jan effectively broke even on her investment, resulting in no taxable event occurring in terms of capital gains or losses for 2017.