diff --git a/src/item.cc b/src/item.cc
index 135fa18f..8d1ba34f 100644
--- a/src/item.cc
+++ b/src/item.cc
@@ -199,6 +199,9 @@ namespace {
   value_t get_date(item_t& item) {
     return item.date();
   }
+  value_t get_actual_date(item_t& item) {
+    return item.actual_date();
+  }
   value_t get_effective_date(item_t& item) {
     if (optional<date_t> effective = item.effective_date())
       return *effective;
@@ -351,6 +354,8 @@ expr_t::ptr_op_t item_t::lookup(const symbol_t::kind_t kind,
   case 'a':
     if (name == "actual")
       return WRAP_FUNCTOR(get_wrapper<&get_actual>);
+    else if (name == "actual_date")
+      return WRAP_FUNCTOR(get_wrapper<&get_actual_date>);
     break;
 
   case 'b':
diff --git a/src/item.h b/src/item.h
index 8250ab6e..f23350fc 100644
--- a/src/item.h
+++ b/src/item.h
@@ -173,6 +173,10 @@ public:
 	return *effective;
     return *_date;
   }
+  virtual date_t actual_date() const {
+    assert(_date);
+    return *_date;
+  }
   virtual optional<date_t> effective_date() const {
     return _date_eff;
   }
diff --git a/src/post.cc b/src/post.cc
index 34284e1b..5b9d2bb3 100644
--- a/src/post.cc
+++ b/src/post.cc
@@ -97,6 +97,18 @@ date_t post_t::date() const
   return *_date;
 }
 
+date_t post_t::actual_date() const
+{
+  if (xdata_ && is_valid(xdata_->date))
+    return xdata_->date;
+
+  if (! _date) {
+    assert(xact);
+    return xact->date();
+  }
+  return *_date;
+}  
+
 optional<date_t> post_t::effective_date() const
 {
   optional<date_t> date = item_t::effective_date();
diff --git a/src/post.h b/src/post.h
index a0ab5ffd..cea1aca1 100644
--- a/src/post.h
+++ b/src/post.h
@@ -105,6 +105,7 @@ public:
 				   const optional<mask_t>& value_mask = none) const;
 
   virtual date_t date() const;
+  virtual date_t actual_date() const;
   virtual optional<date_t> effective_date() const;
 
   bool must_balance() const {