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Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs)


Talk of raising the capital gains tax rate points to yet another reason we prefer ETFs over mutual funds
(2021.04.27) There are a number of reasons we migrated away from mutual funds in favor of exchange traded funds (ETFs) some years back, but the current tax rate discussion emanating from D.C. points to one specific benefit of the latter: their tax efficiency. As a young broker, one perennial pain came from the collection of mutual fund capital gains distribution figures for clients. Even if a client held a mutual fund throughout the entire year, they still had to pay taxes on the capital gains generated by the internal trades of the portfolio managers (PMs)—assuming the funds weren't held in an IRA, of course. For example, in the late 1990s the largest position held in client accounts was the venerable Growth Fund of America (AGTHX). The estimated capital gains distribution at year-end 2020 for AGTHX is 9-11%. Counter that with the 2020 capital gains distribution on the largest equity ETF, the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY): 0.00%. By law, open-end mutual funds must pass along capital gains to shareholders each year; there is no such requirement for ETFs. While the Biden administration is discussing a 39.6% capital gains tax rate on only the wealthiest of shareholders, does anyone really believe that the current rates for the rest of us will stay where they are now (0% to 20%, depending on the shareholder's tax bracket)? Yet another reason to favor ETFs in the taxable portion of your investment portfolio. In the Penn Dynamic Growth Strategy, our ETF portfolio, we own a number of core funds designed to be held for the long haul, and satellite positions, designed to take advantage of current market and economic conditions. This is an excellent strategy for taxable accounts due to its relative tax efficiency. There are currently 23 funds (yes, one is an open-end fund we consider to be a stellar performer) in the Strategy. ​

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Any opinions expressed are those of Penn Wealth Publishing, LLC and are current only through the date published. These views are subject to change at any time based on market and other conditions, and no forecast can be guaranteed. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Always consult your investment professional before investing any money. Any and all commentary and data on this Site is for informational purposes only, and is not a solicitation to buy or sell any investment. Penn Wealth Publishing is a separate entity from Penn Wealth Management, LLC, our registered investment advisory firm.
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  • Home
  • Report Library
    • Report Library Access
  • Products & Services
    • Penn Wealth Architect
    • Vol 10 Issue 01 Housing Issue
    • Vol 9 Issue 03 Show Goes On
    • Vol 9 Issue 02 Utilities
    • Market Downturn Toolkit
    • Professional Wealth Management
    • Personal Financial Website
    • Market Outlook
    • The Penn Global Leaders Club 2019
    • The Report
    • Worksheets & Tools
    • Building Your Empire
  • Our Organization
    • Which Route
  • Trading Desk
    • Trading Desk Private
  • The Penn Strategies
    • Sample Portfolios
    • Penn Strategic Income Portfolio
    • Penn Dynamic Growth Strategy
    • Penn Global Leaders Club
    • Penn Intrepid Trading Platform
    • Penn New Frontier Fund
    • Penn International Investor
  • Strategic Vision
    • The Blueprint
    • Leadership Academy >
      • Corporate Culture
    • Project Management
    • Western Civilization >
      • American Spirit
  • Command & Control
    • Action Environment >
      • Focus
    • Health & Longevity >
      • Cellular Health
    • Science of the Mind
    • Time Management
  • Harvesting Wealth
    • Business Development >
      • Building Your Business
      • Sales, Marketing, & Advertising >
        • Penn Digital Marketing
        • Advertising
        • Branding Strategy
      • SWOT Analysis
    • Business Finance
    • Real Estate Investment & Development
    • Retirement Planning >
      • Social Security, Medicare, & Medicaid
  • Tactical Awareness
    • Penn Wealth Realist's Dictionary
    • The Human Connection
    • Risk Management
    • Taxation >
      • Capital Gains & Losses
  • Investment Intelligence
    • Tactical Asset Allocation >
      • Tactical Asset Allocation—Private
    • Charts of the Week
    • Fixed Income Desk
    • Market Downturn Strategies
    • Science & Technology Investor >
      • Information Technology
      • Space Sciences & Exploration
    • Sector Weightings
    • Strategies & Tactics >
      • Behavioral Finance
      • Exchange Traded Funds
      • Fundamental Analysis >
        • Investment Valuation
      • Mergers & Acquisitions
      • Momentum Investing
      • Short Squeeze >
        • Short Squeeze Private
      • Technical Analysis
    • Under the Radar Private
  • Financial Planning
    • Balance Sheet >
      • The Investment Vault >
        • Emergency Reserve Fund
        • Company Plans
        • Individual Retirement Accounts
      • Debt
    • Cash Flow >
      • Income
      • Expenses
    • Education Funding >
      • Funding Strategies
      • Financial Aid
  • The Journey
    • Travel & Leisure >
      • Latin America