What happens when an ETF is sold?
ETFs may close due to lack of investor interest or poor returns. For investors, the easiest way to exit an ETF investment is to sell it on the open market. Liquidation of ETFs is strictly regulated; when an ETF closes, any remaining shareholders will receive a payout based on what they had invested in the ETF.
Just as with individual securities, when you sell shares of a mutual fund or ETF (exchange-traded fund) for a profit, you'll owe taxes on that "realized gain." But you may also owe taxes if the fund realizes a gain by selling a security for more than the original purchase price—even if you haven't sold any shares.
ETF trading generally occurs in-kind, meaning they are not redeemed for cash. Mutual fund shares can be redeemed for money at the fund's net asset value for that day. Stocks are bought and sold using cash.
(See IRS Publication 598 for more information.) Another noteworthy tax feature of commodity ETFs is the 60/40 rule, which states that any gains or losses realized by selling these types of investments are treated as 60% long-term gains (up to 23.8% tax rate) and 40% short-term gains (up to 40.8% tax rate).
Watch the wash sale rule
The tax law does not define substantially identical security, but it's clear that buying and selling the same security meets the definition. For example, if you sell shares in the XYZ ETF at a loss and buy it back within the wash sale period, you cannot take the loss now.
For most ETFs, selling after less than a year is taxed as a short-term capital gain. ETFs held for longer than a year are taxed as long-term gains. If you sell an ETF, and buy the same (or a substantially similar) ETF after less than 30 days, you may be subject to the wash sale rule.
Q: How does the wash sale rule work? If you sell a security at a loss and buy the same or a substantially identical security within 30 calendar days before or after the sale, you won't be able to take a loss for that security on your current-year tax return.
If you're interested in selling ETFs, you can do it at any time during regular stock market hours, just like a stock. You'll want to make sure you figure out the best time of day to sell your ETF and the best order type to use.
It's rare for an index-based ETF to pay out a capital gain; when it does occur it's usually due to some special unforeseen circ*mstance. Of course, investors who realize a capital gain after selling an ETF are subject to the capital gains tax. Currently, the tax rates on long-term capital gains are 0%, 15%, and 20%.
Unlike mutual funds, however, ETFs are traded on the open market like stocks and bonds. While mutual fund shareholders can only redeem shares with the fund directly, ETF shareholders can buy and sell shares of an ETF at any time, completely at their discretion.
When should you sell your ETF?
Every quarter or every 6 months when you receive your dividend payment, just log into your broker account and sell off a small number of shares in your ETFs to access extra cash. That is the right time to sell your ETFs.
Holding an ETF for longer than a year may get you a more favorable capital gains tax rate when you sell your investment.
ETFs are built to avoid the capital gains that result from turnover and redemptions. Investors buy or sell ETF shares on a stock exchange from other investors, not the fund. This avoids the need to raise cash to meet redemptions for small investors.
One of the ways that investors make money from exchange traded funds (ETFs) is through dividends that are paid to the ETF issuer and then paid on to their investors in proportion to the number of shares each holds.
The holding period starts on the day after your purchase order is executed (“trade date”) and ends on the day of your sell order (also the “trade date”).
When an ETF liquidates, investors generally receive cash distributions equal to NAV, so even if you fall asleep at the wheel, you will receive the fair value of your shares—most of the time. It's worth noting, however, that there have been instances where the process wasn't smooth.
Low Liquidity
If an ETF is thinly traded, there can be problems getting out of the investment, depending on the size of your position relative to the average trading volume. The biggest sign of an illiquid investment is large spreads between the bid and the ask.
After you've invested in an ETF
Two business days (industry terminology refers to this as 'T+2' – trade day plus two business days) after you've made the investment, the trade settles. When a trade settles, this means the ETF units you bought have now been transferred under your 'HIN'.
Investors can choose to hold their ETFs for a return in action. Nonetheless, a decline in liquidity can mean a drop in value for both the short and long term, which makes investors more likely to sell.
ETFs don't often have large fees that are associated with some mutual funds. But because ETFs are traded like stocks, you may pay a commission to buy and sell them, although there are commission-free ETFs in the market.
What is the fee for ETF selling?
Brokerage houses may charge a commission for ETF trades just as they charge for any other market-traded security. These fees are typically around $20 per trade or less but they can add up over time if the investor trades ETFs often.
Specifically, a fund is prohibited from: acquiring more than 3% of a registered investment company's shares (the “3% Limit”); investing more than 5% of its assets in a single registered investment company (the “5% Limit”); or. investing more than 10% of its assets in registered investment companies (the “10% Limit”).
This method is employed as a means of lowering the investor's taxable income. To avoid triggering the wash sale rule, an investor can employ a strategy such as buying more of the stock that they'd like to sell, holding on to the new stock purchase for 31 days, and then selling it.
Under the Investment Company Act, private investment funds (e.g. hedge funds) are generally prohibited from acquiring more than 3% of an ETF's shares (the 3% Limit).
ETFs can be bought and sold just like stocks, while mutual funds can only be purchased at the end of each trading day. Actively managed funds tend to have higher fees and higher expense ratios due to their higher operations and trading costs.
