What is the 30 day rule for ETFs?
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.
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.
The 30-day yield is calculated by taking the fund's interest and/or dividend earnings for the most recent month and dividing by the average number of shares outstanding for the month times the highest share offer price on the last day of the month.
Some investors may think that they can reverse the order of a wash sale, buying more of the asset before they later sell less than 30 days later and declare a loss on it. But the IRS disallows this activity, since you may not buy 30 days before or after the sale and still claim a loss.
Holding period:
If you hold ETF shares for one year or less, then gain is short-term capital gain. If you hold ETF shares for more than one year, then gain is long-term capital gain.
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.
At least once a year, funds must pass on any net gains they've realized. As a fund shareholder, you could be on the hook for taxes on gains even if you haven't sold any of your shares.
If you own shares of an exchange-traded fund (ETF), you may receive distributions in the form of dividends. These may be paid monthly or at some other interval, depending on the ETF.
It is based on the most recent 30-day period covered by the fund's filings with the SEC. The yield figure reflects the dividends and interest earned during the period after the deduction of the fund's expenses. It is also referred to as the "standardized yield."
| Symbol | Name | Dividend Yield |
|---|---|---|
| NVD | GraniteShares 2x Short NVDA Daily ETF | 48.62% |
| OARK | YieldMax Innovation Option Income Strategy ETF | 45.86% |
| AMDY | YieldMax AMD Option Income Strategy ETF | 43.89% |
| QQQY | Defiance Nasdaq 100 Enhanced Options Income ETF Defiance Nasdaq 100 Enhanced Option Income ETF | 40.17% |
What is the 30 day rule for Vanguard?
Any investor transferring money out of a given fund may not transfer money back into that same fund for 30 days. Fund purchases made through payroll contributions, loan payments or rollovers, or by any other means besides an exchange will not fall under this restriction.
Investors who buy a "substantially identical security" within 30 days before or after selling at a loss are subject to the wash-sale rule. The rule prevents an investor from selling a security at a loss, booking that loss to offset the tax bill, and then immediately buying the security back at, or near, the sale price.
To avoid a wash sale, the investor can wait more than 30 days from the sale to purchase an identical or substantially identical investment or invest in exchange-traded or mutual funds with similar investments to the one sold.
In 1980, had you invested a mere $1,000 in what went on to become the top-performing stock of S&P 500, then you would be sitting on a cool $1.2 million today.
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.
ETFs can be safe investments if used correctly, offering diversification and flexibility. Indexed ETFs, tracking specific indexes like the S&P 500, are generally safe and tend to gain value over time. Leveraged ETFs can be used to amplify returns, but they can be riskier due to increased volatility.
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%.
In order to withdraw from an exchange traded fund, you need to give your online broker or ETF platform an instruction to sell. ETFs offer guaranteed liquidity – you don't have to wait for a buyer or a seller.
Just as how long you have to wait to sell a stock after buying it, there is no legal limit on the number of times you can buy and sell the same stock in one day. Again, though, your broker may impose restrictions based on your account type, available capital, and regulatory rules regarding 'Pattern Day Traders'.
For instance, some ETFs may come with fees, others might stray from the value of the underlying asset, ETFs are not always optimized for taxes, and of course — like any investment — ETFs also come with risk.
What are the best ETFs for 2024?
| Ticker | Fund name | 5-year return |
|---|---|---|
| SMH | VanEck Semiconductor ETF | 35.02% |
| SOXX | iShares Semiconductor ETF | 30.70% |
| XLK | Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund | 24.57% |
| IYW | iShares U.S. Technology ETF | 24.09% |
ETFs and index mutual funds tend to be generally more tax efficient than actively managed funds. And, in general, ETFs tend to be more tax efficient than index mutual funds. You want niche exposure. Specific ETFs focused on particular industries or commodities can give you exposure to market niches.
It's possible to live off the income from high-dividend ETFs, but it may take some planning. You can find high-dividend ETFs by analyzing the ETF selection in your brokerage account.
- 6 Best Monthly Dividend ETFs. ...
- JPMorgan Equity Premium Income Fund JEPI +0.1% ...
- JPMorgan NASDAQ Equity Premium Income Fund (JEPQ) ...
- Invesco S&P 500 Low Volatility ETF SPLV +1.1% ...
- WisdomTree U.S. LargeCap Dividend Fund DLN +0.8%
Automatic dividend reinvestment plans (DRIPs) directly from the fund sponsor aren't yet available on all ETFs although most brokerages will allow you to set up a DRIP for any ETF that pays dividends. This can be a smart idea because there's often a longer settlement time required by ETFs.
