Tax Efficiency:
The Tax Efficiency Ratio is an estimate, expressed as a percentage, of a fund's total return achieved over a period of time that is retained by the taxable investor.
Not exact matches
Yet another way to make your mutual funds more
tax - efficient is to select funds with a high
tax -
efficiency ratio.
The best way to choose funds is with good long - term performance over the past 1, 3, and 5 years; low expense
ratios; and
tax efficiency if in taxable accounts.
VTSMX seems like a good fund to hold for its low expense
ratio and the
tax efficiency of an index fund.
If the fund in question is going to be held in a taxable account, I make sure to look at two additional metrics: the «
tax cost
ratio» (on the «
tax» tab) and portfolio turnover (on the «quote» tab), both of which can give an idea of the fund's
tax efficiency.
In the same vein, brokers selling ETFs may point to lower ETF management expense
ratios and the supposed superior
tax efficiency of ETFs.
«When choosing among similarly priced funds, we suggest investors consider elements beyond the expense
ratio, such as investment strategy, methodology, tracking difference, spreads,
tax efficiency, and brand.»
On the plus side, the
tax efficiency of having a high turnover factor or strategy wrapper could drastically outweigh the expense
ratio.
In 2013, for example, the iShares Canadian Universe Bond Index ETF (XBB) had an after -
tax return of -3.10 % and a before
tax return of -1.47 %, resulting in a
tax -
efficiency ratio of +2.11 or +211 %, which is obviously incorrect.
If a fund is in a
tax - deferred account (IRA or 401k), then you don't care about
tax -
efficiency (or the turnover
ratio).
Unfortunately, if the fund has a negative before -
tax return, the
tax -
efficiency ratio would not make any sense.