Contributed by: Mallory Hunt
"The difference between the tax man and the taxidermist is the taxidermist leaves the skin." Mark Twain
Three to five years ago, we would be singing a different tune, talking about capital gains and how to minimize your tax drag during the bull market. These days, we may be looking at capital losses (like those likely carried over by many investors after 2022) from this tumultuous market. Given the recent market downturn, tax loss harvesting is more popular than ever. While investors can benefit from harvesting losses at any time, down markets may offer even greater opportunities to do so. Investors who hold securities in taxable accounts (i.e., not your retirement accounts) can harvest losses that may benefit them in a couple of different ways depending on their specific situation. So let's look at the ins and outs of the unsung hero and how to use it to your advantage.
What is Tax Loss Harvesting and How Does it Work?
Tax loss harvesting is an investment strategy that can turn a portion of your investment losses into tax offsets. The strategy is implemented by strategically selling stocks or funds at a loss to offset gains you have realized or plan to realize throughout the year from selling other investments. The result? You only need to pay taxes on your net profit or the amount you have gained minus the amount you have lost. In turn, this reduces your tax bill. When and if capital losses are greater than capital gains, investors can deduct up to $3,000 from their taxable income. This applies even if there are no investment gains to minimize for the year, and harvested losses can also be used to offset the taxes paid on ordinary income. If net losses for a particular year exceed $3,000, the balance of those losses can be carried forward and deducted on future tax returns.
With the proceeds of the investments sold, similar (but not identical) holdings are usually purchased to help ensure your asset allocation and risk profile stay unchanged while you continue to participate in the market. These newly purchased investments are typically held for a short period of time (no less than 30 days) and are then, more often than not, sold to repurchase those holdings that we sold at a loss initially. Do take heed of the wash-sale rule to ensure the proper execution of the strategy. This rule prohibits investors from selling an investment for a loss and replacing it with the same or a "substantially identical" investment 30 days before or after the sale. The IRS provides a substantially identical definition and, unfortunately, has not been very clear on what is determined to fall into that category, leaving a lot of gray area. If the same investment is purchased before the wash sale period has expired, you can no longer write off the loss. However, the opportunity is not lost as the loss will be added back to the cost basis of the position, and the opportunity to harvest the loss at a later date is still an option.
Additional Considerations
Keep in mind that your capital gains taxes on any profits are based on how long you have held an asset. Long-term holdings held for one year or more will be taxed at long-term capital gains tax rates (0%, 15%, or 20%, depending on your taxable income and filing status), which generally tend to be lower than short-term capital gains tax rates. Short-term assets held for less than one year will be taxed at the same rate as your ordinary income (10%-37%). Investors in higher tax brackets will see the most significant benefits from tax loss harvesting as they will save more by minimizing taxable gains.
If you want to harvest losses, transactions must be completed by the end of the year you wish to realize the losses. For example, if you want to harvest losses from 2021, transactions would have needed to be completed by December 31, 2021.
In the end, tax loss harvesting is one way for investors to keep more of their investment earnings. According to researchers at MIT & Chapman University, tax loss harvesting was calculated to yield, on average, an additional 1.08% annual return each year from 1926 to 2018*. Overall, this is a time-tested strategy and potentially helpful tool, particularly during down markets. Consider speaking to your Financial Planner about how they implement this strategy, and always consult a tax advisor about your particular tax situation.
Mallory Hunt is a Portfolio Administrator at Center for Financial Planning, Inc.® She holds her Series 7, 63 and 65 Securities Licenses along with her Life, Accident & Health and Variable Annuities licenses.
While we are familiar with the tax provisions of the issues presented herein, as Financial Advisors of RJFS, we are not qualified to render advice on tax or legal matters. You should discuss tax or legal matters with the appropriate professional.
The information contained in this letter does not purport to be a complete description of the securities, markets, or developments referred to in this material. The information has been obtained from sources considered to be reliable, but we do not guarantee that the foregoing material is accurate or complete. Any opinions are those of Mallory Hunt, and not necessarily those of Raymond James. Expression of opinion are as of this date and are subject to change without notice. There is no guarantee that these statement, opinions or forecasts provided herein will prove to be correct. Investing involves risk and you may incur a profit or loss regardless of strategy selected, including diversification and asset allocation. Individual investor’s results will vary. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Any information is not a complete summary or statement of all available data necessary for making an investment decision and does not constitute a recommendation.
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