Navigating Taxes While Investing

Consider annual tax-loss harvesting.

Investment gains are generally a good thing—even in taxable (non-retirement) accounts—the asset went up in value and you are now correspondingly wealthier. But realizing any capital gain—when you sell an asset for more than its cost basis—could mean paying capital gains tax. In a taxable account, you may be able to offset some capital gains with capital losses by selling or paring back losing positions. This practice is known as “tax-loss harvesting.” Just be aware of the “wash sale rule” regarding buying the same or substantially identical security within 30 days after selling it.¹ The wash sale rule seeks to prevent investors from incurring losses and repurchasing securities immediately after selling them. If you end up incurring a wash sale, you may not be able to use the tax loss to offset your capital gains. 

This doesn’t mean you should sell all your losing securities as an investment strategy. Losses are bound to happen, and losses alone shouldn’t necessarily change your investment outlook. However, tax-loss selling to offset your capital gains can be a viable way to help reduce your tax bill.

Consider contributing to tax-advantaged accounts.

You may have saved some money in a tax-deferred account, such as a 401(k) or individual retirement account (IRA). Contributing to such accounts may reduce your taxable income while saving more for the future. However, when you withdraw money from tax-deferred accounts, you will pay ordinary income taxes on that income, which may be higher than the taxes you would pay on long-term capital gains in a taxable account. Remember though, you likely paid income taxes on the money before it went into your taxable account.

An alternative to a tax-deferred account is a tax-exempt account, such as a Roth IRA or a retirement plan with Roth contributions. In these accounts, you pay income taxes now, and when you withdraw the funds in the future, you normally will not owe income taxes on withdrawals. With tax-exempt accounts, you also won’t pay capital gains taxes on your investment gains. For retirees, having multiple sources of retirement income could prove beneficial, allowing you more flexibility in what you withdraw and when.

The option that will benefit you most depends on your current tax rate and your potential tax rate in retirement, so it may be best to discuss your options with a tax adviser.

Consider taking your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD), if you qualify.

An RMD is the minimum amount many retirees are required to withdraw annually from retirement accounts such as a 401(k) or traditional IRA.² The IRS instituted this rule to ensure your assets are taxed eventually.If you don't take your RMD when it’s time, you may have to pay penalties on whatever you didn't take. There are some exceptions like Roth IRAs, which generally don’t have RMDs.

If you reached age 73 in 2020 or later you must take your first RMD by April 1 of the year after you reach 73.The RMD amount is likely to vary based on your age and savings. And if you have multiple applicable accounts, each one will have an RMD. You may be able to combine the accounts for simplicity, but we recommend consulting your investment adviser and tax advisor if you plan to do so.

Fisher Investments Can Help

Tax planning has many factors to consider and varies from investor to investor, so consult your tax advisor. As you plan for the current tax year, you will need to consider the tax implications specific to you and your financial situation. Tax-loss harvesting strategies may be able to reduce your tax bill. Though Fisher Investments is not a tax advisor, we have helped thousands of investors perform regular tax-loss harvesting over the years. If you would like to learn more about tax-loss harvesting and how Fisher Investments may be able to help you, call and speak with one of our qualified representatives.

1 https://www.irs.gov/publications/p550

² Source: Internal Revenue Service, as of 2/28/2019. https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/retirement-plans-faqs-regarding-required-minimum-distributions.