Is TLT tax efficient?
Since US Treasury bonds are tax exempt at the state and local levels, the dividend payments of the US Treasury bond ETF TLT are also exempt from state and local income taxes. The taxes prepaid by brokers at the time of distribution will be fully or partially refunded in early next year after confirmation.
Municipal bonds are very tax-efficient because the interest income isn't taxable at the federal level and it's often tax-exempt at the state and local level, too.
- iShares Core S&P 500 ETF IVV.
- iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF ITOT.
- Schwab U.S. Broad Market ETF SCHB.
- Vanguard S&P 500 ETF VOO.
- Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF VTI.
If you hold TLT in a TFSA in the US, you will be subject to a 15% withholding tax on all dividends received.
Interest from corporate bonds and U.S. Treasury bonds interest is typically taxable at the federal level. U.S. Treasuries are exempt from state and local income taxes. Most interest income earned on municipal bonds is exempt from federal income taxes.
You can skip paying taxes on interest earned with Series EE and Series I savings bonds if you're using the money to pay for qualified higher education costs. That includes expenses you pay for yourself, your spouse or a qualified dependent. Only certain qualified higher education costs are covered, including: Tuition.
Interest earned on most municipal bonds is exempt from federal income tax and may be exempt from state and local taxes (depending on where you live). Because of those tax advantages, municipal bonds typically offer lower yields than investment-grade corporate bonds.
ETFs are generally considered more tax-efficient than mutual funds, owing to the fact that they typically have fewer capital gains distributions. However, they still have tax implications you must consider, both when creating your portfolio as well as when timing the sale of an ETF you hold.
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.
One common strategy is to close out positions that have losses before their one-year anniversary. You then keep positions that have gains for more than one year. This way, your gains receive long-term capital gains treatment, lowering your tax liability.
Does TLT stock pay dividends?
TLT Dividend Information
TLT has a dividend yield of 3.89% and paid $3.47 per share in the past year. The dividend is paid every month and the last ex-dividend date was Apr 1, 2024.
Using the money for higher education may keep you from paying federal income tax on your savings bond interest.
Are all bonds taxed? Bonds are divided into two classes: taxable and tax-exempt. A bond's tax-exempt status applies only to the bond's interest income. Any capital gains generated from selling a bond or bond fund before its maturity date is taxable, regardless of the type of bond.
Choosing between a CD and Treasuries depends on how long of a term you want. For terms of one to six months, as well as 10 years, rates are close enough that Treasuries are the better pick. For terms of one to five years, CDs are currently paying more, and it's a large enough difference to give them the edge.
These are U.S. government bonds that offer a unique combination of safety and steady income. But while they are lauded for their security and reliability, potential drawbacks such as interest rate risk, low returns and inflation risk must be carefully considered.
Often, CDs pay higher rates for longer term lengths. Treasury bills are short-term securities issued by the U.S. Treasury, with terms that range between four and 52 weeks. They are considered a type of bond, but don't pay a coupon (interest).
A stable value fund is a portfolio of bonds that are insured to protect the investor against a decline in yield or a loss of capital. The owner of a stable value fund will continue to receive the agreed-upon interest payments regardless of the state of the economy.
| Face Value | Purchase Amount | 20-Year Value (Purchased May 2000) |
|---|---|---|
| $50 Bond | $100 | $109.52 |
| $100 Bond | $200 | $219.04 |
| $500 Bond | $400 | $547.60 |
| $1,000 Bond | $800 | $1,095.20 |
Municipal bonds are federally tax-free and, in some cases, are free from state and local taxes too. That means, depending on where you live, you may never owe income taxes on the payments you receive from the bond's issuer (but they may be subject to the alternative minimum tax or AMT).
Securities purchased through TreasuryDirect cannot be sold in the secondary market before they mature. This lack of liquidity could be a disadvantage for investors who may need to access their investment capital before the securities' maturity.
What is considered the safest type of bond investment?
Treasuries are generally considered"risk-free" since the federal government guarantees them and has never (yet) defaulted. These government bonds are often best for investors seeking a safe haven for their money, particularly during volatile market periods. They offer high liquidity due to an active secondary market.
| Ticker | Fund | Expense Ratio |
|---|---|---|
| BLV | Vanguard Long-Term Bond ETF | 0.04% |
| ZROZ | PIMCO 25+ Year Zero Coupon US Treasury ETF | 0.15% |
| VCIT | Vanguard Intermediate-Term Corporate Bond ETF | 0.04% |
| IEF | iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF | 0.15% |
However, if you know that you'd like a bit more exposure to smaller and medium-sized companies or just want to invest in more stocks overall, VTI is your best bet. VOO, meanwhile, is the better option for investors who want to focus heavily on large cap companies.
Comparing tax efficiency
As you can see, VTI is 0.01% worse (cost of 0.32% vs 0.31%) than VTSAX for the one year period, they are both identical for the 5 year period (cost of 0.45% per year for both), and VTI is 0.01% better (0.49% cost vs 0.50% cost) for the 10 year period.
Since these transactions occur between two market participants and not the fund itself, existing shareholders are insulated from others actively buying and selling shares – thus avoiding taxable transactions within the ETF.
