Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US Small-Cap Index Fund tax distributions
FTSE All-World ex-US Small-Cap Index |
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The Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US Small-Cap Index Fund is a suitable candidate for placement in taxable accounts. The index fund tracks the FTSE Global Small Cap ex US Index. The fund is often recommended to be used in combination with the Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US Index Fund for investors desiring to establish their own set allocations between international large cap and international small cap stocks.
The following tables provide long term data on the Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US Small-Cap Index Fund's history of both dividend and capital gains distributions. The first table also provides the historical distribution of qualified dividends and an estimate of the foreign tax credit.
The second table provides a database of the fund's accounting figures: the annual level of realized and distributed gains; its level of unrealized gains and loss carryforwards; as well as the annual in-kind redemption gains the fund has realized. These figures highlight the level of a fund's tax liabilities.
Because both manager turnover of securities inside the portfolio and investor turnover of fund shares can affect the level of gains realization, a third table provides historical turnover ratios.
Distributions
Fund distributions |
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Data sources |
The Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US Small-Cap Index Fund has a fiscal year ending in October, so its reported distributions for a year reflect the prior year's December distribution of dividends and capital gains. |
Vanguard converted investor shares to admiral shares in FY 2020. Beginning in 2020 admiral shares are used in fiscal year total returns.
Year | Dividend Investor shares [1] |
Dividend Admiral shares [1] |
Dividend ETF shares [1] |
Short-term Capital Gains [notes 1] |
Long-term Capital Gains [notes 2] |
Qualified Dividends [2] |
Foreign tax credit [notes 3] |
(FY) Annual Return - Investor [3] |
2020 | 1.29% | 2.12% | 2.17% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 47.17% | 0.25% | -0.84% |
2019 | 2.47% | 3.07% | 2.80% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 47.17% | 0.26% | 8.16% |
2018 | 2.50% | 2.60% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 59.03% | 0.23% | -10.95% | |
2017 | 2.40% | 2.52% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 42.33% | 0.21% | 21.02% | |
2016 | 2.63% | 2.77% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 49.32% | 0.20% | 3.95% | |
2015 | 2.41% | 2.55% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 51.75% | 0.20% | -2.33% | |
2014 | 2.25% | 2.43% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 53.42% | 0.20% | 0.15% | |
2013 | 2.58% | 2.78% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 51.75% | 1.15% | 21.25% | |
2012 | 2.54% | 2.74% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 49.19% | 0.23% | 4.77% | |
2011 | 2.35% | 2.57% | 0.29% | 0.35% | 63.14% | 0.22% | -6.67% | |
2010 | 1.89% | 2.11% | 1.35% | 0.00% | 46.66% | 0.18% | 23.90% | |
2009 | 1.49% | 1.72% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 49.89% | 0.12% | 49.15% |
- FY 2020 - Investor shares discontinued after conversion to admiral shares.
- FY 2012 - Elimination of 2% transaction fee on redemptions of shares held < 2 mos. [4]
- FY 2009 dividend annualized
Accounting data
The accounting figures and associated ratios (tables 2 and 3) can help one visualize some of the major determinants of a fund’s tendency to distribute taxable gains. These determining features include:
Turnover: The rate at which a fund manager sells securities within the fund has a major effect on potential gains realization. Single digit annual fund turnover percentages result in a low rate of realized gains. Similarly, fund shareholders' sales flows have major effects on a fund’s distribution tendencies. Net flows into the fund have the following effects:
- Constant inflows allow a fund manager to purchase a wide range of price lots for shares. The manager can select high basis shares when forced to sell a stock (this may realize a loss). The manager can also select low basis shares when redeeming a stock in-kind (a non-taxable transaction that can remove an unrealized gain out of the portfolio.) This redemption technique is primarily employed with institutional creation and redemption of exchange-traded fund (ETF) shares.[notes 4] Net inflows mean that shareholders are not forcing the manager to liquidate assets (and realize gains or losses) in order to meet redemptions. Large outflows can force such liquidation.
- A large and growing net asset base serves to diffuse any realized capital gains across a large base of shareholders and reduces the per share gain distribution. Large outflows have the opposite effect; any gains realized are spread across a smaller asset base and result in higher per share distributed gains. [5]
The level of unrealized gains and carryover realized losses in a fund: Index funds defer gains realization and often accumulate significant unrealized appreciation, which if distributed, would be taxed; thus the unrealized gain/loss figure shows the potential gain (or loss) that would be realized if the portfolio was to be entirely liquidated. Any loss carryovers a fund possesses can be used to offset future realized gains (carryovers have an eight year expiration period).
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Turnover statistics
Reference article: Average net assets
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Tax rates
Mutual fund distributions will be taxed according to the tax laws governing the investment over the holding period of the investment, which are subject to change. The actual tax imposed will depend upon each individual's tax rate and the timing of purchases and sales. The federal tax rates applicable to mutual fund distributions and investor sales of securities for the period 2013 onward are outlined below. Keep in mind that investment income may also be subject to state and local taxation.
- Short-term capital gains distributions are made from realized gains on securities held for one year or less. Short-term gains are taxed at ordinary income tax rates up to 37%. Mutual fund short-term gain distributions are included in a fund's ordinary dividend distribution; therefore, capital losses may not be subtracted from these distributions when computing taxes.
- Long-term capital gains distributions are made from realized gains on securities held for more than one year. Long-term gains are taxed at 0% for taxpayers in the 10% and 12% tax brackets, at 15% for taxpayers in the middle tax brackets, and at 20% in between the 35% and 37% tax brackets. They are reported on tax Schedule D along with any other capital gains, and can be reduced by capital losses.
- Qualified dividends are the ordinary dividends [notes 5] that are subject to the same tax rate that applies to long-term capital gains. They should be shown in box 1b of the Form 1099-DIV you receive.
- When you sell at a loss you will either offset capital gains which would have otherwise been taxed at your capital gains rate or you will offset income (up to $3,000 maximum per year) which would have otherwise been taxed at your marginal income tax rate, or both. If you offset capital gains that would have otherwise not been taxed at all (because your capital gains tax rate is 0%) then this part of the tax loss harvest may be an outright loss.
- The Affordable Care Act imposes a Medicare surcharge of 3.8% on all net investment income (NII) once the taxpayer's adjusted gross income exceeds $200,000 (single) or $250,000 (married); while this tax is not part of the income tax, it has the same effect on investors as a higher tax rate. The NII tax begins to apply to individuals falling in the 33% tax bracket. Thus the top effective marginal tax rate is 23.8% on qualified dividends and long-term gains, 43.4% on ordinary investment income.
Filing status and annual taxable income - 2024 | Ordinary income tax rate | ||||
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Single | Married Filing Jointly or Qualified Widow(er) | Married Filing Separately | Head of Household | Trusts and Estates | |
$0-$11,600 | $0-$23,200 | $0-$11,600 | $0-$16,550 | $0-3,100 | 10% |
$11,601-$47,150 | $23,201-$94,300 | $11,601-$47,150 | $16,551-$63,100 | n/a | 12% |
$47,151-$100,525 | $94,301-$201,050 | $47,151-$100,525 | $63,101-$100,500 | n/a | 22% |
$100,526-$191,950 | $201,051-$383,900 | $100,526-$191,950 | $100,501-$191,950 | $3,101-$11,150 | 24% |
$191,951-$243,725 | $383,901-$487,450 | $191,951-$243,725 | $191,951-$243,700 | n/a | 32% |
$243,726-$609,350 | $487,450-$731,200 | $243,726-$365,600 | $243,701-$603,950 | $11,151-$15,200 | 35% |
$609,351+ | $731,201+ | $365,600+ | $603,951+ | $15,201+ | 37% |
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Filing status and annual taxable income - 2024 | Long-term capital gain rate | ||||
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Single | Married Filing Jointly or Qualified Widow(er) | Married Filing Separately | Head of Household | Trusts and Estates | Qualified dividends and other investments |
$0-$47,025 | $0-$94,050 | $0-$47,025 | $0-$63,000 | $0-$3,100 | 0% |
$47,026-$518,900 | $94,041-$583,750 | $47,026-$291,850 | $63,001-$551,350 | $3,101-$15,450 | 15% |
$518,901+ | $583,751+ | $291,851+ | $551,351+ | $15,451+ | 20% |
Filing status and annual taxable income - 2023 | Ordinary income tax rate | ||||
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Single | Married Filing Jointly or Qualified Widow(er) | Married Filing Separately | Head of Household | Trusts and Estates | |
$0-$11,000 | $0-$22,000 | $0-$11,000 | $0-$15,700 | $0-$2,900 | 10% |
$11,001-$44,725 | $22,001-$89,450 | $11,001-$44,725 | $15,701-$59,850 | n/a | 12% |
$44,726-$95,375 | $89,451-$190,750 | $44,726-$95,375 | $59,851-$95,350 | n/a | 22% |
$95,376-$182,100 | $190,751-$364,200 | $95,376-$182,100 | $95,351-$182,100 | $2,901-$10,550 | 24% |
$182,101-$231,250 | $364,201-$462,500 | $182,101-$231,250 | $182,101-$231,250 | n/a | 32% |
$231,251-$578,125 | $462,501-$693,750 | $231,251-$346,875 | $231,251-$578,100 | $10,551-$14,450 | 35% |
$578,126+ | $693,751+ | $346,876+ | $578,001+ | $14,451+ | 37% |
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Filing status and annual taxable income - 2023 | Long-term capital gain rate | ||||
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Single | Married Filing Jointly or Qualified Widow(er) | Married Filing Separately | Head of Household | Trusts and Estates | Qualified dividends and other investments |
$0-$44,625 | $0-$89,250 | $0-$44,625 | $0-$59,750 | $0-$3,000 | 0% |
$44,626-$492,300 | $89,251-$553,850 | $44,626-$276,900 | $59,751-$492,300 | $3,001-$14,650 | 15% |
$492,301+ | $553,851+ | $276,901+ | $492,301+ | $14,651+ | 20% |
See also
Notes
- ↑ Short-term capital gains are derived from annual reports, and are calculated by dividing the dollar amount capital gain distribution by the average net assets of the fund.
- ↑ Long-term capital gains are derived from annual reports, and are calculated by dividing the dollar amount capital gain distribution by the average net assets of the fund. Gains calculations are provided in the table below.
Table 5. Capital gains table
(View Google Spreadsheet in browser, then File --> Download as to download the file.)
Note: If the spreadsheet is blank, select a different sheet, then back to that sheet. The image will be refreshed. - ↑ The foreign tax credit is estimated by dividing the foreign tax paid, provided in the fund's annual report, by the fund's average net assets, found in the fund's EDGAR NSAR reports. Calculations are tabulated below:
Table 6. Foreign tax credit
(View Google Spreadsheet in browser, then File --> Download as to download the file.)
Note: If the spreadsheet is blank, select a different sheet, then back to that sheet. The image will be refreshed. - ↑ When a fund redeems ETF shares, it prepares a basket of securities that it exchanges in-kind to an institutional investor. The basket often includes a modest cash component for exact settlement. An astute ETF manager can use this as an opportunity to raise cash by selling some high basis stock for a realized loss. At fund inception, the fund offered both mutual fund and exchange-traded fund shares. The fund has consistently maintained a sizable percentage of fund assets in ETF shares.
Chart: ETF ratio to total fund assets
(View Google Spreadsheet in browser, then File --> Download as to download the file.)
Note: If the spreadsheet is blank, select a different sheet, then back to that sheet. The image will be refreshed.
- ↑ Fairmark says:
A portion of your ordinary dividend may be nonqualified because it can include items like these:
- Taxable interest. When a mutual fund receives taxable interest, the income gets paid out as a dividend. It's a dividend when it goes out of the mutual fund, but it wasn't a dividend when it came into the mutual fund, so it can't be a qualified dividend.
- Nonqualified dividends. Your mutual fund may receive dividends that are nonqualified. For example, the mutual fund may sell shares just 35 days after buying them, but after receiving a dividend. The mutual fund has to hold the shares at least 61 days to have a qualified dividend. Any amount the mutual fund receives as a nonqualified dividend gets paid to you as a nonqualified dividend.
- Short-term capital gain. When a mutual fund has a short-term capital gain, it pays this amount to the mutual fund shareholders as an ordinary dividend.
- Holding mutual fund shares less than 61 days. You should also be aware that any dividend you receive on mutual fund shares held less than 61 days is a nonqualified dividend, even if the mutual fund reports that amount to you as a qualified dividend. You don't have to buy the shares 61 days before the dividend is paid, but the total amount of time you hold the shares (including time before and after the dividend) has to be at least 61 days.
Almost all of the dividends distributed by Equity REITS come in the form of non-qualified dividends. Non-qualified dividends are taxed at marginal income tax rates.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Dividend data is derived from the Complete filings: N-CSR reports back to 2003; N-30D reports back to 1994
- ↑ Data derived from Vanguard site.
- ↑ Data derived from annual reports.
- ↑ More Vanguard funds eliminate or reduce fees, viewed November 10, 2012.
- ↑ Larry E. Swedroe, What Wall Street Doesn’t Want You To Know, 2001, pp.227-28. ISBN 0312335725
- ↑ Data sources
Average Net Assets: EDGAR NSAR filings
Turnover statistics: EDGAR filings: N-CSR reports back to 2003
External links
Vanguard
- Current tax attributes and distributions: Vanguard
- State Individual Income Tax Rates, 2019, The Tax Foundation
- Tax information-Vanguard funds, qualified dividends, see also past years data tab