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Fidelity does not provide legal or tax advice. The information herein is general and educational in nature and should not be considered legal or tax advice. Tax laws and regulations are complex and subject to change, which can materially impact investment results. Fidelity cannot guarantee that the information herein is accurate, complete, or timely. Fidelity makes no warranties with regard to such information or results obtained by its use, and disclaims any liability arising out of your use of, or any tax position taken in reliance on, such information. Consult an attorney or tax professional regarding your specific situation.
1. Tax-smart investing techniques, including tax-loss harvesting, are applied in managing certain taxable accounts on a limited basis, at the discretion of the portfolio manager, Strategic Advisers LLC (Strategic Advisers), primarily with respect to determining when assets in a client's account should be bought or sold. Assets contributed may be sold for a taxable gain or loss at any time. There are no guarantees as to the effectiveness of the tax-smart investing techniques applied in serving to reduce or minimize a client's overall tax liabilities, or as to the tax results that may be generated by a given transaction.
2. Important information about the methodology and assumptions and their related risks and limitations used in calculating this figure. Tax-loss harvesting is one of several tax-smart investing techniques we apply in managed portfolios. Tax savings will vary from client to client. In any given year it may offer significant benefits during volatile markets. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Factors that could impact the value of our tax-smart investing techniques include market conditions, the tax characteristics of securities used to fund an account, client-imposed investment restrictions, client tax rate, asset allocation, investment approach, investment universe, the prevalence of SMA sleeves and any tax law changes. This analysis is based on the performance of all accounts in good order within investment strategies (offered through Fidelity® Wealth Services) within taxable account registrations from 1/1/2015 for the Total Return Blended strategy, and from 1/28/2019 for Total Return Fidelity-Focused and Index-Focused strategies and the Defensive approach (when tax-smart investment management capabilities were introduced), and from 06/30/2022 for Total Return Sustainable investment strategies through 12/31/2024. The analysis includes calculating the average of each year's average account’s capital gains tax savings over the past ten years. We estimate potential capital gains tax savings by multiplying each harvested tax loss by the applicable short- or long-term capital gains tax rate for each client account at the end of each year. The average account balance is $687,877, which is the average of each year's average account balance over the past ten years. The average balance has decreased over the course of the past ten years as we have seen a growth in the number of accounts after lowering minimums in recent years.
Our after-tax performance calculation methodology uses the full value of harvested tax losses without regard to any future taxes that would be owed on a subsequent sale of any new investment purchased following the harvesting of a tax loss. That assumption may not be appropriate in all client situations but is appropriate where (1) the new investment is donated (and not sold) by the client as part of a charitable gift, (2) the client passes away and leaves the investment to heirs, (3) the client's long-term capital gains rate is 0% when they start withdrawing assets and realizing gains, (4) harvested losses exceed the amount of gains for the life of the account, or (5) where the proceeds from the sale of the original investment sold to harvest the loss are not reinvested. Our analysis assumes that any losses realized are able to be offset against gains realized inside or outside of the client account during the year realized; however, all capital losses harvested in a single tax year may not result in a tax benefit for that year. Remaining unused capital losses may be carried forward to offset realized capital gains in subsequent years and up to $3,000 of ordinary income per year. It is important to understand that the value of tax-loss harvesting for any particular client can only be determined by fully examining a client's investment and tax decisions for the life the account and the client, which our methodology does not attempt to do. Clients and potential clients should speak with their tax advisors for more information about how our tax-loss harvesting approach could provide value under their specific circumstances.
3. For a list of eligible investments, see our Form ADV, Part 2A Brochure or contact a Fidelity representative. Clients may elect to transfer noneligible securities into their accounts. Should they do so, Strategic Advisers or its designee will liquidate those securities as soon as reasonably practicable, and clients acknowledge that transferring such securities into their accounts acts as a direction to Strategic Advisers to sell any such securities. Clients may realize a taxable gain or loss when these shares are sold, which may affect the after-tax performance/return within their accounts, and Strategic Advisers does not consider the potential tax consequences of these sales when following a client's deemed direction to see such securities. Strategic Advisers reserves the right not to accept otherwise eligible securities, at its sole discretion.
4. While Strategic Advisers does consider the potential tax consequences of the sale of eligible securities used to fund an account managed with tax-smart investing techniques, Strategic Advisers believes that appropriate asset allocation and diversification are of primary importance and applies tax-smart investing techniques as a secondary consideration in managing such accounts. Accordingly, clients who fund an account managed with tax-smart investing techniques with appreciated securities should understand that Strategic Advisers could sell such securities notwithstanding that the sale could trigger significant tax consequences.
Stock markets are volatile and can fluctuate significantly in response to company, industry, political, regulatory, market, or economic developments.
Fidelity® Wealth Services provides non-discretionary financial planning and discretionary investment management through one or more Personalized Portfolios accounts for a fee. Advisory services offered by Strategic Advisers LLC (Strategic Advisers), a registered investment adviser. Brokerage services provided by Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC (FBS), and custodial and related services provided by National Financial Services LLC (NFS), each a member NYSE and SIPC. Strategic Advisers, FBS, and NFS are Fidelity Investments companies.
Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC, Member NYSE, SIPC, 900 Salem Street, Smithfield, RI 02917
