By Jamie Viceconte, Head of Investment Product | Citizens Wealth Management
Jamie joined Citizens Wealth Management in 2022 and is responsible for the curation and management of the investment product suite of ETFs and mutual funds, and portfolio models constructed with these products. As a strategic partner, he has over 30 years of experience in financial markets focused on a broad array of public and private equity and fixed income products.
While market volatility and downturns can be unsettling, they can also create opportunities.
When investments decline in value, investors may be able to realize losses in a strategic way that offsets capital gains and potentially reduces taxable income. Known as tax-loss harvesting, here's how the strategy works, the potential benefits and when it may make sense to consider using it.
Tax-loss harvesting is the practice of selling an investment for less than its original purchase price (referred to as the cost basis) to realize a capital loss. The loss can be used to offset realized capital gains from other investments. Subject to defined annual limits, realized losses can also reduce ordinary taxable income.
To maintain your market exposure, proceeds from the sale of the position with the loss being realized, or harvested, can be reinvested in a similar security or fund.
For instance, you could sell shares of a S&P 500 mutual fund for a loss and buy shares of a Russell 1000 fund, another fund that tracks the stock performance of large capitalization U.S. companies. This provides an immediate tax deduction while maintaining similar market exposure.
To understand tax-loss harvesting, it's important to know how the IRS treats investment gains and losses.
A capital gain is realized when an asset is sold for more than its cost basis. The gain is taxed differently depending on the length of time the asset was held.
If the asset was held for less than one year, it is treated as a short-term capital gain. Short-term capital gains are usually taxed at your ordinary income tax rate, which ranges from 10% to 37% depending on filing status and income.1
If the asset was held for more than one year, it is treated as a long-term capital gain and, with few exceptions, taxed at a tax rate of either 0%, 15% or 20% depending on filing status and income.2
A capital loss is when an asset is sold for less than its cost basis. Capital losses are applied against capital gains in this order:
If losses exceed gains, up to $3,000 of losses can be deducted against ordinary income in the current tax year. Any unused losses can then be carried to future tax years.
When used strategically, tax-loss harvesting can offer several potential benefits:
Tax-loss harvesting does have limitations that need to be thoroughly understood and considered before moving forward. Here are a few key considerations:
You and your financial advisor can review your portfolio for potential tax-loss harvesting opportunities. Here are situations where it may be useful:
While tax-loss harvesting is a strategy that could help you reduce your tax liability, it should be considered within a disciplined investment framework. It is not a guaranteed way to increase returns or avoid losses and it should not singularly drive investment decisions. Instead, it works best when it aligns with a comprehensive plan that is based on your long-term investment strategy and goals.
Like tax-loss harvesting, effectively managing your investments can be complex. If you're looking for professional guidance, consider speaking with a Citizens Wealth Advisor* to create a personalized investment plan based on your financial goals. The right plan today can help you prepare for your future with confidence.
Diversification is an important tool to help manage risk and volatility in your portfolio.
If you're looking for a way to bring yourself and your family a sense of comfort as the years pass, look no further than your financial plan.
Learn how to prepare for common retirement risks to help secure your financial future.
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1 IRS, "IRS releases tax inflation adjustments for tax year 2025," May 2025
2 IRS, "Topic no. 409, Capital gains and losses," June 2025
* Securities, Insurance Products and Investment Advisory Services offered through Citizens Wealth Management.
Disclaimer: Citizens Securities, Inc. and Clarfeld Financial Advisors, LLC do not provide legal or tax advice. The information contained herein is for informational purposes only as a service to the public and is not legal advice or a substitute for legal counsel. You should do your own research and/or contact your own legal or tax advisor for assistance with questions you may have on the information contained herein.
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