Question

What is the difference between direct indexing and ETFs for tax-loss harvesting?

Answer

Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) track an index as a single fund and cannot harvest losses at the individual stock level. Direct indexing lets you own each stock separately, so you can sell specific losers and replace them with similar securities while staying invested in the index. This security-level harvesting can generate additional after-tax returns that an ETF structure cannot offer, although direct indexing may involve higher fees and requires a larger minimum investment.

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