Are ETFs or mutual funds better for long-term?
In many ways mutual funds and ETFs do the same thing, so the better long-term choice depends a lot on what the fund is actually invested in (the types of stocks and bonds, for example). For instance, mutual funds and ETFs based on the S&P 500 index are largely going to perform the same for you.
ETFs have several advantages for investors considering this vehicle. The 4 most prominent advantages are trading flexibility, portfolio diversification and risk management, lower costs versus like mutual funds, and potential tax benefits.
ETFs can be a great investment for long-term investors and those with shorter-term time horizons. They can be especially valuable to beginning investors. That's because they won't require the time, effort, and experience needed to research individual stocks.
For long term investments, consider equity funds as they offer the potential for the best returns. Choosing a growth mutual fund option can help you achieve your long-term goals as your returns will grow through compounding over time.
ETFs are subject to market fluctuation and the risks of their underlying investments. ETFs are subject to management fees and other expenses. Unlike mutual funds, ETF shares are bought and sold at market price, which may be higher or lower than their NAV, and are not individually redeemed from the fund.
For instance, some ETFs may come with fees, others might stray from the value of the underlying asset, ETFs are not always optimized for taxes, and of course — like any investment — ETFs also come with risk.
If you're paying fees for a fund with a high expense ratio or paying too much in taxes each year because of undesired capital gains distributions, switching to ETFs is likely the right choice. If your current investment is in an indexed mutual fund, you can usually find an ETF that accomplishes the same thing.
ETFs often generate fewer capital gains for investors than mutual funds. This is partly because so many of them are passively managed and don't change their holdings that often.
Symbol | Name | 10 Year Total Returns (As of March 31, 2024) |
---|---|---|
PSI | Invesco Semiconductors ETF | 765.02% |
XSD | SPDR® S&P Semiconductor ETF | 610.79% |
XLK | Technology Select Sector SPDR® ETF | 554.92% |
IYW | iShares US Technology ETF | 542.45% |
Hold ETFs throughout your working life. Hold ETFs as long as you can, give compound interest time to work for you. Sell ETFs to fund your retirement. Don't sell ETFs during a market crash.
Which mutual fund is best for next 5 years?
- Nippon India Small Cap Fund. ...
- Quant Flexi Cap Fund. ...
- Quant ELSS Tax Saver Fund. 1,428,661.33. ...
- HSBC Small Cap Fund. 1,362,349.31. ...
- SBI Contra Fund. 1,353,971.16. ...
- Bank of India Small Cap Fund. 1,353,842.64. ...
- Franklin India Smaller Cos Fund. 1,345,052.9. ...
- HDFC Small Cap Fund. 1,343,394.33.
- Mirae Asset Large Cap Fund. With an AUM of Rs 32,851 crore as on March 2023, Mirae Asset Large Cap Fund is one of the best-performing large-cap equity funds in India. ...
- HDFC Mid-Cap Opportunities Fund. ...
- Kotak Emerging Equity Fund. ...
- ICICI Prudential Balanced Advantage Fund. ...
- SBI Small Cap Fund.
Theoretically, for exotic ETFs, yes — but as a practical matter highly unlikely. And for broad market ETFs that track something like the S&P 500 Index the probability of going to zero is, well, about zero. Every stock in the index would have to go to zero.
Liquidation of ETFs is strictly regulated; when an ETF closes, any remaining shareholders will receive a payout based on what they had invested in the ETF. Receiving an ETF payout can be a taxable event.
In terms of safety, neither the mutual fund nor the ETF is safer than the other due to its structure.
If Vanguard ever did go bankrupt, the funds would not be affected and would simply hire another firm to provide these services.
While these securities track a given index, using debt without shareholder equity makes leveraged and inverse ETFs risky investments over the long term due to leveraged returns and day-to-day market volatility. Mutual funds are strictly limited regarding the amount of leverage they can use.
Experts agree that for most personal investors, a portfolio comprising 5 to 10 ETFs is perfect in terms of diversification.
Key Takeaways. Many mutual funds are actively managed while most ETFs are passive investments that track the performance of a particular index. ETFs can be more tax-efficient than actively managed funds due to their lower turnover and fewer transactions that produce capital gains.
When it comes to equity, it is very important that, especially when you are thinking about long-term goals, you want to exit as soon as you have 2-3 years left approaching your goal and there are just 2-3 years to get there. That is number one.
Why are ETFs so much cheaper than mutual funds?
The administrative costs of managing ETFs are commonly lower than those for mutual funds. ETFs keep their administrative and operational expenses down through market-based trading. Because ETFs are bought and sold on the open market, the sale of shares from one investor to another does not affect the fund.
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.
Ticker | Fund name | 5-year return |
---|---|---|
SOXX | iShares Semiconductor ETF | 30.70% |
XLK | Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund | 24.57% |
IYW | iShares U.S. Technology ETF | 24.09% |
FTEC | Fidelity MSCI Information Technology Index ETF | 22.79% |
Long-term mutual funds offer several advantages for investors seeking to build wealth over time. These benefits include: Compounding: Long-term mutual funds harness the power of compounding, where returns are reinvested, leading to exponential growth of the investment over time.
Symbol | Name | 5-Year Return |
---|---|---|
GBTC | Grayscale Bitcoin Trust | 53.74% |
USD | ProShares Ultra Semiconductors | 43.98% |
FNGO | MicroSectors FANG+ Index 2X Leveraged ETNs | 41.45% |
FNGU | MicroSectors FANG+™ Index 3X Leveraged ETN | 40.88% |