Can you lose with ETFs?
For most standard, unleveraged ETFs that track an index, the maximum you can theoretically lose is the amount you invested, driving your investment value to zero. However, it's rare for broad-market ETFs to go to zero unless the entire market or sector it tracks collapses entirely.
An ETF with a low risk rating can still lose money. ETFs do not provide any guarantees of future performance. As with any investment, you might not get back the money you invested.
In fact, 47% of all such funds have closed down, compared with a closure rate of 28% for nonleveraged, noninverse ETFs. "Leveraged and inverse funds generally aren't meant to be held for longer than a day, and some types of leveraged and inverse ETFs tend to lose the majority of their value over time," Emily says.
A well-diversified ETF such as one based on the S&P 500 can beat most investors over time, making it easy for regular investors to do well in the market. ETFs tend to be less volatile than individual stocks, meaning your investment won't swing in value as much.
Currency ETFs do not generate capital gains or losses, but rather ordinary income or losses. This means that losses on the sale of shares in these ETFs produce ordinary losses that can be used to offset ordinary income, such as wages and bank interest.
Interest rate changes are the primary culprit when bond exchange-traded funds (ETFs) lose value. As interest rates rise, the prices of existing bonds fall, which impacts the value of the ETFs holding these assets.
However, there are disadvantages of ETFs. They come with fees, can stray from the value of their underlying asset, and (like any investment) come with risks.
ETFs are less risky than individual stocks because they are diversified funds. Their investors also benefit from very low fees.
Since ETFs are more diversified, they tend to have a lower risk level than stocks. Similar to stocks, ETFs can be bought and traded at any time and they are also taxed at short-term or long-term capital gains rates.
For most standard, unleveraged ETFs that track an index, the maximum you can theoretically lose is the amount you invested, driving your investment value to zero. However, it's rare for broad-market ETFs to go to zero unless the entire market or sector it tracks collapses entirely.
Is it smart to only invest in ETFs?
For most individual investors, ETFs represent an ideal type of asset with which to build a diversified portfolio. In addition, ETFs tend to have much lower expense ratios compared to actively managed funds, can be more tax-efficient, and offer the option to immediately reinvest dividends.
With enough time and consistency, you can earn well over $1 million with ETFs while still limiting your risk. Data source: Author's calculations via Investor.gov.
Stock-picking offers an advantage over exchange-traded funds (ETFs) when there is a wide dispersion of returns from the mean. Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) offer advantages over stocks when the return from stocks in the sector has a narrow dispersion around the mean.
ETFs allow investors to circumvent a tax rule found among mutual fund transactions related to capital gains. ETFs are structured in a way that avoids taxable events for ETF shareholders.
The single biggest risk in ETFs is market risk. Like a mutual fund or a closed-end fund, ETFs are only an investment vehicle—a wrapper for their underlying investment.
Are ETFs or Index Funds Safer? Neither an ETF nor an index fund is safer than the other because it depends on what the fund owns. 45 Stocks will always be riskier than bonds but will usually yield higher returns on investment.
The low investment threshold for most ETFs makes it easy for a beginner to implement a basic asset allocation strategy that matches their investment time horizon and risk tolerance. For example, young investors might be 100% invested in equity ETFs when they are in their 20s.
You expose your portfolio to much higher risk with sector ETFs, so you should use them sparingly, but investing 5% to 10% of your total portfolio assets may be appropriate. If you want to be highly conservative, don't use these at all.
For ETFs held more than a year, you'll owe long-term capital gains taxes at a rate up to 23.8%, once you include the 3.8% Net Investment Income Tax (NIIT) on high earners. If you hold the ETF for less than a year, you'll be taxed at the ordinary income rate.
One isn't safer than the other. It all depends on what the fund owns. For example, an ETF invested in emerging markets would normally be considered riskier than one investing in developed markets, like the US. Or an index fund holding stocks might be considered riskier than one holding bonds.
What's the best ETF to buy right now?
| ETF | Assets under management | Expense ratio |
|---|---|---|
| Invesco QQQ Trust (ticker: QQQ) | $244 billion | 0.2% |
| VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH) | $14 billion | 0.35% |
| Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLY) | $19 billion | 0.09% |
| Global X Uranium ETF (URA) | $3 billion | 0.69% |
Strategy and Risk Tolerance
Unlike ETFs, mutual funds can offer more specific strategies as well as blends of strategies. Mutual funds offer the same type of indexed investing options as ETFs but also an array of actively and passively managed options that can be fine-tuned to cater to an investor's needs.
ETFs are most often linked to a benchmarking index, meaning that they are often not designed to outperform that index. Investors looking for this type of outperformance (which also, of course, carries added risks) should perhaps look to other opportunities.
If the company goes bust, the fund itself would be either sold, transferred to another management company or the proceeds returned to investors.
Just like when you buy shares of an unleveraged ETF, you can't lose more than 100% of your investment. It may also interest you to know that you can't lose more than you invested in an inverse ETF (whether leveraged or unleveraged).
