Vanguard International Explorer Fund tax distributions

The Vanguard International Explorer Fund is a problematic candidate for placement in taxable accounts. The fund possesses the advantages of allowing a foreign tax credit and under current law, lower tax rates on dividend and long term gains distributions. However, the distribution of realized gains is considerably higher than distributions from international index funds, and the dividend yield is also relatively high. In addition, higher tax rates on distributed dividends and gains are more pronounced for higher distribution active funds than on lower distribution index funds. Thus, the fund is usually recommended for placement in tax-advantaged accounts.

Vanguard now has an available small cap international index fund option for investors desiring an international small cap allocation in a strategic asset allocation.

The following tables provide long term data on the fund's history of both dividend and capital gains distributions. The first table also provides an estimate of the foreign tax credit. One should note that the fund has a fiscal year ending in October, so its reported distributions for a year reflect the prior year's December distribution of dividends and capital gains.

The second table provides a database of the fund's accounting figures: the annual level of realized and distributed gains; its level of unrealized gains and loss carryforwards; as well as the annual in-kind redemption gains the fund has realized. These figures highlight the level of a fund's tax liabilities.

Because both manager turnover of securities inside the portfolio and investor turnover of fund shares can affect the level of gains realization, a third table provides historical turnover ratios.

Distributions
The Vanguard International Explorer Fund was adopted by Vanguard in 2002. Over the (2002 - 2010) period the fund regularly distributed both short-term and long-term gains to shareholders, with the exception of years (2002 - 2004; 2009 - 2010) in which the fund possessed loss carryforwards. Over the 2004 - 2010 period, the fund provided an average 68% qualified dividend distribution to shareholders.


 * FY 2003 - Introduction of 2% transaction fee on redemptions of shares held < 2 mos.

Accounting data
The accounting figures and associated ratios (tables 2 and 3) can help one visualize some of the major determinants of a fund’s tendency to distribute taxable gains. These determining features include:

Turnover: The rate at which a fund manager sells securities within the fund has a major effect on potential gains realization. Single digit annual fund turnover percentages result in a low rate of realized gains. Similarly, fund shareholders' sales flows have major effects on a fund’s distribution tendencies. Net flows into the fund have the following effects:


 * 1) Constant inflows allow a fund manager to purchase a wide range of price lots for shares. The manager can select high basis shares when forced to sell a stock (this may realize a loss). The manager can also select low basis shares when redeeming a stock in-kind (a non-taxable transaction that can remove an unrealized gain out of the portfolio.)
 * 2) A large and growing net asset base serves to diffuse any realized capital gains across a large base of shareholders and reduces the per share gain distribution. Large outflows have the opposite effect; any gains realized are spread across a smaller asset base and result in higher per share distributed gains.

The level of unrealized gains and carryover realized losses in a fund: A fund which defers gains realization accumulates unrealized appreciation, which when distributed, will be taxed; thus the unrealized gain/loss figure shows the potential gain (or loss) that would be realized if the portfolio was to be entirely liquidated. Any loss carryovers a fund possesses can be used to offset future realized gains (carryovers have an eight year expiration period).

Table 3.

Turnover statistics
In response to the early 2000's mutual fund market timing scandals, Vanguard introduced a 2% early redemption fee on Vanguard International Explorer Fund shares sold less than two months after purchase. Prior to this policy change, shareholder turnover (R/ANA) in the fund in 2002 was 70%. After the change, shareholder turnover has ranged between 12% - 34%.

Table 4.

Tax rates
Mutual fund distributions will be taxed according to the tax laws governing the investment over the holding period of the investment, which are subject to change. The actual tax imposed will depend upon each individual's tax rate and the timing of purchases and sales. The federal tax rates applicable to mutual fund distributions and investor sales of securities for the period 2008 - 2012 are outlined below. Keep in mind that investment income may also be subject to state and local taxation.
 * 1) Short-term capital gains distributions are made from realized gains on securities held for one year or less. Short-term gains are taxed at ordinary income tax rates up to 35%. Mutual fund short-term gain distributions are included in a fund's ordinary dividend distribution; therefore, capital losses may not be subtracted from these distributions when computing taxes.
 * 2) Long-term capital gains distributions are made from realized gains on securities held for more than one year. Long-term gains are taxed at 0% for taxpayers in the 10% and 15% tax brackets and at 15% for taxpayers in the 25%, 28%, 33%, and 35% tax brackets. (These tax rates are mandated for 2008-2012.) They are reported on tax Schedule D along with any other capital gains, and can be reduced by capital losses.
 * 3) Qualified dividends are the ordinary dividends that are subject to the same 0% or 15% maximum tax rate that applies to net capital gain. They should be shown in box 1b of the Form 1099-DIV you receive. Qualified dividends are subject to the 15% rate if the regular tax rate that would apply is 25% or higher. If the regular tax rate that would apply is lower than 25%, qualified dividends are subject to the 0% rate.
 * 4) When you sell at a loss you will either offset capital gains which would have otherwise been taxed at your capital gains rate or you will offset income (up to $3,000 maximum per year) which would have otherwise been taxed at your marginal income tax rate, or both. If you offset capital gains that would have otherwise not been taxed at all (because your capital gains tax rate is 0%) then this part of the tax loss harvest may be an outright loss.

Tax analysis
Table 6.