I have WisdomTree fund in my GIA (specifically GGRP aka IE00BZ56RN96). I’m trying to find Excess Reportable Income information on it. I understand InvestEngine’s answer to this is “you are on your own” (Excess Reportable Income & UK Fund Reporting Status – InvestEngine).
So far I’ve checked:
HMRC approved off-shore funds list - fund is definitely reporting
WisdomTree website - there is a resources menu but I found nothing
Clicked on Wisdom Tree ICAV UK Tax Reporting
You may need to ask them where the 2023 version is - there is a contact form at the top of the website if so.
Forgive me if I am wrong, as I am not a tax expert, but wouldn’t the excess reportable income for GGRP be zero as it is a distributing fund?
Even in the link you provide, the ERI for WisdomTree Global Quality Dividend Growth UCITS ETF that year was zero. I imagine it would be zero every year.
Again, I am not an expert, so I could be wrong.
Edit: Ignore this comment. Distributing funds can sometimes have ERI as well, albeit not much.
I picked distributing fund for this reason as I hoped it won’t be a problem, but it still is, although much smaller.
The best analogy would be that ERI build up and gets “discharged” every X months. Companies do not pay dividends at the same time as fund does, so it builds up independently.
Only other thing I can think that might make it easier is that ERI counts towards your dividend allowance - have you used up all that? Again, this is my understanding and could be wrong.
Regardless, I’d be interested to know if you do find it!
Hi again, Milosz. I have been having a look into this as I was interested.
I think the link @nedjohn has sent is actually the correct document needed for this tax year 2023/24.
As per a guide compiled by Vanguard, “The ‘Fund Distribution Date’ is the date on which any ERI is deemed to be received by you for UK tax purposes. You must declare this amount as taxable income even though you have not received cash.”
The WisdomTree document for reporting 2022 sent by nedjohn has the “fund distribution date” as 30th June 2023.
As 30th June 2023 is within this current tax year, I believe that document gives us the information we need when we come to filling out our self assessment for this current tax year.
When WisdomTree publish their reporting document for 2023, that will actually give the ERI figures needed for a 2024/25 tax return.
Again, I’ll give the disclaimer that I could be wrong, but this is my understanding and I believe this may be the solution!
If you don’t already know, keep a record of ERI for when you finally sell your holding, as it is an allowable cost you can include in capital gains calculations, so potentially reducing your CGT bill if you use up your CGT allowance.
Thank you all for help.
I have one more question though. If I sell now, in March, to harvest some CGT allowance, am I still affected by ERI?
It sound like a no as I won’t get any more dividends (will I?) and I assume selling it ends my relation with this ETF, but I’m a little bit confused.
Feel like non-UK ETFs/funds are not worth the hassle if you are small retail investor.
Hi, my interpretation of HMRC’s stance: if not invested in the fund on the Fund year-end date (its end of reporting period), or the Dividend Date, all that is left is the price increase of units in the ETF while you owned it - and that is a Capital Gain (assuming it went up).
I’m selling out of a bond fund in my GIA soon with a similar aim - to class the increase as CGT for the current tax year.
NOTE though, I am no tax expert.
I think it is based on what you held on the reporting date. So, if you held the ETF on the 31st December 2022, you are deemed to have received the ERI on the fund distribution date, even if you have since sold it.
So, if i sold the ETF on the 1st January 2023, i still need to remember to declare the ERI on the fund distribution date on 30th June 2023.
This is using the dates from the WisdomTree document.
I agree it is unnecessarily complicated and luckily most people will not have to do it, as theyll invest inside an ISA or SIPP.
I find this Vanguard guide the most useful:
As per my above comment, my understanding is that the number of shares you have to declare ERI on is what you held on the reporting date. So, even if you sold shares now, HMRC cares about the number of shares you held on 31st December 2022.
For shares held on that reporting date, you are deemed to have received the ERI on the fund distribution date (30th June 2023).
If you did not hold any shares of GGRP on the reporting date 31st December 2022, then you do not have to worry about declaring ERI on your tax return for 2023-24. But it may be something to declare for 2024-25, as that will be relevant for shares you held at the end of the next reporting period (presumably 31st December 2023).
Again, big disclaimer that i am not an expert and i am just providing my understanding. It could be completely wrong, but it is starting to make sense in my head now so i hope it isnt haha
I’d be interested to hear other people’s understanding of ERI and when to report it.
It sounds to me more like that it is not worth holding things in a GIA, methinks - holding it in ISA’s and SIPP’s makes sure that you’re not bothered with this kind of red tape.
I got an answer from WisdomTree and as it is polite they technically say “you are on your own”.
WisdomTree Issuer ICAV, the issuer, intends to publish the UK Fund Reporting Status Report for 31 December 2023 in June 2024.
That is a little bit of useful information.
Please note you can find all regulatory documents regarding the WisdomTree product range on our website – here, under Regulatory Reports.
I was there first time. None of the documents contain the information I asked for though.
And I’m not talking about new one (I understand it will be available later), but neither the old ones.
Please note that for regulatory and compliance reasons we are not permitted to deal with retail investors in relation to regulated activities and we strongly recommend that retail investors consult an independent financial adviser or broker to discuss their investment.
So, “don’t bother us again” (same stance as InvestEngine).
Factual information on our products can be found at www.wisdomtree.com or in the regulatory documents which can be downloaded from the appropriate product pages.
Well, couldn’t find it.
So, hats down for @nedjohn 's. Location he found is best candidate for this document to appear when time comes.
