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Employee
April 2, 2021
Solved

What brokerage management fees are deductible?

  • April 2, 2021
  • 2 replies
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So on my 401k account, management fees were assessed.  I didn't get a bill, it was just a line item in the yearly statement.  Is that deductible?

 

I also have investments that are not a retirement account that have a similar "Custodian and Management Fees" itemized.  Again, is this deductible.  I'm guessing that since they just subtracted it from my account and didn't bill me separately that it does not qualify for a deduction.  Is that correct?

    Best answer by ToddL99

    TagTeam said "investment advisory fees" and the broker listed "custodial and management fees".  So I can't ask the brokerage as the "investment advisory fees" is not their terminology.  I was hoping someone else would know if they mean the same thing or not.  And apparently NY still allows deducting "investment expenses".


    Strictly speaking, "investment advisory fees" are not the same as "custodial and management fees", with some exceptions (see below).

     

    The important distinction between the two is whether they are paid separately (directly) or deducted from investment assets (indirectly). If paid directly, they are not deductible for federal tax purposes; if paid indirectly (from investment assets), they reduce reported earnings and are, effectively, "deductible".  

     

    Unlike the federal government, NY does allow you to deduct directly-paid investment advisory fees.

     

    As you described them,  "investment advisory fees" are typically incurred when you sit down with a consultant, they give you advice, and then they bill you. These fees are paid separately (directly) - either by writing a check or electing to have them paid out of account assets. 

     

    "Custodial and management fees" are overhead costs for regular, recurring, fund-wide  (account-wide) "operating expenses". Examples are shareholder transaction costs and marketing and distribution expenses. Funds typically pay these expenses out of fund assets (not individual account assets)—which means that investors indirectly pay these costs. Using this approach, these costs effectively reduce your taxable earnings on the investment and are "deductible".

     

    Sometimes, investment advisory fees are included in the "custodial and management fees", and paid indirectly. Using this approach, the advisory fees are "deductible".

     

    @mtiede

    2 replies

    Employee
    April 2, 2021

    Investment advisory fees are miscellaneous itemized deductions (which are generally reported on Schedule A) and are no longer deductible after tax reform (the TCJA).

    mtiedeAuthor
    Employee
    April 2, 2021

    And is it not deductible on both feds and NY taxes?  And if so, is there any reason to fill it in under misc deductions?

    Employee
    April 2, 2021

    There is no reason to report the fees unless they are deductible for state income tax purposes (and I am not certain about NY).

    March 26, 2022

    I have a managed account that just subtracts the annual management fee.  This is not an IRA --just a regular taxable investment account funded with after tax money.  Where do I deduct this management fee?

    LeonardS
    March 26, 2022

    Fees you pay to a broker, bank, trustee, or similar agent to collect your taxable bond interest or dividends on shares of stock are miscellaneous itemized deductions and can no longer be deducted.  Miscellaneous deductions were eliminated for tax years 2018- 2025 by the 2017 Tax Cut and Jobs Act.

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