Should retirees invest in REITs? (2024)

Should retirees invest in REITs?

“Retirees should be looking for solid investments that generate a stable yield or income for them during their retirement years,” Ser says. “Both REITS and certain ETFs can accomplish that.” Internal Revenue Service. "Instructions for Form 1120-REIT (2020)."

Are REITs a good investment for retirement?

REITs are a Potent Source for Retirement Income

As of October 2023, this still holds true at 4.59% and 1.61%. Beyond yields, however, a major benefit of REITs is their requirement to distribute most of their taxable income — at least 90% — annually to their shareholders as dividends.

What is the downside of buying REITs?

Risks of investing in REITs include higher dividend taxes, sensitivity to interest rates, and exposure to specific property trends.

What happens to REITs when interest rates go down?

With rate cuts on the horizon, dividend yields for REITs may look more favorable than yields on fixed-income securities and money market accounts. However, REIT stocks are only as good as the properties they own — and some real estate sectors may be better positioned than others.

Why not to invest in REITs today?

Nine Reasons Not to Invest in REITs

But, REITs are not risk free. They may have highly variable returns, are sensitive to changes in interest rates, have income tax implications, may not be liquid, and fees can impact total returns.

How much REIT should I have in my retirement portfolio?

“I recommend REITs within a managed portfolio,” Devine said, noting that most investors should limit their REIT exposure to between 2 percent and 5 percent of their overall portfolio. Here again, a financial professional can help you determine what percentage of your portfolio you should allocate toward REITs, if any.

How much of portfolio should be in REITs?

Investors can benefit from allocating as little as 5% to REITs. Investor confidence in real estate reached unprecedented levels in 2022, owing to home price appreciation and higher yields for other asset classes, such as REITs, in low-rate environments.

Are REITs a good investment in 2024?

Equity Residential is a multifamily residential REIT that owns and operates a diversified portfolio of apartment properties. Brown says Equity's 2024 guidance suggests same-store revenue growth of between 2% and 3% in 2024, compared to previous Morningstar estimates of 5.4% growth.

Is now a good time to invest in a REIT?

The generous dividend payments enjoyed by REIT investors may look particularly attractive moving forward. With rate cuts on the horizon, dividend yields for REITs may look more favorable than yields on fixed-income securities and money market accounts.

Can REITs lose value?

Publicly traded REITs have the particular risk of losing value as interest rates rise, which typically sends investment capital into bonds.

Why high interest rates are bad for REITs?

Therefore, if rates begin to rise then REIT cash flows will decline at a time when discount rates are rising. They fear the end result will be capital losses that offset the higher distribution yield and result in negative total returns.

What is the outlook for REITs in 2024?

After lagging equities the past two years, REITs offer an attractive investment opportunity in 2024. The headwind of higher bond yields and central bank rate hikes is likely to abate and may turn into a tailwind if our view about an impending economic slowdown and decelerating inflation trends is correct.

Do REITs do better with higher interest rates?

However, increases in interest rates often are driven by economic growth that may support the growth of REIT earnings and dividends in the future. Research shows that REITs returns have generally been positive and have often outperformed the S&P 500 in periods of rising interest rates.

What I wish I knew before investing in REITs?

A lot of REIT investors focus too way much on the dividend yield. They think that a high dividend yield implies that a REIT is cheap and a good investment opportunity. In reality, it is often the opposite, and the dividend does not say much, if anything, about the valuation of a REIT.

What is the average return on a REIT?

Over a 15-year period, according to Cohen & Steers, actively managed REIT investors realized an annualized 10.6% return. Of the other active strategies, opportunistic real estate funds placed second, at 9.8%. Core and value-added funds had average annualized returns of 6.5% and 5.6%, respectively, over 15 years.

Do you pay taxes on REIT dividends?

Often, the bulk of REIT dividend payouts consists of the company's operating profit. As a proportional owner of the REIT company, the shareholder receives this payout as ordinary income and will be taxed at the investor's marginal income tax rate as nonqualified dividends.

Where is the safest place to put your retirement money?

The safest place to put your retirement funds is in low-risk investments and savings options with guaranteed growth. Low-risk investments and savings options include fixed annuities, savings accounts, CDs, treasury securities, and money market accounts. Of these, fixed annuities usually provide the best interest rates.

What is the best investment for a 70 year old?

Ideally, you'll choose a mix of stocks, bonds, and cash investments that will work together to generate a steady stream of retirement income and future growth—all while helping to preserve your money.

What is the best portfolio allocation for retirees?

The conservative allocation is composed of 15% large-cap stocks, 5% international stocks, 50% bonds and 30% cash investments. The moderately conservative allocation is 25% large-cap stocks, 5% small-cap stocks, 10% international stocks, 50% bonds and 10% cash investments.

Who should invest in REIT?

Because of the strong dividend income REITs provide, they are an important investment both for retirement savers and for retirees who require a continuing income stream to meet their living expenses.

Are REITs safer than stocks?

Key Points. REITs have outperformed stocks on 20-to-50-year horizons. Most REITs are less volatile than the S&P 500, with some only half as volatile as the market at large.

What is the 75 75 90 rule for REITs?

Invest at least 75% of its total assets in real estate. Derive at least 75% of its gross income from rents from real property, interest on mortgages financing real property or from sales of real estate. Pay at least 90% of its taxable income in the form of shareholder dividends each year.

Are REITs safe long term?

Investing in REITs can add some diversification to your portfolio and give you access to passive income, liquidity and excellent long-term returns. However, taxes can be more expensive with REITs compared to other investment options, and there are still risks involved with the real estate market.

Which REIT has the best returns?

How is REIT income taxed?

The majority of REIT dividends are taxed as ordinary income up to the maximum rate of 37% (returning to 39.6% in 2026), plus a separate 3.8% surtax on investment income. Taxpayers may also generally deduct 20% of the combined qualified business income amount which includes Qualified REIT Dividends through Dec.