Actually, they should be unspecified for many years: stock or pension funds. But funds can be replaced or merged with other funds. What then?
Fund fusions or fund melts are rarely done. But fund providers can merging fund products, or even “move” several funds to an existing or even completely new fund.
Fusions should reduce costs
As a rule, this happens because the fund companies want to save administrative costs. “Investment funds will go from profit -oriented companies, and each company has its own winning goals,” explains Ali Masarwah from the Fondplattform Envestor, “Investment funds cost money, and the money is always measured at the fund's assets, and if the fund's assets are too low, this is no longer worth it for the fund company.”
The takeover of a fund company by another is often one reason that funds are merged. This happened, for example, after the provider of Index Fund, so -called ETF, Lyxor, was taken over by competitor Amundi. Amundi then fused the Lyxor fund pallet on her own fund piece by piece.
Does the new fund fit?
Funds savers are informed about an upcoming merger of their product a few weeks before the merger by the respective fund provider. The shares then take place for a given key date. The new one instead of the old fund appears in the depot.
As a rule, only funds are merged that pursue an equal or even identical strategy. So if you have invested in the world tactic index MSCI World with your existing fund, you should most likely do this with the new fund. However, there are also exceptions from this rule, according to Funds expert Masarwah: “It may be that, for example, you hold a European or a German forcart fund, and the fund company transfers the money into a global minor fund”.
Carry out a small fund check
It is therefore advisable to check early on what has landed in the depot for a fund fusion. The investment strategy of the new fund should correspond to its own goals, it can be read in the fund prospectus. But the cost of the fund should also be checked and, if possible, no higher than that of the previous fund.
To do this, the use of funds should also be the same as before: So does the new fund releases earnings, or are they accumulated in the fund's assets, i.e. If you get funds by savings plan, you should also check whether the savings rates are automatically converted to the new fund or the savings plan must be adjusted accordingly.
Flat -rate tax can be due
In many cases, an exchange of the fund is not relevant. However, there is also an exception: if funds from two different countries are merged at such a fusion, then the merger is assessed as a sale. And in this way, the Film Stiftung from Stiftung Warentest says: “It is currently the case that the fund melting is a tax -causing event when the fund domicile changes”.
This means, for example, when a fund, which was launched in Luxembourg, merged with a product from Ireland, taxes are due on the accrued price gains. “This is what investors recognized by the Isin, on the international securities identification number,” says Stoffel, “LU stands for Luxembourg, France, IE for Ireland, for example.”
Use tax allowances
The flat tax is then automatically withheld by the deposit -bearing bank. However, only if the tax allowance of 1,000 euros per person and year is exceeded by 2,000 euros for married people. If a fund fusion is located, you should use your exemption orders accordingly.
As an investor, fund mergers can hardly be avoided, the fund companies have the right to combine funds. However, the more smaller the fund is the likelihood of a merger, says expert Stoffel: “Classically, you make sure that you buy larger funds so that you do not run too danger for economic reasons.
However, if there is an exchange of funds in your own deposit, only the two options remain: critically check and keep or sell and search for a new fund that better fits your own investment strategy.
