Are REIT dividends tax free?
By default, all dividends distributed by a REIT are considered ordinary, or non-qualified, and are taxed as ordinary income. REIT dividends can be qualified if they meet certain IRS requirements.
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.
Avoiding REIT dividend taxation
If you own REITs in an IRA, you won't have to worry about dividend taxes each year, nor will you have to pay taxes in the year in which you sell a REIT at a profit. In a traditional IRA, you won't owe any taxes until you withdraw money from the account.
To qualify as a REIT, a company must have the bulk of its assets and income connected to real estate investment and must distribute at least 90 percent of its taxable income to shareholders annually in the form of dividends.
The value of a REIT is based on the real estate market, so if interest rates increase and the demand for properties goes down as a result, it could lead to lower property values, negatively impacting the value of your investment.
The dividends distributed to investors by a REIT can either be considered ordinary income or qualified income. The taxes that you as an investor will pay on those dividends depends on its income class. This can be ordinary dividends (taxed at your ordinary tax rate) or qualified dividends (taxed at a lower rate).
There is a current tax benefit for investing in REITs that is set to expire, at the end of the 2025 tax year. Individuals can currently deduct 20% of the pass-through income coming from REIT investments.
This makes them a great type of dividend investment to hold in tax-advantaged retirement accounts like traditional IRAs, Roth IRAs, and 401(k)s. In this scenario, you wouldn't need to keep track of the cost basis from ROC. It's also okay to own REITs in taxable accounts.
Return of capital (ROC) distributions benefit from real estate-related tax deductions. As real estate vehicles, REITs are able to claim tax deductions for depreciation and amortization, which reduce the REIT's net taxable income but do not reduce its cash.
A REIT is taxable as a regular corporation, but is entitled to the dividends paid deduction. Therefore, a REIT does not pay federal income tax on net taxable income distributed as deductible dividends to shareholders. Net income from foreclosure property is taxed at 35 percent.
How long should I hold a REIT?
REITs should generally be considered long-term investments
This is especially true if you're planning to invest in non-traded REITs since you won't be able to easily access your money until the REIT lists its shares on a public exchange or liquidates its assets. In many cases, this can take around 10 years to occur.
According to the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (Nareit), non-traded REITs typically require a minimum investment of $1,000 to $2,500.
For purposes of the REIT income tests, a non-qualified hedge will produce income that is included in the denominator, but not the numerator. This is generally referred to as “bad” REIT income because it reduces the fraction and makes it more difficult to meet the tests.
Mumbai: Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) listed on domestic stock exchanges have largely been forgettable bets for many investors in 2023 so far as a delay in the pick-up in commercial real estate, a slowdown in the IT sector, and higher interest rates have capped returns.
Can You Lose Money on a REIT? As with any investment, there is always a risk of loss. Publicly traded REITs have the particular risk of losing value as interest rates rise, which typically sends investment capital into bonds.
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.
While a REIT is still open to public investors, investors may be able to sell their shares back to the REIT. However, this sale usually comes at a discount; leaving only about 70% to 95% of the original value. Once a REIT is closed to the public, REIT companies may not offer early redemptions.
Unlike partnerships which are flow-through entities for tax purposes, REITs generally avoid entity-level tax by virtue of receiving a dividends paid deduction and by effectively being required to distribute all of their earnings and profits each year.
While buying a rental property can be a good way to make some passive income, REITs are way easier. They're very low-cost and completely passive.
Qualified REIT dividends from a fund are reported in Box 5, Section 199A dividends, of your Form 1099‑DIV. The table below reports the percentage of the ordinary dividend paid by the T.
How much do REIT dividends pay?
| Company (ticker) | Dividend yield | 5-year total return |
|---|---|---|
| National Storage Affiliates Trust (NSA) | 5.5% | 85.3% |
| Crown Castle (CCI) | 5.5% | 23.4% |
| Four Corners Property Trust (FCPT) | 5.5% | 17.1% |
| CareTrust REIT (CTRE) | 5.1% | 43.8% |
REIT dividends are not qualified because the IRS considers them as pass-through income. These are profits that get distributed to investors without the entity paying taxes first. REIT dividends pass to investors as ordinary income. The IRS taxes the dividends according to the individual investor's income tax rate.
If the REIT held the property for more than one year, long-term capital gains rates apply; investors in the 10% or 15% tax brackets pay no long-term capital gains taxes, while those in all but the highest income bracket will pay 15%.
Generally, a REIT must file its income tax return by the 15th day of the 4th month after the end of its tax year.
Is a Roth or traditional IRA the best choice? To be clear, retirement accounts are ideal places to hold REIT investments, as the benefits of tax-deferred investing can magnify the already tax-advantaged nature of these companies.
