REITs and preferred securities answer the call for attractive, tax-efficient income

As investors consider solutions to their income needs, identifying asset classes that offer tax advantages can be a powerful part of the equation.

Cohen & Steers provides access to specialized asset classes that offer the potential for attractive income, with inherent tax advantages to help investors keep more of the income they earn—both today and under any changes in tax policy that could occur in the next few years.

• Designed for efficient delivery of rental income to investors, taxed only once (at the shareholder level)
• 20% deduction on ordinary income distributions from REITs as qualified business income (QBI), reducing the top tax rate from 37% to 29.6%⁽¹⁾
• Three aspects of tax-advantaged income: QBI, capital gains and return of capital

• Historically offer some of the highest income rates within investment- grade fixed income, from generally high-quality issuers
• Distributions mostly treated as qualified dividend income (QDI) rather than interest, taxed at a top rate of 20% vs. 37%(1)
• A wide range of security structures, including many with low durations, that may reduce sensitivity to changing interest rates

At December 31, 2024. Source: Internal Revenue Service, Cohen & Steers.
(1) Additional 3.8% Medicare surcharge applies for certain U.S. taxpayers. (2) As of 2024 tax year, taxable income of more than $609,350 (individuals) or $731,200 (married filing jointly). (3) A portion may be taxed at 25%. See page 7 for additional disclosures.

REITs’ above-average dividend yields have come with tax advantages unavailable to broader equities

U.S. REITs are required to distribute at least 90% of their taxable income to shareholders and are exempt from paying corporate taxes if they distribute 100% of their taxable income. This single taxation and distribution requirement is why REITs have historically paid higher dividends than most other companies.

REIT income is generated mostly from property rents and historically makes up about 60% of overall U.S. REIT distributions. The income is considered qualified business income (QBI) and is entitled to a 20% deduction. This means that for every dollar of income, investors pay tax on only 80 cents of income, reducing the top tax rate from 37% to 29.6%.

In addition to QBI, REITs typically distribute the net gains from property sales as capital gains, taxed mostly at a top rate of 20%, while a portion is taxed at a top rate of 25%. Most REITs pay out all their net operating income to shareholders. However, they generally claim investment-related non-cash expenses, such as depreciation and amortization on their real estate assets, which reduces their taxable income. This difference in a REIT’s distributions between net operating and taxable income is considered return of capital (ROC). Any tax liability from ROC is deferred until the time of sale, when it lowers the investor’s cost basis in the investment.

Aggregate taxation of REIT common share dividends

% Current yield

At March 31, 2025. Source: REIT.com, Cohen & Steers.
Data quoted represents past performance, which is no guarantee of future results. The information presented above does not reflect the performance of any fund or account managed or serviced by Cohen & Steers, and there is no guarantee that investors will experience the type of performance reflected above. There is no guarantee that any historical trend illustrated above will be repeated in the future, and there is no way to predict precisely when such a trend might begin. An investor cannot invest directly in an index and index performance does not reflect the deductions of any fees, expenses or taxes. The views and opinions are as of the date of publication and are subject to change without notice. See page 7 for index associations, definitions and additional disclosures.

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REITs likely to benefit from stimulus. We believe the vast amount of stimulus spending implemented in recent years stands to support economic growth and, by extension, real estate demand. Stimulus can provide a lift for the economy, small businesses and consumers, and potentially benefit a range of REIT sectors, particularly industrial, retail and self storage. Infrastructure spending, meanwhile, could have a meaningful impact on demand for most property types.

Higher corporate taxes a non-event. Just as lower corporate tax rates in 2017 had no impact on REITs (which are not subject to taxes), higher corporate rates would likely have little or no effect on the asset class.

Increased individual tax rates would be modestly negative. REIT shareholders pay taxes on income distributions according to their individual tax rate, which at some point could rise for top earners from 37%. Additionally, the 20% pass-through deduction on QBI, which applies to REIT dividend income, could be adjusted to create parity with a higher corporate tax rate, and could be modified or eliminated for high-income taxpayers.

“Like-kind” tax exchanges may be eliminated. Should real estate investors no longer be allowed to defer capital gains if proceeds of property sales are reinvested in other assets, it could negatively impact transaction volumes, reducing REITs’ ability to improve their portfolios. However, we expect significant pushback from industry groups on such a proposal, and previous attempts have been unsuccessful.

Preferreds offer higher yields than comparable fixed income categories, along with the potential for reduced interest-rate risk

Preferred securities are issued mostly by high-quality issuers, but due to their subordinated position in the capital structure, they often pay higher income rates than similarly rated bonds. Many of these distributions are classified as qualified dividend income (QDI) and taxed at a top rate of 20%, compared to 37% for ordinary interest income (plus a 3.8% Medicare surcharge). This combination of high coupons and tax-advantaged treatment creates the potential for attractive after-tax income relative to other fixed income categories. It also makes preferreds a compelling complement to municipal bonds.

Using current index yields as proxies, a hypothetical $1 million investment in preferreds would potentially generate $66,000 per year in pre-tax income. Assuming that 65% of the income generated is QDI eligible, that translates to $46,700 per year after taxes for investors in the top tax bracket—saving $7,300 in taxes, compared to the same income fully treated as interest.

The current relative yield advantage of preferreds partly reflects ample QDI available in the asset class

Recent rate increases in money markets and short-term Treasurys have drawn interest from investors, many of whom fail to anticipate the taxable nature of that income. Short-duration preferreds, while not a cash equivalent, are often thought of as a conservative step into the low-duration market with tax advantaged benefits.

Beyond that, the fixed-to-floating rate structures of many preferreds typically reset with changes in short-term rates, mitigating investors’ exposure to changes in interest rates. Thanks to these reset structures, more than 75% of the preferred market has durations under five years. Low-duration preferreds also typically represent different sectors than what investors get from other low-duration fixed income securities, helping to diversify investors’ portfolios.

Fixed income yields⁽¹⁾

At March 31, 2025. Source: Cohen & Steers, ICE BofA.
Data represents past performance, which is no guarantee of future results. The information presented above does not reflect the performance of any fund or other account managed or serviced by Cohen & Steers, and there is no guarantee that investors will experience the type of performance reflected above. An investor cannot invest directly in an index and index performance does not reflect the deduction of any fees, expenses or taxes. Debt securities including preferred securities, corporate bonds, municipal bonds and high yield bonds generally present various risks, including interest rate risk, credit risk, call risk, prepayment and extension risk, convertible securities risk, and liquidity risk. Index comparisons have limitations as volatility and other characteristics may differ from a particular investment. The above is not intended to serve as tax advice. Investors should consult with their respective tax advisors prior to making an investment. (1) Yields shown on a yield-to-maturity basis. (2) Assumes taxation at the highest marginal U.S. Federal income tax rates of 37% for taxable interest income and 20% for QDI, with an additional 3.8% Medicare surcharge on all tax rates. After tax calculations assumes preferred securities income is taxed at the respective qualified dividend rate and marginal tax rate on a 65/35 blended basis. All other securities reflect full taxation at the respective marginal rates based on income. Note: State and local taxes are not included in these calculations. See page 7 for index associations and definitions and additional disclosures, including after-tax assumptions.

Asset classes with inherent tax efficiencies, such as REITs and preferred securities, have the potential to produce higher-than-average income and returns compared to the broad equities market and traditional fixed income securities, respectively. They can also expand portfolio diversification to help enhance overall risk-adjusted return potential, thereby complementing investments such as municipal bonds in tax-efficient allocations for high after-tax income.

Cohen & Steers is a leading specialist in listed real assets and alternative income solutions, with a long track record of strong investment performance and an experienced, global team focused on delivering results for our clients. Contact your investment professional today to learn more about tax-smart income solutions from Cohen & Steers.