Tax-Efficient Investing in Private Markets: A New Framework for Standardized Tax-Adjusted Performance and Tax Alpha

What the paper says

Tax-efficient investing can be a crucial, yet often overlooked, strategy for maximizing long-term wealth accumulation. Traditional investment analysis and strategy focus on pre-tax returns and typically ignore the negative impact that taxes may have on overall returns and long-term wealth accumulation. Failing to consider after-tax performance can significantly erode investment gains over time. In an industry dominated by large investment managers catering to non-taxable institutions (e.g., pensions, endowments, and foundations), many family offices and ultra-high-net-worth investors lack access to tax-sensitive solutions, particularly in private markets. This article introduces a comprehensive framework for tax-efficient investing in private markets, emphasizing the importance of risk-adjusted after-tax returns, standardized tax-impact metrics, and the concept of Tax Alpha (<xref>Arany et al. 2024</xref>). While public markets may provide substantial opportunities for tax efficiency (e.g., tax-loss harvesting and direct indexing), private market investments may offer more structured, controlled, and targeted opportunities for tax efficiency in other parts of a portfolio. Building on this foundation, this article takes a deeper, analytical approach to defining various return metrics in tax-efficient investing and provides concrete examples of how investment returns may be calculated through a tax-efficient lens using Tax Benefit Harvesting™. The objective is to provide a “common yardstick” for measuring returns for investments with varying degrees of tax efficiency and comparing them to non-tax-efficient investments. The methods outlined herein may be used across the investment spectrum, from public stocks and bonds to private markets (e.g., private equity, private credit, real estate, infrastructure). By integrating tax-efficient portfolio strategy, tax-efficient investment structuring, and deliberate investment selection, investors may improve after-tax returns without taking on incremental risk, ultimately building a more effective approach to wealth preservation and accumulation.