For the sake of liquidity (tax-favored accounts tend to be subject to tax penalties), you will want at least one tax-exposed account. Examples include money for a major business (buy out the boss), or personal outlay (second home), or a Tier 3 cash reserve. But let’s say that you need an equities component to enhance the likelihood of a high return. Phantom income will bite you, and so would using an annuity.
Life insurance has an up-front load that renders the use of these policies inappropriate for medium-term investing (even the low-surrender charge versions have this load). And equities fund managers are constantly turning over the portfolio, passing tax liability through to you. You are building this fund, so it’s not big enough for money manager minimums. Index funds, contrary to popular belief, have fairly high turnover and are not typically tax-efficient. What to do? Discuss a blue-chip dividend-focused fund with your broker; most have low turnover and dividends can be taxed below ordinary income tax rates. Consider individual stocks, too, picked for long-term growth potential, and recommended by analysts as long-term hold candidates. There are tax-controlled ETFs with very minimal turnover and low management fees; also consider Unit Investment Trusts (UITs) that have no management fees and no turnover. Many of these funds have names with “long-term equity” or “tax saver” in them, but your brokerage should be able to find the best candidates and then modify the risk profile, as you approach your intended liquidation date, by buying bonds with new money additions instead of selling off these equity funds as a way to lower volatility as time goes onward….