Ron Rowland

ETF Market Trends: Just Another 'Debase' Party on Wall Street

Gotta love this line
> The bond market is sucking up zero to historically
> low-yielding short-term treasury paper with a ferocity
> that would rival even the most hardcore crack addict
> hitting on "somebody else’s pipe".

That Was Not a 2:1 Split in BBH

I do not know how the year-end 1099 will look like for BBH. Perhaps it will be shown as a dividend, or return of capital, or a combination, or something else entirely.

For US citizens, I would think the easiest way to offset any potential tax concerns is to simply sell your shares of BBH. The decline in the value of your sale should offset the gain from the distribution.

For foreign citizens subject to the 30% withholding, I would think a similar approach would work, but you would have to file a tax-return (I think) in order to recoup the withholding. I believe these withholding laws are subject to country by country tax treaties and should be investigated/understood before opening foreign accounts.

Note: I am not a tax advisor. Please consult with your own tax advisor on this subject. These are just some ideas/suggestions for you to consider.

That Was Not a 2:1 Split in BBH

Deb, so you finally got paid on 4/30?
How about you others - when did you finally receive your payments?

That Was Not a 2:1 Split in BBH

BNY paid distributions to DNA shareholders the first week of April. It appears that Merrill Lynch has been sitting on this for reasons known only to them. This is just one more reason why you shouldn't buy HOLDRS. BTW, according to the prospectus, Merrill is under no obligation to pay you any interest why holding onto your payment.