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PFIC §1291 tax estimator

The default PFIC §1291 regime taxes your gain at the top marginal rate and adds a compounded interest charge dated back to purchase. See roughly what that costs versus a QEF election — the gap is often thousands.

PFIC gain or excess distribution

Years held

Default §1291 regime — doing nothing

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With a QEF election — capital-gains treatment

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No interest charge; taxed as a long-term capital gain.

Directional estimate, not tax advice. The real §1291 figure depends on exact purchase/sale dates, each quarter's §6621 rate, your actual bracket, and prior-year distributions. A QEF election requires the fund's PFIC Annual Information Statement and generally must be made for the first year. Mark-to-market (publicly-traded PFICs only) is a third option not modelled here.

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