Covered Call ETF vs Selling Covered Calls Yourself: Cost and Control Compared
DIY Covered Calls vs a Covered Call ETF
Compare what you would pay each year for a fund's expense ratio with the commissions of selling calls yourself.
Side by side
| DIY covered calls | Covered call ETF | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum capital | Enough for 100 shares per contract | One share |
| Control | You pick stock, strike and date | The fund's rules decide |
| Time | Weekly or monthly management | None |
| Taxes | You control timing; assignments trigger gains | Fund distributions taxed yearly; may include ROC |
| Diversification | Usually a few stocks | Often a whole index |
| Assignment | Your shares can be called away | Handled inside the fund |
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