The global hedge fund industry has seen a downward trend in management and profitability over the last decade, challenging the traditional "2 and 20" commission structure for which the sector was famous.
Hedge fund management companies typically charge two types of fees to their investors; the performance fee based on the performance of the fund and the commission-based management fee, regardless of the performance of the fund. Usually, performance tax and administration fees are considered respectively as the "variable cost" and the "fixed cost" of investments in hedge funds.
Performance rates usually include additional conditions such as obstacle rate and high watermark. The hurdle rate indicates the minimum value of profit based on the profitability that the fund manager must overcome before receiving the investor rate of return. If the fund operates below this rate, the rate of return will not apply during this period. The maximum limit is defined as the maximum value of the net assets (NPV) of a fund over a given period. Funds that adopt the upper limit system only apply performance tax to performance-based income above the upper limit. The high value of the watermark can be calculated throughout the fund (high perpetual watermark) or over a specified period, for example, one year (high annual watermark). In the latter case, the upper limit would be reinstated at the beginning of a new period.
Administrative expenses, on the other hand, are generally related to items other than the performance of a hedge fund. Many factors can affect the management fees charged to the investor, including the complexity of the fund's investment strategy, the liquidity of the fund's traded asset classes, the lock-in period and the size of the investment. The investment of each investor. Some fund managers may charge higher administrative fees, offering other benefits that may include a shorter lock-out period, staggered fees that decrease with the size of the investment, and are domiciled in a low-tax country, for example. There are also funds with deficient administration fees and above-average performance taxes and vice versa.
The structure of rates 2 and 20 helps hedge funds finance their operations. The flat rate of 2% of Total Assets under Management (AUM) is used to pay staff salaries, administrative and administrative expenses, and other operating expenses. The 20% performance fee is applied to reward hedge fund managers and critical portfolio managers. This reward arrangement is what makes hedge fund managers one of the highest-paid finance professionals.
The 20% rate of return is the primary source of income for hedge funds. The performance fee is only billed when the fund's profits exceed the level previously agreed. A standard threshold is 8%. This means that the hedge fund only covers a 20% performance fee if the year's earnings exceed the 8% level.
For example, suppose a fund with a cap of 8% generates a return of 15% for this year. Then a 20% performance fee will be charged against the additional 7% gain above the 8% threshold. If the hedge fund manages the assets of 10 significant investors and makes a substantial profit, its income for the year could reach millions, even billions of dollars.
Some investors consider that the conventional structure of commissions 2 and 20 of hedge funds is too important. However, the industry has generally maintained this compensation structure over the years. You can do this mainly because hedge funds have always been able to generate high profits for their investors. As a consequence, users are willing to pay commissions, even if they consider them expensive, to make very favorable returns.
In recent years, investors and politicians have put pressure on hedge funds because of payroll structures 2 and 20. This is mostly due to the fact that after the financial crisis of 2008, hedge funds, to like many other investments, they strove to operate optimally at high levels. As a consequence, a growing number of investors are seeking hedge funds with rates below 2 and traditional rates of 20.
Politicians have called for a more significant reduction in the profits of hedge funds, trying to be taxed as ordinary income, rather than a lower capital gains rate. Since 2018, the hedge fund industry has been thriving in maintaining the lowest tax rate, claiming that its income was not a fixed salary and was based on performance.
Structures for alternative hedge fund commissions
Some of the alternative pricing structures adopted by some hedge funds are:
A hedge fund may choose to propose a substantial discount to investors who want to block their investments in the company for a certain period, such as five, seven, or ten years. This practice is more common in hedge funds whose investments often require longer terms to generate a significant return on investment. In return for a long blocking period, customers benefit from a reduced rate structure.
Initial and emerging hedge funds provide incentives for investors interested in the early stages of their business. These incentives are called "founder's share." The shares of the founders offer investors a lower rate structure, such as "1.5 and 10" instead of "2 and 20". Another option is to use rate structures 2 and 20, but with the promise of reducing the rate when the fund reaches a specific goal. For example, the fund could charge gains of up to 20% on profits of $ 2 and $ 20, but it would collect only "2 and 15" on earnings above 20%.
Most hedge funds include a watermark clause that indicates that a hedge fund manager may receive performance fees only after the fund has generated a new income. If the fund suffers losses, it must recover them before receiving performance fees.
Advanced Accounting & Tax Planning