October 13, 2023
SMAs, ETFs, and mutual funds: which one's right for you?
What's the difference between mutual funds, ETFs, and SMAs, and which one's right for you?
Separately managed accounts
Separately managed accounts (SMAs) can be an ideal solution for high-net-worth investors looking for a more tailored approach to their investments. Find out more about how our SMA capabilities can help provide a level of personalization and control to meet specialized and sophisticated investment needs.
What are SMAs?
An SMA is a portfolio of securities that is professionally managed separately from other portfolios. SMAs were originally devised to serve institutional investors requiring customizable investment strategies not available through traditional mutual funds. Their targeted nature is one of the key differences between SMAs and mutual funds or exchange-traded funds (ETFs): While an SMA is managed for the benefit of one investor, mutual funds and ETFs pool the assets of many investors. This individualized approach allows the asset manager to customize the portfolio to align with an investor's unique goals and preferences.
Partnering with Manulife John Hancock Investments
Manulife John Hancock Investments has a long history of working with institutional managers from around the globe—with key strengths in equities, bonds, alternatives, asset allocation, and thematic investing.
Elite teams
We currently partner with 16 asset managers and have 50 proven portfolio teams.1
Wealth of product knowledge
Our areas of expertise include private assets, SMAs, model portfolios, collective investment trusts, mutual funds, ETFs, 529 plans, 401(k) and pensions.
Local insight, global scale
Our 600+ investment professionals have regional expertise to help our more than 19 million clients worldwide.2
Important disclosures
Important disclosures
1 Manulife John Hancock Investments, as of 9/30/25. 2 Manulife Investment Management, as of 9/30/25.
Understanding the benefits
SMAs are designed to serve as a key component of an overall investment strategy to help investors pursue their unique financial goals. SMAs fulfill this role by offering greater flexibillity, tax efficiency, and transparency.
Flexibility
True to their name, SMAs are managed separately and aren't governed by a prospectus. This allows for greater flexibility to tailor the strategy to the investor’s specific requirements or personal preferences.
Tax efficiency
The direct ownership structure of SMAs offers a few tax advantages for investors. One advantage is that tax-loss selling can be targeted to the individual’s unique situation to help offset capital gains tax and potentially increase after-tax returns.
Transparency
SMA investors own the underlying portfolio holdings directly, allowing them to view their securities along with current positions and prices at any time.
SMA brochure
Gain further insight into the benefits of SMAs, including customization and tax efficiency.
Our SMA capabilities
Our strategies provide access to institutional-caliber portfolio management across U.S. and international equity, fixed-income, and balanced portfolio strategies—all managed by veteran teams at Manulife Investment Management.
Balanced Strategy
Seeks current income and long-term growth consistent with capital preservation by investing in a diversified portfolio of equities and bonds
Core Fixed Income Strategy
Pursues capital preservation and high current income by investing in a mix of high-quality U.S. government, agency, and corporate bonds, as well as securitized debt, through allocations to both individual securities and underlying funds
Core Plus Fixed Income Strategy
Pursues high current income consistent with a prudent level of risk by investing in a mix of government and corporate bonds, as well as securitized debt, through allocations to both individual securities and underlying funds
Municipal Opportunities Strategy
Pursues high current tax-exempt income by investing in a nationally diversified portfolio of high-quality municipal bonds, targeting securities that appear to be undervalued
Fundamental Global Franchise Strategy
Seeks long-term capital appreciation through opportunistic exposure to companies with global franchises and sustainable competitive advantage
Fundamental All Cap Core Strategy
Invests in companies of all market capitalizations that possess wide moats and offer the potential to compound cash flows across market cycles
Fundamental Large Cap Core Strategy
Invests in large-cap companies that demonstrate a sustainable competitive advantage and are trading at compelling discounts to their long-term intrinsic value
U.S. Small Cap Core Strategy
Invests in profitable small-cap companies with niche business models that offer improving earnings and attractive valuations
Related viewpoints
November 6, 2023
What tax advantages do SMAs offer?
SMA investors own the underlying securities within the portfolio, a distinction that sets them apart from mutual funds and ETFs and is the key to their tax-friendly nature.
We're here to help
Bradley Baker, CIMA
Head of Specialized Investment Distribution
Brad R. Begin, CRPC
SMA Platform Manager
Find out if SMAs are right for you
Fill out the contact form to request more information about how SMAs can offer access to institutional-caliber strategies while providing a higher degree of personalization and control to help meet unique investor needs.
Learn more about the benefits of SMAs
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