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Investment Q&A

Not investment advice or solicitation to buy/sell securities. Do your own due diligence and/or consult an advisor.

Q: Which would you recommend, investment account or TFSA.
Read Answer Asked by James on December 22, 2024
Q: Hi Peter and all at 5i. Wishing you the best of the season!

Peter, first of all, I really enjoyed your last article in the National Post. Your financial stories were highly entertaining.

I manage a RRSP for my daughter-in-law. She has approximately 24K in cash due to a GIC that recently matured. (She got 5.16% interest).

She has these commission-free ETFs: CEW, QQC.F, XHC, XIT, and XST. She would have to pay a $10 commission on the following stocks and ETFs: BCE, BNS, FTS, PBH, SLF, WSP, ZIN, and ZRE.

Question 1. In what order would you suggest she uses the cash to purchase more of the commission-free ETFs?

Question 2. If there are compelling reasons to do so, in what order would you suggest she uses the cash to purchase more of the stocks and ETFs where there is a $10 commission?

I’m hoping that this question can be answered before Christmas if possible. Please use as many question credits as you see fit to provide a comprehensive reply.

Thanks as always for your valuable insight.
Read Answer Asked by Jerry on December 22, 2024
Q: Happy holidays…. Tax loss selling….. proxy for TLT, VDE, EMXC, OXY, PICK, LLY, NXT, ZBH, AMD, -Thanks
Read Answer Asked by James on December 22, 2024
Q: I understand that VGT and XLK are extremely popular US technology ETF's.
I also understand that many popular US exchange ETF's are extremely tax efficient If I held these in my taxable account will there likely be capital gains/losses declared annually? If so, where can I find this historical information?
Would my broker provide this tax information annually to help me prepare my tax return?
Read Answer Asked by Ian on December 21, 2024
Q: hi 5i!
and happy holidays to everyone on this platform!
I am considering adding a US dividend ETF with $CDN hedge. can you give me your top picks based on 1) past performance ( long term but up to 20 years at most ) 2) "guess-timate" of future performance including fees ( and your reasoning ) 3) Net $$ assets 4) daily trading volume 5) dividend yield and 6) dividend growth.
take as many points from me as you need.
all the best
Chris
Read Answer Asked by chris on December 21, 2024
Q: Hi 5i!

A question for a friend looking for a new investment instead of csav and cash as interest rates are reduced.

He already have XQQ and ZSP.

1. He is looking for an etf of canadian dividends stocks, do you have a suggestion?

2. What would you propose now for lower risk tolerence?
Read Answer Asked by Francois on December 20, 2024
Q: Recently you answered my question regarding US dividend WHT on Canadian domiciled ETF issues (Vanguard Canada, RBC Ishares etc) and noted that withholding taxes are owing on distributions since the Canadian ETF is simply holding the US ETF and the taxes would be levied when distributions are paid by the US ETF to the Canadian ETF.

Some follow up questions:
- I am assuming that the WHT would apply even if the Canadian ETF is held within a registered account?
- Does the WHT explain part of the difference in yield when comparing the US ETF and the Canadian ETF? For example - VIG yields 1.69% while VGG yields 1.17%. Assuming also that the higher MER on VGG also explains part of the yield difference??
- Given these factors - the WHT and higher MER - why would anyone choose the Canadian version of the same ETF. Further to this - In another question posed by Jacques - you point out that the Canadian ETF ZSP would be preferable to VFV since it holds the stocks directly and not thru the US ETF VOO....thereby avoiding WHT's for registered accounts. However - when you look at VOO - the yield is about 26 bp's higher than either VFV and ZSP....again why would you not just buy VOO.

Many thanks
Read Answer Asked by Gary on December 20, 2024
Q: With the recent declines, in what order will you invest in the above mentioned companies and why
Read Answer Asked by Satish on December 20, 2024
Q: Hello Folks:

Now that Chairman Powell has clearly stated that people should NOT expect aggressive rate cuts, how do you think it will impact Small caps? Will they languish for some more time?

IF, a big IF, Small caps do come alive, do you think one should hold more of Small cap growth or Small cap Value?

Also your word of wisdom about buying Small caps over Mid caps? Wouldn't the latter (Mid caps) benefit more if the interest rates remain the same, more or less? Here the assumption is that the rate cuts will benefit Small caps.

Many thanks in advance!
Read Answer Asked by Savalai on December 20, 2024
Q: I am starting a non-registered portfolio. I would like exposure to the US tech market.
Here are 2 questions:
What are the tax implications of an ETF? (I have read several suggested documents in the Questions section of your website but I am still not sure about the tax cost). Are there any costs other than the MER to hold an ETF?
I am looking at XSP, XUS, VFV.
Thanks.
Read Answer Asked by Serge on December 19, 2024