Investment Q&A

Q: A follow up question to Matt's question on WBI, are there any issues in investing in this company from a Canadian investor standpoint? You have mentioned implications for MLC's in past.

Q: A stock with a high dividend payout that is 95% ROC has an actual dividend payout of only 5%.
What type of account would this type of stock be best held in for tax purposes?
It seems that a margin account would be more tax efficient than a retirement account, where ROC likely is not considered on eventual withdrawal.

Q: Is there a dividend hold back on companies such as JEPQ that, as in this example, is listed on the Canadian exchange, regardless of which account it is held in?

Thanks

Q: In response to Peter's question today: "If I have CDRs for US companies, do I still pay US withholding tax?" you answered "Yes, outside a RRSP". I understand this withholding tax applies only to dividends?

Q: If I have CDRs for US companies, do I still pay US withholding tax?

Q: In a CCPC, investment income is taxed at a rate of 50% or more , with a partial refund via the RDTOH mechanism. It is my understanding that Corporate class etfs attempt to recategorize income in the form of capital gains, thus not triggering any income until the item is sold. Is this your understanding?

What is your view of these products? What drawbacks do you see? Are there any hidden fees?

Thank you

Paul

Q: How do these two ETF’s compare with respect to withholding taxes if held in a non-registered account

Q: I am having trouble with the Return of Capital(ROC) concept in non-registered accounts. Seems like a losing situation as your adjusted cost base is reduced by the ROC leaving you to pay or lose a greater amount, even tho it is a capital gain and not interest. Also a ROC is my original capital that I already paid tax on. Double taxation?? Please explain as simply as possible tho I know you are not tax experts. Thanks

Q: Good morning.

I have a sizeable amount of US dollars in my TFSA and RRIF accounts and intend to add international investments with that money. I can either just purchase the XEF.u with the US money or go thru the Norbert Gambit process to convert to canadian dollars and then buy the XEF ETF. My question is which would you recommend and also buying XEF.u in my TFSA which I believe is a Canadian listed ETF would there be a 15% US withholding tax on the dividends.

Many thanks.

Q: If I was to hold the TSX listed HXS in a cash account and the value exceeded $100,000 would I be obligated to file a T1135. Thanks.

Q: My spouse and I have a joint investment account and any capital gain/loss or income generated in this account is reported on a 50/50 basis.
We currently hold 3 CDR in the account for a total ACB of $180,000 CAD.
Can we assume that individually we own $90,000 worth of foreign property and skip filling form T1135 or do we have to file because the account itself is over the $100,000 threshold?

Q: what is the most tax efficient way to hold cash? would it be with a dividend stock (assuming the stock stays at the same price) or in an interest bearing account

Q: When an ETF is sold at a loss, does the loss increase because the ETF had received a Return of Capital as part of the annual distribution and you are supposed to reduce your cost by the annual ROC received? Thanks

Q: Just want to confirm my understanding of attribution rules on these points below:
1. If a grandparent gifts $5,000 to an adult grandchild (over age 18) to be used for investing purposes, there is no attribution rules applicable.

2. But no such luck, if gifting funds to a spouse or to a minor child under 18, where the funds are being used for investing. Attribution rules will apply.

3. If a spouse puts the gifted funds in a TFSA, how will CRA be able to track attribution back to the gifter?

Thanks.

Q: Rather than selling a position and buying it back 30 days later, can you double down on a losing position and then sell half 30 days later to capture the loss? I considered options...but sounds like one cannot use options to maintain exposure and still log a capital loss.

Q: good morning 5i,
I know that your usual response to selling when capital gains tax is involved is to sell down until you can sleep at night. Well, when I pay taxes I cannot sleep at night? What is the solution? Currently, with Shopify, Nividia, Meta etc, I have very high capital gains. Some are up to 10 or 12 percent of my portfolio. Should I just bite the bullet and sell down to a reasonable holding? or, just sell up through the end of my next tax bracket? I know these are impossible questions to answer. I had a worker going up on my roof the other day and I was surprised to see him having a very lively conversation with himself about how he should or shouldn't place the ladder. At first I thought this odd. But realising the danger of going straight up 30 feet in the air on a bouncy ladder, I thought it maybe not too stupid. Sometimes I feel that these are not the right questions to be asking you, as they are practically impossible to answer. But, maybe we are talking to ourselves like the ladder guy. You always end up having something useful to say, though, none the less.
thanks

Q: Hi, To my understanding regarding tax harvesting, if i sell X stock for a loss , sell Y Stock or ETF for profit to negate the loss and then buy back Y stock or ETF within 30 days period still i will be able to claim loss in my cash account. Please confirm. Thanks

Q: I feel compelled to chime in on the RRSP discussion, with my personal scenario.

- 25 years still to work
- marginal tax rate 43.4%
- highest tax bracket 50.4%
- Assumed yearly return of 10%


Option 1: Utilize the RRSP for 10k/year:

Balance after 25 years = 1.08 million. Worst case scenario (unlikely) I pay 50.4% tax on the entire balance = 536k remaining.

Option 2: Pay tax on the 10k at 43.4% and have 5,660 left to invest in a cash account.

Balance after 25 years = 612k. Pay capital gain tax of **118k = 493k remaining.

**Capital gain = 612k less cost base of 141k (5,660 X 25 years) = 470k. X 50.4% X 0.5 = 118k.



I am still better off in option 1 with 536k rather than the 493k in option 2. Note that it is also very unlikely I pay the highest tax rate on the entire balance. In reality I will likely to much better than the tax rate used in option 1.


Open to hear if you think I'm missing anything?

Q: With all the tariffs bouncing around, I decided to work another year after starting my CPP and OAS. Although I took 30% tax off both, I still got nailed for taxes because I made too much.
I plan to purchase RRSPs to counter this for next year but I just want to make sure I can still buy RRSPs after 65 years of age. Is that correct?
I realize I'll eventually have to move it all into a RIF by 71.

thanks,

Paul

Q: further to six figure estate RIFF taxations----I am an 88 year old in that high tax bracket.

an additional strategy is to give while still alive to receivers in lower brackets ---- you see what they do with it. I found they use it wisely.