skip to content
  1. Home
  2. >
  3. Investment Q&A
You can view 3 more answers this month. Sign up for a free trial for unlimited access.

Investment Q&A

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

Q: If I were to use DLR and DLR.U to convert currency then would this trade need to be reported when filing taxes? I'm not sure as there would not be any capital gain or loss (am I right?) If I do need to report the trade then I assume that I could claim the commission as expenses? Please clarify. Thanks in advance.
Read Answer Asked by K on May 15, 2023
Q: Good evening,

Due to an oversight I have three dividend paying US equities in my cash account. These dividends are subject to withholding taxes.

I’m not sure if this is up your alley but can these stocks be switched with Canadian dividend stocks (of equal value) in my RRIF?

Thanks in advance for your help.
Read Answer Asked by Dave on May 02, 2023
Q: I owned shares in Arena Minerals, which was bought out by lithium Americas. What is my cost base for my LAC shares based on a purchase price of .276 per Arena share. How do I determine that? On my new statement showing the LAC shares the cost base shows as zero. I’ve never been involved in a buyout before. Thanks for the help as always.
Read Answer Asked by Bryan on April 29, 2023
Q: Hi I after reading Jason Heath's article in the March/April issue of Canadian Money Saver I became very confused about US withholding Taxes on US companies held in my RRSP.

Mr Heath stated:
"That said, in some cases, U.S. and foreign dividends can be subject to tax annually in an RRSP.
U.S. dividends paid to a Canadian resident’s RRSP can be tax-free if there is an up-to-date Form W8-BEN Certificate of Foreign Status of Beneficial Owner for United States Tax Withholding and Reporting on file with the brokerage. However, this tax exemption only applies to U.S. stocks owned directly or U.S.-listed ETFs that own U.S. stocks."

For many years I have held a lot of US dividend paying stocks in my self directed RRSP in US dollars. I was always under the impression that there is no US withholding tax on these dividends in a self directed RRSP and that the W8-BEN form was not required .

I know these are Mr Heath's comments and not your own, but can you please clarify.
Read Answer Asked by MANFRED on April 25, 2023
Q: I have recently come into some US cash. I would like to put some of it into a US TFSA account but am not sure if this would be prudent as, the US doesn't recognize the TFSA in the same manner as our RRSPs. If this is a good idea, what types of equities should be put into it: any type of US equity or Canadian stocks that pay dividends in USD?

As always, Thank you in advance for your advice
Read Answer Asked by Sean on April 25, 2023
Q: Confused about collecting US companies dividends in my RRSP
Read Answer Asked by MANFRED on April 24, 2023
Q: Hello 5i
I am a Canadian citizen and resident. I want to avoid US Estate tax on US stocks.
Which are the Canadian ETF providers that have ETFs containing US stocks?
Should I assume that Canadian branches of US ETF providers would still be vulnerable?
Do you have specific recommendations?
Many thanks for your ongoing great service !
Read Answer Asked by David on April 24, 2023
Q: Hi,
In 2021, I had to pay 40K of capital gain. On 2022 I have capital loss of 80K.
Is it possible to apply the carry back to 2021, so I can get my 40K back?
thanks
Read Answer Asked by Fernando on April 24, 2023
Q: In your excellent response to my question re a withdrawal stage senior moving dividend paying stocks to TFSA to allow dividends to grow tax free, you included this:
' ocapital gains, which are still taxed lower for most investors".
Taxes on dividends are paid yearly and capital gains taxed when the stock is sold. So aren't dividend stocks taxed "twice" dividends + capital gains, whereas non dividend stocks are only taxed on capital gains? I know I must be missing something here because the point about dividend tax being lower is a universal one.

For which investors are dividends taxed lower and for whom are they not? thanks for the education!
Read Answer Asked by M.S. on April 24, 2023
Q: Cathy Wood's ARKW ETF has a Canadian version being EAFT-NE. The EAFT has a different management company than the ARKW which Cathy Wood looks after. BDO was the accounting firm for the Canadian version of her funds until awhile ago. Now they do not have an accounting firm and they have run out of time to get one and so their funds are not allowed to trade. Would the Securities Commission be looking into this as me and many other owners would not be happy this is happening or once it trades will it mirror the ARKW which is the US version of it and it is trading?
On another note, my wife's broker advised that active short term traders would have to pay 100% tax on their gains.
Read Answer Asked by Dennis on April 17, 2023
Q: Dear 5i,
In regards to Horizons Corporate Class ETF's.
The tax efficiency of these ETF's seem very attractive for taxable accounts.
What are the key risks of holding these products other than market risk?
Is it basically the chance that the Canadian government might change tax legislation for these type of products? If this is the case do you think it is a low probability since it could trigger massive tax liabilities for Horizons and Mutual Fund companies that offer this corporate class structure?
Read Answer Asked by Ian on April 17, 2023
Q: I understand the superficial loss rule in a non-reg account. What happens when one sells a stock at a loss and buys it back within the 30 days but sells everything by year end settlement date. Thanks
Read Answer Asked by george on April 14, 2023
Q: Are CIBC CDRs considered US property from a tax standpoint and thus a potential IRS reporting and tax liability? Thanks.
Read Answer Asked by Michael on April 13, 2023
Q: Hi. My stock in a company has gone to zero. What documentation do I need to claim the capital loss, and how do I get that? I invest online with my bank. Nothing is available in with the usual tax documents.

Thanks
Lynn
Read Answer Asked by Lynn on April 11, 2023
Q: I have an odd situation regarding capital loss on META. On a US$ basis there is a small capital gain. However, when converting to Canadian $ using actual exchange rates around acquisition dates for adjusted cost base, and using the 2022 annual average exchange rate from BoC for sale proceeds , I get a capital loss. This looks strange. I have checked several sources , and even asked ChatGPT to do the calculation. All calculation methods show results within 1%: a gain in US$ but a loss in Canadian $. Is this even acceptable to CRA? Or am I best to claim no gain, no loss? (I acknowledge of course: 5i are not tax advisors; that 5i is not responsible for whatever I report and whatever sources I use. I’d just appreciate knowing if this sort of bizarre thing does occur). Many thanks.

Read Answer Asked by Adam on April 10, 2023