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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: 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
Q: This question has probably been asked before, but I cannot find it. I sold a stock in my non-registered account for a capital loss and the proceeds will not be reinvested. I hold the same stock in my RRIF. If I add to this same stock with the cash inside my RRIF, will it still trigger the 30-day rule?
Read Answer Asked by Raymond on April 05, 2023
Q: Brucey asked a question today about capital losses from previous years and you said to refile previous tax returns to claim the loss. If he is referring to losses he has reported when filing his previous tax returns, then the easy thing to do is report the loss on line 61 of the current year return "net capital losses of other years". The government doesn't automatically do this for you because you can carry forward the losses as long as you want and use them in any future year.
Read Answer Asked by Dan on April 05, 2023
Q: If I have capital losses from any previous years (including 2022), are they automatically applied to my capital gains by the CRA when I do my tax return?
Read Answer Asked by Brucey on April 04, 2023
Q: For high yield ETF's like HMAX, ZWB, JEPI, etc, how is the monthly or quarterly payout taxed - interest, dividend, capital gains? If it varies by ETF on these examples, how is it determined? Thanks.
Read Answer Asked by Alvin on April 03, 2023
Q: Following BAM spin off in 2022, how does it have to be reported to CRA (capital gain)? Is it treated as a typical disposition? If so, I read the value assigned to each new entity is 88% and 12%, do we use these ratios to calculate the cost base for the capital gain to be reported? Thank you!
Read Answer Asked by Pierre on April 03, 2023
Q: Are there any advantages to purchasing an international ETF off of a US exchange in US dollars. My understanding is that withholdings taxes would be the same as Canadian ETF's as long as both ETF's hold individual securities.
Read Answer Asked by Joe on March 31, 2023