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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: Could you tell me if because of these two mergers, were the original shares, ie, AD and POW sold to purchase units/shares in the new trust/company and thereby realizing a capital gain or loss? I cant seem to find this information from the DIY broker.
Thanks
Merry Xmas
Read Answer Asked by JEFF on December 30, 2020
Q: Hi, You already mentionned here that ZEM was more "tax efficient" than VEE, since "there is no US withholding tax" with ZEM. From what I can observe,VEE is only including emerging market stocks (and no ETFs or US stock), could you explain to me why VEE would be less "tax efficient" than ZEM ? Regards,JY
Read Answer Asked by Jean-Yves on December 28, 2020
Q: 5i staff and readers might be interested to hear (and comment on) the outcome of my recent (Oct-Nov 2020) Nutrien tax loss sale/repurchase in a taxable account. When I sold my 2500 Nutrien shares for ~$137,000 (realizing ~$18,000 loss), I purchased (per 5i suggestion) an offsetting position in Mosaic (MOS.US, another fertilizer company). Over the next 30 days, Nutrien stock price rose significantly, and so when it came time to repurchase the Nutrien shares (after 30 day waiting period), they now cost $153,000, i.e., an increase in price for the 2500 shares almost as much as the realized loss (~$16,000 versus ~$18,000)! Fortunately, the Mosaic position rose in the meantime by ~$21,000, rescuing what otherwise would have been a disastrous tax-loss sale. In the end, I am now back in Nutrien (a long-term hold in my portfolio), but the whole round trip experience ended up with no tax savings (in fact, my net capital gain position increased by ~$3000 (i.e., ~$21,000 Mosaic share gain minus ~$18,000 Nutrien realized loss), making the whole effort unhelpful re: saving taxes. This tale illustrates well the potential peril of tax-loss selling. But thank you to 5i for the suggestion to hold Mosaic during the 30-day period, preventing a really bad outcome.
Ted
Read Answer Asked by Ted on December 23, 2020
Q: I'm down 60% on all three of these and finally taking the tax write off. The good news is that I can use it this year. Would you consider any worth buying back again after 30 days or not ? QST has been showing signs of life recently and perhaps CXI will recover when the world starts to travel again ? What would you do ?
John
Read Answer Asked by JOHN on December 21, 2020
Q: I know you generally don’t advise making decisions in what “might” happen, but I need to absorb some capital gains in a non-registered account in the next 6 months and I’m thinking about the potential for changes to the taxation of capital gains. It would seem that taxing capital gains at a higher rate is a likely target to pay for some of debt that government is accumulating due to COVID. Should I hedge my bets and absorb some of the capital gains this year?
Read Answer Asked by Alan on December 19, 2020
Q: Hi,
I have some questions about investing in a taxable account (non-registered) vs a registered account?
1) when to use registered vs non-registered accounts assuming money is borrowed (LOC or HELOC) where the interest can be deducted in personal income tax (high bracket)?
2) what is preferred (to lower tax) to use in case of non-registered account investment assuming one spouse (X) is in the top income tax bracket and the other spouse (Y) is low tax bracket? X and Y joint account or Y only account or X only? Again investment money is borrowed under HELOC (joint).
Thanks,
Read Answer Asked by Kapil on December 18, 2020
Q: The 30 day rule deals with a superficial loss not being allowed. However when the security is finally sold all losses are added to the final result. It appears that the loss only has a ti
me factor. Is this true and how does the rule apply to options.
thanks
THOMAS
Read Answer Asked by Thomas on December 18, 2020
Q: Good Morning: In a non-registered account that holds US companies (or ADR's) that pay a dividend, is the tax that is withheld seen as a credit for income tax purposes?
Read Answer Asked by Donald on December 17, 2020
Q: Hi,
I hold ETFs (VRE XEC XEF XIC VUN) in my TFSA and RRSP. follwoing questions
1) Are there tax considerations /US-dividend withholding for any one of those?
2) Also, any specific considerations to use TFSA vs RRSP to invest in these ETFs? for example VUN should be used in RRSP.
3) are they good ETFs to investing in long term (8 to 12 years) for growth and income?

Thanks..
Read Answer Asked by Kapil on December 17, 2020
Q: What is the date in December 2020 that one can sell stocks in order to claim the gain in the 2021 tax year? Is December 30/20 the date ? Ty
Read Answer Asked by Indra on December 17, 2020
Q: Thank you very much again, you guys are great. My questions are about tax season i have 2 questions to ask so you may take 2 credits off here. 1. I sold real matters back on november 18 on my margin account i am going to write it off as a tax loss this year, now if i re buy this stock after 30 days it will still be this calendar year is it ok or do i have to wait till 2021. And my next question is like i sold real in my margin account if i wanted to buy the same stock the next day in my TFSA account, will that be ok to do. Again thank you very much.
Read Answer Asked by wilson on December 17, 2020
Q: I'm a bit confused about your interest expense deductibility answers on money borrowed in order to generate income. Aside from a line of credit, looking solely at a mortgage, is the requirement in order to be able to deduct the mortgage interest that the borrower use the borrowed funds to invest in Canadian dividend paying equities solely? So the borrower could not deduct interest expense if funds were invested in non-dividend payers? Appreciate the clarification on this.
Read Answer Asked by Ken on December 11, 2020
Q: What is the process for selling an equity for a tax loss, but also giving the same stock to a charity to claim a tax deduction?
Read Answer Asked by steve on December 10, 2020
Q: I own both and at the share exchange price for TOG will have a loss. In order to realize that loss for tax purposes I assume I will need to sell it. Correct?
If I do sell but want to maintain a larger position in the new company, am I able to purchase more WCP right away without offending the superficial loss rules?
Read Answer Asked by angus on December 09, 2020
Q: Hello, my question is in regards to TLS. With the recent run up on many of the stocks in your recent TLS blog, what are your thoughts on TLS this month for someone with a lot of cash? Does this change any of candidates on your list, and top US picks? I noticed none mentioned. Much thx!
Read Answer Asked by Henry on December 09, 2020
Q: Potential tax loss selling -- could you please provide suitable placeholders for these companies. Also, if you recommend keeping these "placeholders" instead of switching back after 30 days please let me know.
Read Answer Asked by Brett on December 09, 2020
Q: I have both Canadian and US stocks in my TFSA in separate accounts. Is it a mistake to own US stocks in a TFSA due to potential tax issues? Thnks
Read Answer Asked by Dennis on December 08, 2020