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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: Dear 5i
My wife contributed $5000 to her TFSA 2009 , 2010 and 2011 totalling $15000 . Two years later it was necessary for her to withdraw the total amount leaving a balance in her TFSA of $0 .
In 2018 we calculated that from 2009-2018 her total allowable contributions totals ~$57500 . As such she puts this much into her TFSA in a lump some in 2018 .
CRA informs her that her contribution room Jan 1/18 is only $50300 and as such says she has over contributed by roughly$6900 . Does this sound right to you or have we somehow miscalculated .
Thanks
Bill
Read Answer Asked by Bill on May 23, 2019
Q: Hi,
Is there a strategy to transfer stocks with nice capital gains (SHOP approx 250%) from my Margin act to TFSA. My understanding is that such a transfer is considered a deemed disposition. Thanks.

Shyam
Read Answer Asked by Shyam on May 23, 2019
Q: Good morning,

I understand from a recent 5i article that BAM and AQN pay out their dividends in US$ and that for a number of very good reasons, it is advantageous to have the US$ dividends from these two companies journaled to the US side of my account.

At present I have a 500 shares of BAM.A.CA and 500 shares of AQN:CA in my Cdn Non Registered account that pay out their dividends in Cdn $. Given that I have a US$ Non Registered account and that I need US$ from time to time to either purchase US stocks or for travel in the US, it would make sense for me to request from my brokerage firm that dividends from these two companies be journaled to my US$ Non Registered account.

Question 1. With the dividends now being paid in US$ and showing up in my US Non Registered account, would the BAM and AQN shares themselves be shown in the US$ account or would they remain in my Cdn$ Non Registered account with the dividends from these two companies, paid out in US$ and showing up in my US$ account?

Question 2. I also have a number of BAM and AQN in my TFSA. Would it make sense to move these two stocks to my Cdn$ Non Registered account and have the brokerage firm journal the dividends as well to my US Non Registered account and with the proceeds of the sale in my TFSA, purchase other stocks/ETFs within the TFSA?
Thank you for your team's sage advice and I look forward to hearing your response.



Read Answer Asked by Francesco on May 16, 2019
Q: My tfsa account has 110k.How much since inception has a person deposited including this year if max. deposit with no withdraws.
tnx u...
Read Answer Asked by tom on May 15, 2019
Q: This may be somewhat of a naive question but I'm new to this :) What options exist, if any, to contribute to the TFSA and/or RRSP of a spouse? What are the tax implications? Do they also apply to common law partners?

Feel free to disregard this question if it is too complex to answer. Thanks.
Read Answer Asked by Andrew on April 05, 2019
Q: I currently own Shopify in a non-registered account, with significant gains. Thank you for this recommendation. Do you think it is going to continue with its gains and if so, would it make sense to move it to my TFSA? I will eventually have to take the tax hit on the gains, regardless. I have room in my TFSA to buy it back with the gains that I have made. Thanks
Read Answer Asked by Dave on March 29, 2019
Q: Hello Team,
I have some money on the sideline and I want to gradually put it into action.
Considering that the market is statistically overdue for a good drop (or at least flatline for a while), what would be your best 4 picks for a RRSP and your best 4 picks for TFSA. I would target a 50/50 income/growth mix in both cases.

Thank you!

Michel
Read Answer Asked by Michel on March 12, 2019
Q: Our cash and RRSP accounts which are mainly conservative, well diversified, good dividend companies have largely recovered from last fall's blood bath. My TSFA accounts, where I am more aggressive, have not. I do not need the money in the TSFA accounts for some time so I am willing to wait for a recovery but would like to eliminate those that have faint hope of doing so. Given this, should I give up on any of the following and buy stocks from the 5I growth portfolio. I am retired.
TOY,TSGI,PHO,RAY.A,COV,SIS,GUD,GC
Most, if not all, were at one time looked on favourably by 5i but things change.
Many thanks for all the great answers to the questions which I read daily.
Read Answer Asked by Don on March 09, 2019
Q: Long term TFSA. I am currently down 11%BNS;26%GUD;8%STN and 6%SLF. Have Plus 10% weightings in all 7 stocks.
Should I add to the (current) losers or add something new or add to my (current) winners.
Read Answer Asked by Paul on March 07, 2019
Q: I have $25,000 in my TFSA invested in the above companies, eaqch with a weighing of between 8% - 10%. Looking to add another $10,000. I'm 63. Preference is dividends and some growth. Looking for stability if another December 2018 were to repeat itself.
May I please have your suggestions, in order of preference. Please deduct appropriate credits.

Thank you.
Read Answer Asked by Larry on February 26, 2019
Q: Hi
I'm trying to reduce the risk in my TSFA with the intent of using ~$60K towards a down-payment for a new home in mid-2020. My plan is to sell most of the current investments and invest the money instead in a much safer income generating ETF, though I'm open minded to where I could invest instead. I've done pretty well on (some) of these investments, but am prepared to sell the winners and losers and cut my losses to move forward and decrease my risk. I'm most concerned about having to sell at an even greater loss when we are ready to buy next year. I've listed my current investments.

Are any of current investments worth holding into for the next 16 months instead of selling now and which ETFs you would consider buying?
I'm planning to sell:
BBU.UN (no loss/gain), CM (up 3%), EMA (up8%) IAN (up200%), XEC (down 5%), LB (no loss/gain)

I'm planning to buy instead XTR.

Please take as many credits as you think fair.

Read Answer Asked by Michael on February 25, 2019
Q: My adult daughter (and a 5i member herself) has about $18K put aside to set up an initial position in a new TFSA. She has a 30 year time horizon, is a conservative investor and would probably feel more comfortable with a 'buy and hold' strategy vs trading. She would also tend to favour large and mid cap equities.
Could you please suggest 6-8 stocks that might be appropiate at this time? As an aside she does hold BCE and EMA as DRIPS.
Many thanks.
Read Answer Asked by Kent on February 22, 2019
Q: I own all of the above in roughly equal weights in my TFSA. I am attempting to replicate your Balanced Equity Portfolio. I am also trying to get more defensive. I think I am overweight in the Info Tech sector. I am looking at a 5 year hold. I have cash to buy another position. What would your advice be - hold the cash or make a purchase. If purchase what would be your recommendation for defensive position?

Thanks for your help.
Read Answer Asked by Ron on February 22, 2019
Q: I want to build a 5 stock portfolio in my TFSA (growth stocks, medium risk) Can you please recommend 5 stocks?

Thanks
Luigi
Read Answer Asked by luigi on February 06, 2019