Investment Q&A

Q: In the next couple of months, I will start a monthly drawdown of my RRSP account as a part of my retirement plan. Is there a good strategy for this, or perhaps an article you can send me to? I wonder if the cheese slice strategy is best, or planning ahead by a month or more by trimming the runners and stock-piling some cash so I'm not in a position to sell on a "down" day. Any ideas you have will be handy - thanks!

Q: I know this is outside 5i's wheelhouse, but I am going to cheekily ask it anyway. I am contemplating a 50% drawdown of my investments (to purchase a cottage) and want to determine the optimal way to do so. 50% of my investments are in a cash account, and roughly 50% split equally between TFSAs and RRSPs (all of which are maxed out). Almost all my high growth stocks are in my TFSA (NVDA, VRT, GOOG, MSFT, AMZN), with mostly slower growers and dividend stocks in the other accounts. Considering both tax consequences and the need to continue having a diversified portfolio, where would YOU take the money from?

Q: 5i, In my RRSP have 3 US stocks NVDA, JPM, BRK.B , soon to start withdrawing, I would like to find CAD equivalent for them, would you please suggest a replacement. Does it make sense to keep in my RRSP all in CAD stocks?

Q: Good morning
My question is regarding RESPs.. I’m currently holding CSU, LMN and VFV in my RESP. All equal weightings. Would you top up or add ? If adding, please list your top 5 in order. Thanks

Q: Please recommend the name of 5 TSX stocks, for starting a $100k retirement fund, earning 10% on dividends + appreciation, relatively low risk. Thank you.

Q: I am learning to use portfolio analytics (PA). PA provides some guidance that makes a lot of sense from a tax efficient perspective. For example, it recommends to place Canadian dividend payers in unregistered accounts and Canadian and US growth funds into TFSAs. Are there any downfalls to not having each account diversified?

Q: Hello,

General best practice question here on portfolio diversification based on a question asked many years ago.

1. If you were starting fresh with an equity portfolio, how many names would you choose and would they all be equal weight by name? Within that number, would you have a recommendation investing in a set number of ETF's?

2. Would you recommend adding stocks across each of the 10-14 sectors (or prioritize specific ones) and apply the same weight?

3. In terms of tax benefits, would you tend to hold US stock in a TFSA or RRSP? I seem to read conflicting views.

Q: I'm curious as to the lack of a high dividend paying etf in your Income portfolio? Also curious as to your thoughts on the partial use for these in a RRIF or PLIf account ( I am in MB and we have PLIF's). I'm setting up a PLIF and considering having more than a full position of HDIV, along with big stable dividend growers I'd pick from your favorites. I have a RRSP of the same value of the PLIF and investments in TFSA. I've been 100% equities all my life, eat volitility for breakfast. If you were setting up your own PRIF, looking to make significant income, what would it look like?

Q: VGG. Non registered account
Everyone seems to hold in registered
Is it ok to hold in non registered and why?
Thank you

Q: Please give me some guidelines about the type of companies preferred in TFSA, RIF and non registered accounts. I am particularly iinterested in guidelines related to tax efficiency and it's overall effect on results.

Q: Wealthsimple approached me with an 0.5% cash offer on the totality of my investments if i moved my accounts with them. The accounts - Cash non reg, + TFSA + RRSP are being transferred in kind. They tell me that they ELASTIC N V ORDINARY SHARES (in my RRSP) cannot be held at wealthsimple. I either have to liquidate the shares and maintain the transfer, or leave the shares in my RRSP at my current institution (investorline)

The ESTC shares are down 20% in my RRSP. so can't harvest a loss.

How would you proceed? If you decide to sell the shares, what would you move into? I am very tech heavy, but enjoy the risk and the rich rewards that come with being tech heavy,

If replacing, i was looking at some securities that took big hits recently AMD, LULU.

Any compelling ideas? Please advise, Thank you.

Q: please confirm that Owning VFV in an RRSP there withholding tax is not applied? If it is do you have a suggestion on an S&P eft that would be exempt this hold back

Q: There are a number of Canadian based NASDAQ100 and S&P500 ETF's. Which NASDAQ100 and S&P500 ETF would you prefer, or would be "best", for a TFSA account, and why? Would investing within an RRSP or in a non-registered account alter your selections and if so, why would that be? Thanks.

Q: Dear 5i
Which of the above listed stocks would you place in an RRSP and which in a TFSA and in what order of preference ?
Thanks
Bill C

Q: Hi,
What would be your top 5 CDN consumer discretionary stocks in a RRSP for a 5-10 year hold.
Please list in order of preference for a buy today.
Thanks

Q: a book i would really recommend that has helped me a lot in last few years and written by a canadian is called "your retirement income blueprint" by daryl diamond and he has a new one called "retirement for the record"
both are very good but i would start with the income blueprint.

Q: Hi 5i
You recently answered this question from Steve:

Recently a couple of younger friends (mid-60's)have just converted their RRSPs to RRIFs. Except for the possibility of needing the cash flow, I can't understand why they would want to convert to a RRIF.

Am I missing something? Are there advantages to converting early?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Another reason his friends may be doing this is long term tax planning. Quick example, a couple in their mid 60s each has 500k in RSPs. If they were to both die suddenly that $1 million all gets reported as income on one return and most of it is taxed at over 40% (in BC the amount over $241k is 53.50%). To avoid this, the couple would need to live long lives and gradually draw the money out. But because none of us know when our time is up, they could take some out now in the 20% or 28.2% tax brackets (BC rates). The winners will be the kids and grandkids, the loser will be CRA. So by taking money out before 71, they are increasing the years when they can take money out at less than 30%, and reducing the potential giant tax bill at the end. And if they have not fully funded their TFSAs, they can use this money to top them up. Then going forward their interest, divs and cap gains aren't taxed. In the RSP or RIF, they will be taxed on all 3 when they take it out.
Greg

Q: This question was asked by Atchuta on November 20, 2023.
"My wife took early retirement with DB plan. Her RRSP and TFSA are well diversified. She has enough money to invest in about 10 companies. This money is not needed in foreseeable future. However, a small dividend is appreciated along with capital appreciation. It will be invested in a regular account.
Can you please suggest top 12 companies."

What would be your answer if it was an RRSP account instead of a regular account, would you change anything ?

Thank you
Fernando

Q: Hello 5i, Could you comment on options available for a retired senior that is approaching 71 years of age as I think that 71 is the mandatory age that RSP,s have to be cashed out.

Q: Hi 5i,
I understand each investor has their own idea of risk but I would be interested in getting your thoughts. In regards to small caps stocks I believe I choose quality at an attractive price with a plan to hold forever (of course they don't always work out and I may eventually sell them). I struggle with whether to buy them in my TFSA and/or NonReg account. TFSA is great if the stock appreciates dramatically and the NonReg is great if I pick a loser and I sell it for a capital loss. Can you perhaps provide some words of wisdom how one can approach this dilemma. Thanks