Investment Q&A

Q: Recently I overheard a retired investment advisor talking at a luncheon I attended. He said that since the liberals were spending so much lately that they will be soon looking for ways to increase government income. His feeling was in increase (up to 75%)in capital gains tax. His suggestion was to sell anything which had large gains now. This kind of concerns me as I hold shares in firms like Bell and others which I have had for over 30 years. Thank you for your thoughts on this. I read all the questions people submit and feel I am learning a lot from them
Ken Beatty

Q: Re Pegi and Peg here in Canada - it appears they are a US based company listed here in Canada - the 2015 and 2016 "dividends" were considered non-taxable return of capital for US tax purposes (per info from the company website). Would you or any reader know what the tax treatment would be for Canadian tax purposes of a US ROC distribution?

Q: In one of your answers today you said, "In Ontario, if dividends are you ONLY source of income, you can receive about $58,000 completely tax-free if you just have Canadian dividend income." Can you please provide a source that would confirm this? (A link would be appreciated.) I looked at the tables on www.taxtips.ca, and it appears the threshold is $45,282.

Q: Losing money on BTE in a regitered account. Can i buy buy in and out and keep averaging down always maintaining my original position without waiting the 30 day period. Thank You Vinny

Q: I'm not aware of the nature of the A&W distribution, but a non-eligible dividend is not taxed the same as interest as indicated in the Q&A earlier today. The following link will provide the precise tax rates for Ontario (other provinces also available on that website) at different levels of income:

http://www.taxtips.ca/taxrates/on.htm

Q: BXF / First Asset 1-5 Year Laddered Government Strip Bond Index ETF

How do you feel about BXF compared to CLF? BXF is supposed to be more tax efficient outside a registered account. (I am looking at holding it outside a reg account). Are there any other comparable tax efficient ETFs?

Q: Hi 5i team,

Could you please tell me whether this ETF pays dividends or interest income? Until now, I have been assuming that CBO pays dividends for tax purposes, but I read an article in the Globe&Mail which states that bond ETFs pay mainly interest income.

Many thanks for the great service.

Q: Can you please provide a strategy summary for the following.
I'm trying to find a quick general guide to what types of stocks (and why) are best placed in a RRSP, what's best for a TFSA and what's best for a non RRSP/TFSA account.

thank you

Q: •Foreign property held within registered plans like RRSPs, LIFs, RRIFs, LIRAs, TFSAs, RESPs and RDSPs. As to my understanding if I have over $100000 in u.s. stocks held in one of the accounts above I do not have to report it on cra form 1135..hopefully that gives this question more clarity ...thanks

Q: I have been doing research but am not getting the answer i require. How much u.s. stock exposure can we have in rsp and lira accounts and not be subject to u.s. capital gains tax. I have heard about $100000 u.s. dollars as a threshold but cannot find that for sure. Could you enlighten me on this matter.

Q: If US Limited Partnerships are held in a RRSP/RRIF are the distributions liable for US tax? If yes, does the broker withhold the tax ?

Q: My understanding is that there will not be any withholding tax (for US equities with dividends as an example) in an RRSP. Would this also apply to an RESP?

Q: Can I hold VUN in my TFSA without tax implications or do I need to hold it in my non registered account?

Q: WPT Ind. Real Estate Investment Trust
I noticed on my RRSP that a non resident tax was applied to my latest interest credit to my account. Are not RRSP's exempt from this charge?

Q: If purchased in US$, on the Amex, is this company still considered to be "Canadian" for tax purposes.

Q: Hi 5i,
This is in response to Earl’s question about managing an account for someone whose OAS supplement is reduced substantially in proportion to any taxable income from investments. A good way to generate some cash flow giving the effect of income but without taking the full impact of the supplement reduction might be to focus a portion of the portfolio on REITs whose growth and development activities allow them to designate all or most of their distributions as ‘return of capital’ or ROC. The cash payments come monthly, typically, but the ROC designation turns some or all of that cash from income into a reduction of the cost base for the investment, effectively swapping current year income tax on the payments for capital gains tax that is deferred until the eventual sale of the holding. Because any portion of a cash distribution designated as ROC is effectively not income, there should be no reduction of the OAS supplement resulting from receiving that ROC.
There is imperfect visibility with this approach because one cannot be certain in advance exactly how much of the year’s distributions will be designated ROC. That information comes with the tax slips and related info after year-end. But with that caveat, I have held REITs over many years that have designated most, sometimes all, of their distributions as ROC, year after year. A good example that I have held would be Artis REIT (AX.UN) but I expect that other 5i members have several other favorite examples. If you are willing to dig a bit, a REITs’ past record regarding ROC designations is usually available on its website or potentially through its Investor Relations people.

Q: I am interested in buying BIP on the TSX in a non registered account. I would like to know how the 5.35% dividend will be taxed?

Q: If a Canadian based ETF (e.g. VUS) invests in a US company or ETF (e.g.VTI), isn't the dividend paid to the Cdn ETF subject to US withholding tax, regardless of whether it is held in a registered or taxable account ?

Thank you for your outstanding service to us !

Bob

Q: If I own a stock outside of my TFSA and then buy the same amount of this stock inside my TFSA for twice the price is my adjusted cost base equalized between the two holdings?
IE 1 share = $1 outside TFSA
1 share = $2 inside TFSA

Is my cost base now $1.50 on 2 shares?

TIA

Q: if I sell a stock at a loss can I repurchase the stock 30 days later and still take advantage of my tax loss? brenda