Investment Q&A

Q: Can you please advise if the cost of my annual subscription to 5i qualifies as an investment expense for Canadian income tax purposes. Thank you.

Andrew

Q: According to KPMG, the Finance Minister has telegraphed that she will not be increasing the capital gains inclusion rate in the April 7 budget. That being said, never say never. I currently hold ITP with some accrued gains. Does it make sense to sell my holdings and crystalize my gains and then buyback my shares to take advantage of the still existing arbitrage opportunity? Is this what you would do if you were in this situation? For tax purposes, if they change the inclusion rate, would it be based on the trade date or the settlement date? I understand there is no 30 day waiting period to buy the shares back, but can I buy them back the same day that I sell them, or do I need to wait until the next trading day?

Thank you.

Q: Just a clarification on the "superficial loss" rule for your readers...you can buy the stock back within 30 days but the capital loss you would have claimed gets added to your new adjusted cost base and can be claimed when the shares are eventually sold. I've had to do that a couple of times to prevent the stock from running away from me during the 30 days.

Q: Are the Topicus shares distribution from CSU taxable in 2021?

Q: I'm confused regarding your answer to Paul's question regarding capital gains. You mentioned that "Shares sold can be re-bought immediately and a new ACB established."
My question is does not one have to wait 30 days to re-buy the same holding because of the superficial loss rule? If not, please explain.

Q: Capital Gains question -- perhaps not your speciality, but worth a try.

Over the years I have kept my winning stocks and sold my losers. As a result I have a fair bit of unrealized capital gains, but I also have capital losses that I have carried forward over the years and not used as I am mostly a "buy and hold" investor.

Assuming that the Federal Government increases the capital gains tax inclusion rate from 50% to 75%, does it make sense for me to sell some of my winners before the budget on April 7th so that I can use up my banked capital losses of previous years?

In the past I could claim 50% of the loss, but if I assume the capital gain will now be taxed at 75% I am kind of thinking it would be advantageous to sell before April 7th (and therefore include 50% of the gain, not 75%).

Two stocks that are on my chopping block that I have held for more then 5 years are ENGH and OTEX. Still up about 80% and 70%, respectively. In your portfolio update you just sold OTEX so it is kind of giving me a push to sell it as I have been thinking about it selling it since last year.

Paul

Q: Please help...we are getting conflicting advice. My son-in-law's sister passed away over a year ago. She was a single parent, leaving a very young daughter as the only heir. There was, fortunately, a work-related life insurance policy in the amount of $200k and an informal trust was set up. My son-in-law is the trustee and received a T3 in the amount of approx. $6k for 2021.

My belief is because the source of the funds came from an insurance company, the attribution rules do not apply in this case. From a recent article by a Tax and Estate Planner: "Income not subject to attribution and capital gains paid or payable to a beneficiary are taxed in the beneficiary's hands at the beneficiary's graduated tax rates". Does this mean that the amounts specified on the T3 form should be filed under the daughter's name and she would be responsible for paying any tax owing? I believe that roughly $13k of income is tax-free, so in this case there should theoretially be zero tax owing. Am I corrrect that a T3 return needs to be submitted (versus just kept on file) and am I correct in my conclusion that no income tax is owing?

Thanks for your help...much appreciated...Steve

Q: Hi,
This is totally a random question based on the "rumours" ? "Fake news" on the Twitter space!! Nevertheless as a semi-retiree this causes a great deal of concern. Hence this question.

I believe the Federal Govt is considering eliminating Dividend tax credit and consider this dividend earnings as earned interest! Have you heard anything about this? This will take down the Banks/Utilities and Telcos,Pipelines, no?
Another blow to the retirees IF IT IS TRUE! Work till you die and pay the taxes!!

Q: J's comment on March 30, about the small ADR fee charged, is interesting and I wonder if he would elaborate, e.g. how does he determine the fee, does it apply to all ADRs, etc. (This topic may be suited to the forums, if J could be redirected.)

Q: I own both MAWER New Canada-MAW107 (since 2004!!) and Mawer Global Smallcap-MAW150 (since 2011) in a taxable account. Both funds declared very large capital gain distributions in 2021, much more then I experienced in the last years.. Are the capital gains really from 2021 -not the best year for MAW150 ?

I’m probably dead wrong but is it possible that after many years of good performance (let’s say 10 years), the mutual funds are required to distribute some capital gains, so that investors do not cling to them forever, and make CRA happy ?

Thank you.

Q: Hello 5i Team

I need to trim back my holdings of TD Bank and potentially purchase shares in Bank of Montreal.

If I sell TD Bank on Thursday April 07, please confirm that I will receive the dividend as April 07 is the ex-dividend date.

As the Federal Budget is scheduled for release after close of the markets on April 07, would it be reasonable to assume if an increase in the Capital Gains exclusion rate was implemented it would be effective April 08 or at a later date?

I tried to research the previous increases in the Capital Gains exclusion rates, however it last occurred in 1987 and most government press releases are not digitized from that era.

Thanks

Q: Hi 5i.
Thanks for your continuing great service.

I am trying to find a way to hold US stocks without being subject to US Estate Tax or the need for T1135 tracking.

Are CDRs on US stocks subject to US Estate Tax?

Are CDRs on US stocks subject to T1135 reporting?

Are there other vehicles, besides selected Canadian- company-managed ETFs, that enable ownership of US stocks without exposure to US Estate Tax or T1135 exposure?

Which Canadian companies managing US stock EFTs are not subject to these issues?

Are the Canadian branches of US companies that manage US stock EFTs deemed by CRA to be US or Canadian?

Any additional comments or suggestions that you may have on these topics would be greatly appreciated.

Please deduct as many question credits as appropriate.

Many thanks !

Q: Another note about U.K. ADRs We have held AZN for many years, as mentioned earlier there is no withholding tax, however there is a small ADR fee charged. We record it as an accounting fee to CRA and so far there has been no disagreement.

Q: DIVIDENDS IN THE US TAX FREE SAVINGS ACCOUNT, DO YOU HAVE TO PAY THE US .15% NON-RESIDENT CHARGE ON US STOCKS DIVIDENDS? THANK YOU, HERBIE

Q: I have a taxation question.If I borrow $10k to buy a dividend paying stock, and subsequently sell the sock at $9k to buy a more promising stock,can I still claim the interest on the 10k loan?

Q: Regarding Ivan's Mar. 28 question about these ADR's: They are all UK domiciled corporations, and the UK has no tax on dividends. Therefore there is no dividend withholding tax, even in a non-registered account. This is one of the reasons I prefer to hold ADR's of UK-headquartered stocks for foreign content - I currently can't make use of the foreign tax credit. (BTI is another one.)

Q: Do you know what the cost basis of the spin out of TOI from CSU last year . Thanks

Q: Hi 5i Team, and with income tax season upon us, if a mutual fund company chooses at their convenience to consolidate their (Dividend) Fund A into their (Dividend) Fund B going forward, does it create a reportable taxable capital gain for the holders of Fund A? In this case, the statements show Fund A as a "redemption" (for the fund that is being closed at their convenience) and Fund B as a "purchase" (for the larger fund that is going forward), on the identical trade date (i.e., there is no order date and no later settlement date, but the redemption and purchase occur on the same calendar date as in a substitution of fund products). In this case Fund Company A was acquired by Fund Company B, and presumably the funds overlapped, and the mutual fund company chose to consolidate the two overlapping funds into one larger fund going forward . Since this was initiated at the convenience of the mutual fund company and with no action initiated on the part of the taxpayer, and essentially the product that the taxpayer is holding is unchanged (i.e, Dividend Fund A replaced with Dividend Fund B from the same mutual fund company), would this be a reportable capital gain, or otherwise the taxpayer within their right to choose not to report in the year 2021 taxation year and retain the ACB of Fund A and declare the capital gain when Fund B is sold? It does appear on the T5008 form issued by the brokerage. Thanks to all your Team from an appreciative member.

Q: Good morning I have a TFSA tax question you might know the answer. If you are fully maxed out with no contribution room could you sell covered calls for stocks you own on the US side and not get a penalty for the premiums collected? I was thinking these would be view like a dividend but am I wrong?

Q: Good Morning.
With regards to ZIM shipping, I have read that they have a 25% holding policy. This stock is in my LIF account. Will Israël our non taxable account to distribute the full dividend amount to me? Thank you.