skip to content
  1. Home
  2. >
  3. Investment Q&A
You can view 3 more answers this month. Sign up for a free trial for unlimited access.

Investment Q&A

Not investment advice or solicitation to buy/sell securities. Do your own due diligence and/or consult an advisor.

Q: Can Americans sell up until the end of the year for tax purposes without having to worry about settlement date falling into the same year. Thanks
Read Answer Asked by george on December 29, 2017
Q: First of all Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to the 5i team and all my fellow subscribers.

My question relates to where should I invest (RRSP vs TFSA vs Non Registered).

I am 53 yrs old and plan to retire in the next 12 yrs. My current investment portfolio is virtually 100% in RRSPs. My goal is to build a strong dividend portfolio of Canadian stocks coupled with an International and Bond ETF. My question is where should I keep my investments? RRSP? TFSA? or Non Registered?

I am entering my peak earning years and feel that I can retire comfortably on approx. 70% of my current income. I see potential benefits in all 3 but not sure where I should keep my investments. I will likely be at a lower tax rate than I am now than when I am ready to withdrawal from my RRSP. However, who knows what will happen with tax rates. As well, income from my RRSP (but not my TFSA) would impact my OAS clawback.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Read Answer Asked by Nick on December 27, 2017
Q: I trade with CIBC and recently they reduced their settlement days from 3 to 2. In this case what would be this year's final stock sell day to qualify for tax loss selling? I assume it would mean December 28 for 2017. Am I right?

Thanks.
Read Answer Asked by Victor on December 21, 2017
Q: If I sold shares on Nov 22 (settlement date Nov 24) and realized a capital loss can I buy the shares back on Dec 21 as the settlement date is after Dec 24th?
Read Answer Asked by stephen on December 20, 2017
Q: TFSAs and RRSPs. Are you able to sell a stock one day, and rebuy the next, or is there a waiting period as in non-registered accounts.
Read Answer Asked by Brad on December 15, 2017
Q: Good Morning Peter, Ryan, and Team,
Tax loss selling season is coming to a close for 2017.
In your opinion which company(s), within the Balanced Equity Portfolio, appear to be sold down unnecessarily as a result of tax loss selling ???
To me GUD, WCP, CLS, and GC appear to be candidates. A company outside of the BE Portfolio that has really been thrashed is PEY although the gas market in Canada is brutal right now.
Thank you very much for your sage insights. DL
Read Answer Asked by Dennis on December 13, 2017
Q: I am an Alberta resident and in a low (15% federal rate) tax bracket and have the option of placing my $US investments in my TFSA or a regular investment account. Recognizing the 15% US withholding tax but also the foreign tax credit against Cdn tax owed, which account is preferable from a current income perspective?
Read Answer Asked by Jim on December 11, 2017
Q: Just a comment on Earle’s post on Friday on the 30 day waiting period on capital losses and being able at least to adjust your cost base. I am an “active” investor, which is a polite way of saying I trade a lot. I am not recommending that for all but here is my approach to taxes. I really don’t pay much attention to the 30 day rule during the year. If I sell a loser and change my view in a week or so due to new information, I will buy it back right away so as not to lose potential upside on that stock. At year end, I get my detailed trading statement. When I am calculating my capital gains/losses for the year, I check each losing security to see if I bought it back within the 30 day window. If I did, I just don’t claim the loss. For me, missing a taxable capital loss feels a lot better than missing the opportunity to get back onboard a stock on day 10 or 15 if my view has changed rather than waiting for day 30 to pass. I agree with Earl that taxation should always be secondary in your investment decisions.
I assume my approach is fine with CRA as I do not try and claim my capital losses if they are not past the 30 day window. Your views are appreciated.
Thanks again,
dave
Read Answer Asked by Dave on December 11, 2017
Q: With regard to several questions asked about tax loss selling and the 30 day rule. The usual advice is that you will lose the capital loss if you rebuy the stock within 30 days after the sale. This is not accurate. While you cannot use or claim the capital loss, if you repurchase within the 30 day period the capital loss is added to your adjusted cost base and can be claimed when you eventually sell the stock the 2nd time. The bottom line is you are best making your decisions for investment purposes and not solely for tax reasons. I hope this helps those who are anxiously waiting for their 30 day period to end while watching the stock go up. Best of the season to everyone.
Read Answer Asked by Earl on December 08, 2017
Q: Example Nortel - Can I still do a capital loss after"gifting" to TDW registered account?
Read Answer Asked by Terry on December 08, 2017
Q: My brokerage has placed a note on my non-registered account concerning a stock that has ceased trading and is in receivership/bankruptcy. They are offering to accept these shares as a gift and remove them from my account screen.

Is this a better solution to filing a 50(1)?
Would CRA not be “concerned” that I filed a sale at $0 without a 50(1)?

You can see that my main concern here is not attracting the attention of CRA. Of course, if I gift the shares, I would receive nothing should the receive distribute any moneys when all creditors have been paid.

I cannot see the advantage of the “gifting” of these shares to my broker. Any insights?
Read Answer Asked by Dano on December 08, 2017