Investment Q&A

Q: I asked a question about staying in unregistered equities or paying off my mortgage at 2.79% a few days back. I was a bit surprised for equity guys to tell me to pay off my debt at 2.79%. I get it and basically asked the question because that is what I am likely to do...however doesn't that seem like a pretty low bar even when risk is factored in? Even if you assume I would be taxed at highest rate of 33% you only need to get me 4.2% to come out ahead. So can I interpret your answer that you expect your balanced equity portfolio to return below 4.2% in 2018 and that you fear your current run of 8% annual returns might be coming to an end?

Q: I own SVR which has a currency hedge. What are the consequences of this when selling SVR ?

Q: Something just occurred to me: if you are holding a stock that has dropped significantly, and you plan to keep holding it for the dividend and future growth (ENB in my case), does it make sense to sell it to record the loss for tax purposes, and than re-buy it? Thank you.

Q: Is your subscription cost tax deductible as a carrying charge (management expense) provided investments are outside of TFSA's?

Q: This is just a comment on Connie's question regarding RIF withdrawal.
If Connie doesn't need the cash, withdrawal can be in kind by transferring the security to her cash account. At TD they do it without any charges. Then she can sell the stock at a more opportune time or when the cash is needed.

Q: Just a comment on the answer you gave to the question posed by Kolbi on Llloyds bank. Unless the rules have changed very recently I believe the UK has no witholding tax on dividends paid to foreign residents. UK residents have a $10K dividend tax free allowance (reducing to $4K next year) after which they are taxed 7.5%. Don't feel to sorry for them though, their TFSA is $40K a year!

Q: I am an avid reader on the Q&A daily and find I get most of my thoughts clarified by using the history of the questions. A great service. But I am trying to sort out which investments are best held in an RRSP for my personal situation. I am 67 ,retired with no pension and live on the income from my investments which is sufficient to maintain my lifestyle. I do not believe in owning interest bearing investments because of the low yield/risk relationship and tax treatment. I prefer to buy preferreds from blue chip companies like the banks as my "fixed income" because of the obvious tax treatment. I also like covered call ETFs like ZWB, ZWC etc. for the income and downside risk mitigation. I do not invest in US stocks preferring to diversify into the USA using Canadian companies that benefit from their big US presence(TD etc.). It seems to me that given this situation, holding anything in an RRSP has a tax disadvantage. Any tax on dividends earned in the RRSP is delayed until I take the money out but then I will be taxed at the full rate instead of enjoying the "discounted" tax rate on dividends. ROC is even worse because in a non-registered account I effectively pay capital gains when sold but the ROC would be fully taxable when I take it out.
If my reasoning is correct, it really does not matter much what is kept in a registered vs. a non registered fund. Can you tell me if I am looking at this correctly?

Thanks
Don

Q: ARE DIV. & CAP GAINS NOT TAXED ON BOTH THESE ACTS
TNXS

Q: During the year I exercized some warrants into common shares . Is my cost of my shares the exercize price PLUS what I paid for the warrants OR can I claim a loss on the warrants as the sales proceeds was NIL on exercise? Thanks

Q: I use Adjusted Cost Base.ca to track my ACB. I have been with TD Direct Investing since 2012. They do an ok job of tracking ACB of stocks (including DRIP's and commissions) for stocks bought and held on one side or the other (CDN or US) of the account. This tends to go off the rails if I buy CDN stocks that pay USD dividends I journal them on the US side to get dividend/drip. If I move any portion of a given stock back to the CDN side of the account to sell or donate, I find the ACB is not accurate. It's easier to keep track and more accurate with Adjusted Cost Base.ca and it's free. Also, at tax time, TD only records the market value of sell transactions. You're on your own to calculate the book value.
Richard

Q: Further to the previous question regarding withholding tax on foreign stocks inside a TFSA...

Is this tax on foreign dividends paid before receiving the dividend payment (what is deposited to my account is the after-tax amount) and is there any witholding tax on gains when a foreign investment is sold?

Thanks again!

Q: Would there be any withholding taxes on dividends from these products when held in a TFSA ? Joe

Q: Hi 5i Team

I'm thinking of buying ENB. I can use either my margin or RRSP account and either my CAD or USD account (so 4 choices). Question: If I buy using the USD account (so NYSE) does the US withholding tax apply even though it is a Canadian company? If I've filled out the withholding tax form (W-8BEN) does that eliminate the withholding tax in any event?

Thanks
Peter

Q: In response to your answer to the Qs below about the dividend type for A&W:

The dividends paid out are treated as non-eligible dividends (not interest) which means that the gross up and dividend tax credit is lesser than eligible dividends. But you do get the credit and do not pay the same tax as interest income. So I think your answer that the dividends are taxed as income is incorrect.

It is interesting that Boston Pizza's distribution is either eligible dividend or return of capital (all of A&W distribution is non eligible due to the distributions coming from holding company to A&W royalties).

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October 19, 2017 - Asked by Paul

Q: How are distributions from AW.UN taxed? I am a Canadian resident.

5i Research Answer:
Distributions are treated as 'non eligible dividends' and thus are taxed as income.

Q: How are distributions from AW.UN taxed? I am a Canadian resident.

Q: This may or may not be a question you can answer but any insight is appreciated.

My Mom is 88 years old, plays bridge twice a week and square dances twice a week and we spend 2 days a week having lunch She is in great health but, no one lives forever.

She has Property and investments worth U$600,000+ and she and I have reviewed her will which is in good standing. How can I best prepare on my end when the time does eventually come? And what hurdles can I expect as a Canadian inheriting US assets?

Thanks for all you do

gm

Q: I presently have an investment made 3 months ago in this U.S. based company. I was attracted by the fact that it was acquired by Enbridge and pays a dividend in excess of 6 %.
What do you think of this company as a longer term investment ? After receiving 1 dividend payment and noting a 40 % withholding tax , I was informed by RBC that since the corporate entity is an LLC , it doesn't qualify for the 15 % withholding tax. I was also informed that the status would not change, even if transferred to my RRSP account. Does this seem accurate from what you know ?i.e. that an LLC does not qualify for a 15 % withholding tax and that if it were held within an RRSP , that it would still be subject to a 40 % withholding tax ?

Q: I don't know if you can answer this, but I file an 8840 for the IRS as a snowbird to prove a closer connection to Canada (my home and citizenship).
Because I own more than $100,000 worth of U.S. securities, I am beginning to be worried about having a too large percentage of holding in U.S. domiciled companies.
If I own an ADR of a European company, on a U.S. exchange, do I have to list it as part of my U.S. exposure?
My guess is no, but I would sure appreciate some clarity.

Q: Approximately when would you consider buying companies that may have been oversold from tax loss selling? Can you list 3 candidates that may be oversold with chance to rebound in 1H/18??

Q: Hi Peter,

Please list 10 stocks that could see some tax-loss selling but could also rebound next year (good fundamentals, value, etc). I imagine that CRH and CBL could be two candidates? I don't mind any riskier stocks as well.

Thanks in advance.
John