Investment Q&A

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?

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

Q: Good day. Any particularly interesting stocks that have been getting hit hard through what would appear to be tax loss selling? Thanks!

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.

Q: Example Nortel - Can I still do a capital loss after"gifting" to TDW registered account?

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?

Q: Very interesting article on the way US tax cuts will work:

http://nationalpost.com/opinion/stephen-gordon-corporate-tax-cuts-wont-work-in-the-u-s-the-same-way-they-did-here

Q: Hi Peter and Team,
I am interest on Brockchain Technology stocks, Is there a ETF for brockshain ? or list of companies developing brockchain technology. Your commend is highly appreciated.
Regards,
Tak

Q: I don't know if this is within your scope, but I am inquiring about the tax consequences of investing in a US public limited partnership such as KKR in:
1) a taxable account; and,
2) an RRSP.

Thanks,

Q: If I purchase 100 shares of stock A in either my TFSA or my wife's margin a/c and a few days later sell 100 shares of stock A at a loss in my margin a/c will the loss be acceptable to the CRA?

Q: With Web Broker I have US stocks in my RRSP account. I also have US Stocks in my US open account.
In my US account itself my overall cost for stock purchases is just below the $100,000 level so I don't need to fill out the T1135 Foreign Property form.

I now have cash building up in my US open account. To avoid going over the $100,000 cost level, yet still wanting to receive increasing dividends in USD, would it make sense to purchase Canadian stocks listed on the NYSE that pay dividends in USD? My goal is to have USD dividends coming in for travel south during retirement. I am assuming I would receive the dividend credit for Canadian-based stocks listed on the NYSE (?)

Q: I have sold my positions in ENB and ZCL for tax loss reasons. I am wondering if I should look at other stocks to replace these now or just hold the cash and buy these back in January. I would like your opinion and suggestions. I have a very long time frame. Thank you

Q: I know you have answered this question before (more than once). Could you please give me the link to the blog or article you wrote a while back that went through the type of investments that are most suitably held in an RRSP, a TFSA, a taxable cash account, etc. I could really use it when you wrote it. Now I have an opportunity to set up things more purposively and would like to review it. Thank you.

Q: i am confused about the Return of Capital and how it helps investors versus pure dividiends with the Cdn Dividident tax credit. I think the return of capital gets deducted from my original cost base but then doesn't that just increase my capital gain on the disposition of the stock. Your explanation of this would be helpful

Q: You have said that there is no withholding tax on US securities, held in a RRSP/RRIF. Do you know if there is withholding tax on US securities held in RDSP. I have purchased RUF.UN and see withholding taxes.
Best Regards
Harold

Q: Regarding capital gains on US stocks,is the tax paid to the US government? Can capital losses on Canadian stocks be applied against capital gains on US stocks?

Q: Following your balanced portfolio and have CLS and PKI in my investment account. Should I sell them before the end of the year and take a loss for tax purposes and rebuy in the new year?
T Steve

Q: Are US stocks treated the same as Canadian stocks in investement accounts? Can one claim capital losses the same as Canadian stocks? How are the dividents treated for US stocks/ etfs? Thanks
Shyam

Q: Hi
I am an ETF rookie.
Please help me understand the tax side of the ETF world . For example, in a non- registered account, would the tax friendly " dividend gross up" apply to the dividends received from
ISHARES CANADIAN SELECT DIVIDEND INDEX FUND (Toronto symbol XDV)?
Thanks for your excellent service.
Frank

Q: I am planning to sell ABX to take a tax loss. However, I like to stay invest in the gold/gold miner sector. I can get my wife to buy back ABX or any of the above companies. I would like your opinion on your preferred investment vehicle in gold/gold miner at this time > any of the above 5 companies? or do you have any other favorite company in this sector ? BTW, can you let me know if I buy ABX in the NYSE, will its dividend qualified for Canadian dividend tax credit ? Thank you.