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Investment Q&A

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

Q: Happy New Year to you! I am considering my TFSA strategy. I hold a RRIF which means that I must take out a certain percentage of it every year. Since I don't need the cash, I prefer to transfer some stocks in kind to my TFSA, but I am not clear which stocks make the best candidates to do this. I know that you think growth stocks are best for a TFSA, but I am not clear on what a growth stock is. (What I thought were growth stocks all went down!) Are dividend payers better in a RRIF or TFSA? American stocks? Oil stocks? Precious metals? Consumer discretionary? It seems to me that growth stocks are more volatile. Am I correct in this? Thanks for your advice.
Read Answer Asked by Pat on January 15, 2019
Q: My wife tfsa holds these 3 names only (down 37%) CLIQ and ZZZ the main reason. 6k to add this year, would you add to above or can you provide a name for consideration. Any thoughts on these 3 existing names?
Read Answer Asked by Peter on January 15, 2019
Q: My wife and I have approximately $200k in our TFSA. I wanted to purchase 10 high growth stocks ( equal amounts). The following is the list I had in mind: kxs, pbh, pho, sis, toy, tsgi, tfii, gc, otex, byd-un. Would you delete or add any company to this list? Time frame is 5 years. Thank you.
Read Answer Asked by Vineet on January 11, 2019
Q: Hi Peter & 5i team,
These are the current holdings in our grandsons RESP ( age 5). We are adding new money. Could you please give your opinion on our current holdings and what suggestion would you have on acquiring a new stock or alternatively topping up an existing one.
Thank you very much.
Read Answer Asked by john on January 11, 2019
Q: With regards to a recent post where one transfers in-kind a stock from an Open Account to a TFSA:

If there was a capital loss this would be a superficial loss as you had mentioned. As for taxes if such a transfer were made, is it a case of simply ignoring (i.e. not claiming) this loss) on your tax return? Does anything else need to be done?

Thanks.
Jim
Read Answer Asked by James on January 09, 2019
Q: Given the uncertainty in short term market direction,I have 50% of my TFSA in cash.I believe Canadian interest rates are not going to rise.I am considering the choices listed above, unless you can suggest others.I also have some cash in my US$ RRSP and am considering the Vanguard fund for this cash.US rates may climb further,but not much.Perhaps you could rate these according to risk.
Thank you.
Read Answer Asked by Allen on January 08, 2019
Q: Hello 5i,
Further to Ken's comment about transferring "In Kind" from an RRSP to TFSA: my wife and I have just completed this process for the second year in a row. We select holdings that we have had to buy in our RRSP's even though they should have gone into a TFSA in the first place - think SIS and VET for example.
The process involves the transfer of the shares first into a margin (non-registered trading) account and then into the TFSA. The Fair Market Value may or may not reflect the current stock quote.
There is definitely withholding tax which is on a sliding scale depending upon the size of the transfer. (We both had a wee bit of extra room, so our withdrawal - contribution was larger than the $6,000.) Also, the withholding tax will be required to be paid as cash, so it is important to have enough cash available in the RRSP account to cover it. If there is not enough cash in your Canadian RRSP side, you will have to either sell something or transfer cash from your U.S. side if you cash available there. It is something that needs to be accounted for in the decision to proceed.
We feel that taking the tax hit now (both retired and under 70) will benefit us in the long run (however long that might be....). We had a long time of benefiting from RRSP's and now it is time to further enhance the TFSA side and reduce the impending limitations that will come with age.
Hope this is of some help to Ken and perhaps others.
All the best for a New Year to all!!
Cheers,
Mike
Read Answer Asked by Mike on January 07, 2019
Q: Good Morning
I was considering transferring a stock holding from an investment account to my TFSA. There is no tax implication.

In your opinion, regardless of what equity you may buy or transfer into your TFSA and discounting the tax implication of transferring a security from an RRSP, would it not be better overall to add new money to a TFSA? Just thinking I would be better off overall to build my total investments in the market rather than switching my holdings around?
Thank you
Publish at your discretion
Read Answer Asked by Marty on January 07, 2019
Q: Dear Peter et al:
Happy New Year to all of you.

I have executed my New Year resolution!
No, not my new fancy diet or paying for a fancy gym membership!
Contributed 12 k (6k each for wife and I) towards TFSA for 2019!
The question is how and when should I buy safe, steady growth Canadian stocks with dividends.
Anything that you feel fits these criteria?
Just 2 stocks would be fine.
Read Answer Asked by Savalai on January 07, 2019
Q: Hello,
i have little exposure to financials in my TFSA. What would be your top 3 ideas in order of preference at this time I could consider? I plan to own for the next 10 to 15 years if possible.
I was looking at GS and FSZ given the yield and they are trading near their lows. I guess the sub-sector they operate in makes me a bit cautious.
I own full positions of BNS and SLF in my RRSP.
Thanks,
Dan
Read Answer Asked by Daniel on January 07, 2019
Q: Wanting to make an initial investment into equities within my TFSA which has lots of room. Planning to put in about 10k. Planning to buy and hold long term. Would like a recommendation on growth stocks to get started and have a bit of diversification. Also should I buy all at once or buy some names now and others later. Thanks!
Read Answer Asked by Dustin on January 04, 2019
Q: Kind people of 5i - the other day someone wrote in a question "I can move stocks in kind from my rrsp to my tfsa..." Startled I was. Is this correct and can one not yet using or not yet maximizing their tfsa simply transfer shares in kind from their rrsp to either a new or an existing but not maxed out tfsa and thereafter use the resulting monies withdrawn from their tfsa without tax. Or am I misunderstanding something such as the transfer from the rrsp to tfsa would still have a 30% holdback and the need to declare the share value at date of transfer as income in the year of transfer. A clear understanding of this issue is what I'm seeking with thanks.
Read Answer Asked by Ken on January 04, 2019
Q: My daughter’s Investment acct and TFSA are reasonably balanced. TFSA holdings and returns are below. TFSA value is $88,247.

Stock Value Return Portfolio
Percentage
Bank of NS 11,228 5.83% 2.43%
Dollarama 9,741 -37.44% 2.11%
Element Capital 9,660 -9.56% 2.09%
Knight Therapau 12,304 -3.93% 2.67%
Parkland 14,136 119.37% 3.06%
Transcontinental 5,790 -39.08% 1.26%
Savaria 13,060 68.90% 2.83%
Spin Master 11,517 1.09% 2.50%

I’m thinking of splitting the 2019 $6000 contribution between TCL.A and SIS. Second choice is add a new stock such as CAE. Any thoughts? Many thanks.

Read Answer Asked by Robert on January 03, 2019
Q: I have a few "balance" portfolio positions in my trade account that I am wondering about transferring to my TFSA. From 5iR answers, I take it growth is one factor to consider for possible positions for a TFSA and also a preference for less cyclical business companies.
MX is a dominant primary supplier but might be like a little cyclical what with seasonal demand by customers.
Then there is TFII that is growing through acquisitions but is tied to the general economy which is cyclical in nature.
Also, NFI has to business segments, buses and RV, and good backlog but is volume of business depends on municipal funding for transportation vehicles and then for RV, the "wealth" of folks...both segments have volume variability over time.
For growth, there is VB, although a smaller company relative to the other three.
With this, would you consider these good TFSA candidates? And if so, what order would you rank them, like first to last?........Thanks.....Tom
Read Answer Asked by Tom on January 03, 2019
Q: From Bob's question:
Q: I can move stocks in kind from my RRSP to my TFSA account,
Looking at some of listed stocks that have had a bad year. Which ones would you pick to move?
What would be the advantage? And the tax implications?
Read Answer Asked by Serge on January 02, 2019
Q: I can move stocks in kind from my RRSP to my TFSA account,
Looking at some of listed stocks that have had a bad year. Which ones would you pick to move? Please rank them in preference,

Would you make the transfer early in 2019 or wait till later in the year.

Thank you,

Bob
Read Answer Asked by Robert on December 31, 2018