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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: Helio 5i
My wife and i are setting up our RRSP`s largely in fixed income , ETF`s and large dividend paying stocks in preparation for retirement so as to have steady income when the time comes .Assume that all RRSP accts are balanced appropriately.
We also have a fairly large sum of money in both of our TFSA accts (maxed out) and in a margin acct.
The question is , if we are set up appropriately in our RRSP`s in terms of balanced portfolios , how should we approach the monies in the TFSA`s and the margin acct ? Should be mainly go with higher quality equity stocks or should we balance those two accts similar the the RRSP accts ie stocks, fixed income etc ? ( note the margin acct is not borrowed money). Are ETF`s appropriate for TFSA accts ?
Thanks
Bill C
Read Answer Asked by Bill on September 07, 2018
Q: Why the CRA is targeting some TFSA accounts in court; Should an average investor be worried? by Jonathan Chevreau Aug 27, 2018 https://www.moneysense.ca/save/investing/cra-tfsa-accounts-court/

I don't think this is something I need to worry about just yet as I only have $81k in my account and my wife has $106k in her KTFSA (I call it the Kinda Tax Free Saving Account because it's kinda ok to make some money just not too much). We both still have $7k TFSA room for this yr. but we also have plenty of RRSP contribution room. In light of this article, I'm wondering if we should hold off adding to our TFSA until more clarity is provided by the either the courts or CRA.

Like many, I'm sure we aren't using our accounts like a business but at the same time I don't know what triggers an audit. Nor do I wish to find out since I don’t have the time/resources to prove our innocents. I'm starting to think this may be concerning to more than just a handful of 'savvy' investors as the article would imply.

We appreciate your insight on this topic.
Thanks
Read Answer Asked by David on September 04, 2018
Q: Hi Peter and Team,

I can never stop saying thanks for your great stock recommendations and giving me confidence to drop mutual funds from my portfolios.

A question about my TFSA. I hold PBH, PHO, SIS, KXS and WPK. The performance has been quite good as I am using the TFSA for long term growth. Any suggestions on the need to change any of the stocks in this mix?

Thanks.

Marvin
Read Answer Asked by Marvin on August 31, 2018
Q: Greetings! I am looking to add to my TFSA (long term), holdings that have good yield and strong dividend growth. I was considering either AQN or EMA, or should I divert from utilities and go with something with more potential for capital appreciation, TCL?
thank you!
Read Answer Asked by Mike on August 22, 2018
Q: Good afternoon,
With the spin out of Equinox's copper assets "Solaris Copper Inc. I received a letter from my brokerage firm informing me the shares of Solaris have been deemed to be a non-qualified investment for registered plans under the income tax act. Without getting into the penalties that may be incurred, can I forget the letter since my shares are in my TFSA.
Thanks,
Charlie
Read Answer Asked by Charlie on August 21, 2018
Q: Hi Peter/Ryan,
I recently sold MG from my daughters TFSA and would like to either add to 1 or 2 of her portfolio underweight holdings (DOL, SIS, TCL.A, PKI) (all held in her TFSA) and/or buy PBH in her TFSA which is also in her investment acct at a portfolio weight of 3%.
My inclination is to add to DOL and buy PBH. Plan is long term hold. Any thoughts? Disregard sector percentages.
Many thanks.
Read Answer Asked by Robert on August 15, 2018
Q: I would like to add two growth stocks to my TFSA. I would appreciate 3 suggestions to choose from. Thanks for a great service. Dan
Read Answer Asked by Danny-boy on August 07, 2018
Q: What is the most tax effective way to hold US stocks? I’m 32 with a good income, and have a full balanced tfsa holding Canadian stocks and etfs. I’m interested in building an account to hold US dividend aristocrats/Kings set up on auto deposit/drips as a set it and forget it style account. From everything I’ve read the dividend aristocrats generally have returned better than market average with good security and fairly stable growth, would you agree? I own my own companies so my income is structured to be very low tax, so I don’t need the break offered by the rrsps but I do have quite a bit of contribution room there. Would you recommend rrsp for US holdings for tax reduction, or is there a more efficient way?

Thanks
Read Answer Asked by david on July 23, 2018
Q: In the near future I will be making some TFSA investments. My understanding, from commentary I have heard, is that it is wise to not invest in US stocks as the US government withholds dividend payments inside such an investment vehicle.
However, my thinking is that this does not necessarily mean that buying US stocks inside a TFSA is an absolute no no as this negative should be balanced against the positives with a given US stock. If the company is a fast growing US tech stock, for example, that doesn't pay a dividend then the withholding of dividend income is a moot point. Please comment. Thanks very much.
Read Answer Asked by Murray on July 23, 2018
Q: Since writing covered calls and cash-secured uncovered puts has the same risk/reward profile why is only covered call writing permitted in registered accounts? Is that a government regulation or an individual bank decision?

Thank you.

Milan
Read Answer Asked by Milan on July 11, 2018
Q: I have done well with ADW.A and am considering reducing this stock to a full position and adding BAD. My TFSA holdings are ADW.A, DSG, ECN, ECI, EIF, IPL, GUD, LUN, OTEX, PHO, RRX and TOY. Could I have your thoughts on this move or any other suggestion?
Thanks
Roy
Read Answer Asked by Roy on July 11, 2018
Q: Is there as maximum percentage of US investments allowed in RIF and TFSA?
I am doing my own investments in TD Waterhouse.
Thanks
Margita
Read Answer Asked by Margita Elisabet on July 10, 2018
Q: I am looking to add another US growth company in my TFSA, and am thinking about GRUB and SPOT. Which of the 2 would you prefer for growth, or do you have others that you would prefer over these 2 stocks. I am already pretty heavy with tech in my TFSA.
Thanks
Nancy
Read Answer Asked by Nancy on July 10, 2018
Q: I hold AQN in a cash and Tfsa account. I would like to have the dividend kept in US $ as we often need US $. I presume the dividend would still qualify for the dividend tax credit? I would just have to convert it to Canadian in the cash account. The other account wouldn’t matter if I convert it too? I would have to know the Canadian $ value if I took it out?
Thanks for you insight into this.
John
Read Answer Asked by John on July 09, 2018
Q: What are your BEST 5 ideas for a TSFA account. Thanks Valter.
Read Answer Asked by Valter on July 09, 2018
Q: I am a 67 year old male pensioner with a limited income stream from CPP/Old Age and non-reg. and RSP funds(about 20 equity positions and a 27 % cash position).

At present I am very under invested in my TFSA and am about to transfer available non-reg. cash funds into my TFSA in order to maximize my contribution room. What would be your top ideas be in 'risk' and non-risk/safer equity positions?

Thanks so much,
Read Answer Asked by Dean on June 28, 2018