Investment Q&A

Q: I own several Canadian stocks in my TFSA that pay dividends in USD. Are the dividends eligible for the Canadian dividend tax credit?

Q: 7:10 AM 4/11/2019
When I search the BIP.UN website I find:

"Specified Foreign Property
For the purpose of reporting foreign property by Canadian investors, pursuant to section 233.3 of the Canadian Income Tax Act, Brookfield Infrastructure Partners L.P. is not a specified foreign property and therefore does not need to be reported on Form T1135 - Foreign Income Verification Statement."

However when I search the BEP.UN website I find no comparable statement. But I get a statement from TDWaterhouse Wealth to the effect that BEP.UN IS a foreign property.

Does this mean that BEP.UN needs to be reported as foreign ownership or is BEP.UN just like BIP.UN and TD has made a mistake?

Thank you....... Paul K

Q: I’m considering Brookfield Infrastructure Partners (BIP.UN) for my TFSA as a means of diversifying from common shares while maintaining a return above current fixed income rates. Would you recommend the current price of $54.92 as a reasonable entry point or is there a valuation point that you would be more suitable considering that I would also like to ensure potential growth? Alternatively, is there another security you would consider in order to achieve my goals.

Q: Good Morning,
Can you please rank in order of preference.
Currently own CSH & BEP.

Thank you

Q: I would like your comments on the Brookfield group of companies. You have BEP.UN in your income account. How would you rank these. I am a retired 77 year old interested in a conservative dividend generating portfolio. Have have BEP.UN and BPY.UN in my portfolio.

Thank you.

Q: I own 1500 SHS of BIP.UN in my non-registered account and a 1000 of the other in a registered account. I noticed that my Mar. distribution for BIP.UN was $1012.00 not 1500 x .5025 = $753.75? This is what> The difference is ROC? These type of securities should probably be held in a registered account, I would think? Very complicated at tax time with the T5013. Unfortunately, you cannot exchange securities - ie. BIP.UN to registered account in exchange for securities of same value. BIP.UN has been an awesome investment.

Q: Hi 5i:

I hold 5% positions in both and have solid gains. I was thinking of dropping one and going to RPD or FDC and raising my tech exposure to 10%. Which one would you drop from my portfolio and do you like this strategy? I have a 5% position in KXS. I am well diversified across all sectors. Thank you.

docsinc

Q: Hi, I am looking at buying minimum rate preferred share trust units in BEP and BIP and similar to the common shares a portion of the distribution is return on capital. I will hold them in an RRSP account. I am trying to better understand what ROC actually is. It almost sounds like it is just returning part of your capital invested back to you. If so, is it a ‘real return’ to the shareholder or just getting part of your money back. If so, what is the attraction? I’m confused. Thanks.

Q: Is it better to hold bip.un in a rrsp account? If so, Is there a way to transfer these shares from an unregistered to a rrsp account without capital gain tax?

Q: 7:42 AM 3/25/2019
I am looking to invest in 10 or 12 of these companies for a very long time: RY, CM, BNS, CNR, SU, CNQ, NTR, ET, NWC, FTS, EMA, NPI, AQN, BIP.UN, BEP.U, ENB, TRP, PPL.

I am concerned to select companies with the highest probability of surviving a severe recession intact while continuing to sustain or increase dividends over the next 10+ years.

I fear some may have too much debt or other "hidden" problems to survive a major downturn so could you please comment on debt levels and vulnerability.

Could you please arrange them in order of "security of income", safest first, and maybe single out any weak ones. I am not overly concerned about future price fluctuations as long as dividends can be sustained.

I quite realize these are not the same as government bonds and do not have the same levels of safety. I intend to hold them purely for rising income with no intention of selling.
Thank you............. Paul K

Q: Hi, if I hold either of these stocks in a TFSA would they be exempt from any U.S. or foreign tax reporting? From a tax reporting perspective would it be the same as if holding them in an RRSP? Thanks.

Q: Could you please select the two or three stocks from the following list that you think will have the greatest total return over the next ten years:

WCN
BAM.A
AQN
SMU.UN
BIP.UN

If you have any other suggestions that would be also be appreciated.

Q: Would it make sense to move Brookfield to my USD account to avoid the exchange conversion fee when I receive quarterly dividends? I don't believe the timing is good with our dollar so weak? Thx

Q: Brookfielsd Infra is now part on tmx index RAK

Q: Hi what is causing they big bump today
Stan

Q: Reading through 5i answers to questions regarding Cdn. coys that pay dividends in USD made me wonder if there is a way to increase my cash holdings in my USD account without incurring FX charges and being eligible for the foreign tax credit.

I currently have AQN and HOT.UN in my TFSA that pay dividends in USD that are converted to CDN$ with the extra wrinkle of HOT deducting withholding taxes that are not eligible for the foreign tax credit because it is held in TFSA. Also hold BAM.A and BEP.UN and BIP.UN in Cdn. cash trading account that also pay dividends and interest in USD$ and are converted to CDN$ when paid.

Can I as owner 1) TRANSFER my AQN (up about 150%) and HOT.UN (down 25%) shares this year from my TFSA to my USD cash trading account to get dividends/interest in USD and 2) do the same with BAM, BEP and BIP from Cdn. cash trading account to USD cash account to capture and keep the USD payments and avoid FX conversion fees and build my USD cash reserves in USD cash account without incurring any fees and charges from my online broker? Or do brokers and CRA have rules against clients benefiting from structuring dividend/interest transactions in a manner like this?

Obviously this would open up SOME space for extra contributions to my TFSA in early 2020 above and beyond the TFS $6000 contribution limit to provide for increased flexibility for sector rebalancing and re-allocation opportunities. Also this would make the USA withholding tax payment on the HOT.UN dividends eligible for the foreign tax credit when filing my tax return to CRA?

Comments?

Q: Further to the question on Brookfield prefs, the 5i response likely refers to BIK.PR.A (the Investment corp). I hold BIP.PR.C (Series 3) in a registered account because as can be seen from the link:
https://bip.brookfield.com/~/media/Files/B/Brookfield-BIP-IR-V2/2018-tax/2018%20Canadian%20Taxable%20Income%20Calculation%20Preferred%20-%20Series%203.pdf
the majority of income is foreign. All BIP.PRs are the same and I believe BEP also.

Q: From your previous advice to other members, I am aware that these securities are best held in RRSP/RIF accounts for tax purposes. My question is whether the same advice applies to each company/partnership for their Canadian dollar preference shares? Are the dividends impacted by withholding taxes and are the shares eligible for the Canadian dividend tax credit.

Thanks

Q: Good afternoon: could you please rate those three Brookfield units for total returns over 5 years. dividend payout and growth.
Thank you.

Q: Hello -
I currently own BIP.UN, BEP.UN and BPY.UN in a CAD RRSP account. These three stocks pay dividends in USD. I do already have a USD RRSP account that holds American stocks. Would it make sense to move these three Brookfields to the USD account to avoid the exchange conversion fee when I receive quarterly dividends? I don't believe there is any issue in holding Canadian stocks in a U.S. account.

Thanks.