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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: Just re-asking a question from 2013 - "Hi..was wondering if there is a screener of non-eligible dividends for tax..bascially want to enusure purchasing correct ones outside of any sheltered portfolios...thanks"
Also, can you advise if VBAL, VGG, VIG have non-eligible dividends.
Lastly, pls advise if there's any way to check before stock purchase what the subcategories there will be of dividend income and interest income.
Thanks for your quick reply to my earlier questions.
Many thanks in advance.
Read Answer Asked by TOM on February 10, 2025
Q: I use VFV for my US stock exposure. Is one ETF enough or should I spread it out over 2 or more.
If more please provide some suggestions.
Read Answer Asked by Stephen on January 31, 2025
Q: Good morning all; I've a two part question for you, First, the listed investments are in a RRIF. The current plan is to extract only dividend income, and have some modest stock growth.

I have funds for one more position and I'd like 3 of your suggestions that would add decent dividend income with modest growth of stock value.

Second question is about XLB. It was originally purchased as a post-inflation investment looking for some appreciation as rates declined. While Canada may get a bit more downward adjustment I believe Trump policy will be inflationary. What would be a sound replacement, meeting the dividend and growth goals for the account?

Thanks as always.

Dave
Read Answer Asked by Dave on January 29, 2025
Q: It is rare that I ask this question coming from an 84 year old senior, but all the above equal weighted ETF's are presently in my TFSA and can't decide how to invest for the 2025 contribution. Which ETF I should I be adding to the above list or should I be adding a new one that is not in the portfolio?
Also are any of those listed that do not belong in a TFSA?
Thanks for your usual great service.
Read Answer Asked by Terry on January 29, 2025
Q: Looking for investing suggestions for someone in there mid twenties that has a very good job and are just starting out investing, I was thinking buying a few ETFs that auto buy every paycheck through a big bank brokerage arm kind of set it and forget till they figure out if they want to learn more about investing. Also what would be a good basic investing book that teaches how RRSPs and TFSAs work? Is Gordon Pape still around, lol.
Read Answer Asked by Mark on January 27, 2025
Q: Hello Peter,
I tried to balance growth and income as well as dividends (no with holding tax in RRSP for US stocks but there is in TFSA), and hence, can you let me know if these make sense for a mid 20s person starting off to have a more growth in TFSA and more income in RRSP.
TFSA: veqt, vgg, and xfn and maybe xic ( veqt has cdn exposure so thought i would exclude xic )
RRSP: vbal, zuq, xic, and xuu all of these trade on tsx. Much appreciated.
Read Answer Asked by umedali on January 21, 2025
Q: I hold these ETF's in a RESP account and just wonder if all these ETF are different enough to own? Also would be be good to own XAW in the RESP account. Money is not needed for 10 years.

Thanks
Read Answer Asked on January 21, 2025
Q: Good Morning
Is there an unhedged version of VGH ?
Can you recommend any other unhedged ETF similar to VIG but listed in the Toronto Stock Exchange ?
Thank you
Read Answer Asked by Terry on January 13, 2025
Q: Recently you answered my question regarding US dividend WHT on Canadian domiciled ETF issues (Vanguard Canada, RBC Ishares etc) and noted that withholding taxes are owing on distributions since the Canadian ETF is simply holding the US ETF and the taxes would be levied when distributions are paid by the US ETF to the Canadian ETF.

Some follow up questions:
- I am assuming that the WHT would apply even if the Canadian ETF is held within a registered account?
- Does the WHT explain part of the difference in yield when comparing the US ETF and the Canadian ETF? For example - VIG yields 1.69% while VGG yields 1.17%. Assuming also that the higher MER on VGG also explains part of the yield difference??
- Given these factors - the WHT and higher MER - why would anyone choose the Canadian version of the same ETF. Further to this - In another question posed by Jacques - you point out that the Canadian ETF ZSP would be preferable to VFV since it holds the stocks directly and not thru the US ETF VOO....thereby avoiding WHT's for registered accounts. However - when you look at VOO - the yield is about 26 bp's higher than either VFV and ZSP....again why would you not just buy VOO.

Many thanks
Read Answer Asked by Gary on December 20, 2024
Q: good morning:
if you were going to start buying a etf today that had low costs [mer] in canadian dollars and invested outside of canada and paid a decent dividend which 5 would you look at? can be small cap, european, etc
Read Answer Asked by hans on December 12, 2024
Q: Could you please provide a list of top US ETF’s that can be bought (low cost with great management)
a) using a US dollar acct
b) using a CDN dollar acct
3-5 for each.

Thanks
Read Answer Asked by Darryl on November 26, 2024
Q: Hello Peter and Team. I am about to open a new TFSA account with almost 100K. Time frame of 5-8 years. Could you please recommend 4-6 growth/income stocks with 1or 2 ETF’s?

I was thinking BN, VFV, EIT.UN, TVK. Any other recommendations would be appreciated. Thanks for the amazing service. Brian
Read Answer Asked by Brian on October 18, 2024
Q: Can you recommend a list of safe dividend income ETFs with high steady monthly distributions? Thanks.
Read Answer Asked by Victor on August 07, 2024
Q: I look after a RESP for my grandchildren and I have IWO, VFV, VGG, at equal weight. XIC, XQQ at a lower weight and only 2 stocks BN and LMN. Is there any more ETF that you would recommend to go with the ones I currently own? What 2 stocks would you recommend as well? The funds are not needed for 10 years,

Thanks
Read Answer Asked on August 02, 2024
Q: I am looking for quality "dividend growth" focused ETF (not "high dividend" ETF) in CDA and US , with an optimal balance of sectors ( some of those ETF showing, in my vue,a disproportion of sectors, like an excess of financials (ex. 40-50%) etc..). Could you suggest your 2-3 choices in CDA and US ?
Read Answer Asked by Jean-Yves on April 29, 2024
Q: I have most of my US exposure 55,000 in VGG. Also own google and NVDA and google. in CDR. I am wondering if I should sell 1/2 of VGG and buy VFV for exposure to the SP 500 or is there another ETF I should consider Thanks Steve
Read Answer Asked by Stephen on April 23, 2024
Q: I want more US exposure, but would be moving Ca $ to US $. Is it best to exchange ones cash to buy US ETFs such as VIG.US, or to buy a Ca ETF with US exposure? What would be equivalent to VIG be? Thank you.
Read Answer Asked by Pat on April 11, 2024