Investment Q&A

Q: I have positions in each of these ETF's inside my RRSP. Am I paying witholding taxes on any of them? If so - What is the tax treatment if I held them in my TFSA? Also what would the tax treatment be for each if held in my non-registered account?

Q: Hello 5i,


I am wanting to move more into US and rest of world, as the analytics program directs me.
Due to a sale in my tfsa, i will have US dollars that i can then put in my non registered account. ( i will fill the tfsa once afain from that same non registered account). I was wondering what to buy with these US dollars, though. I dont want to lose too much of. The divident break we have for US stocks in the Rif, so i was looking for low or no dividend yield candidates. One problem encountered is that in my non Canadian portfolio, i am moving away from individual stocks and towards etf's. Harder to find low or no dividend payers.

VEA was one I was looking at.

In the 5i portfolio tracking and analysis it says that vea has a yield of 1.89, which although not ideal, maybe something we could live with. When i go on the bmo site, though, it seems to indicate a yield of 2.99, which is becoming less livable.

I imagine you are riht about the dividend. But, would like to be sure. Also, do you see the 1.89 yield as being too high for a non registered account? Thanks once again

Q: I asked a question earlier about international exposure in US dollars. At that time you said VEA would work. I am just getting ready to put your advice into practice at the moment but I notice that VEA holds 8.7% Canadian. According to your analytics program, I really have to reduce my Canadian exposure and so was wondering whether there was another all world etf with no Canadian. Perhaps, though, 8.7 % is not that bad.
thanks

Q: Hi, thank you for the article on international stocks and the portfolio analytics.
I am now trying to decrease my Canadian home bias (40% to 25%) by increasing my international exposure (20% to 35%) and maintaining my US at 40%. My wife and I own XWD, VE and XEF in our TFSAs. I was thinking of selling XWD and adding VEE or VWO (RRSP) and/or VDU or VEA (RRSP). The switch to RRSP additions is to benefit from US withholding tax exemption.

Could I have your thoughts on the above changes. Is there too much overlap in owning all four ETFs? Could I simplify to one, two or three?

Thank you.

Q: I have 11% ZLU, 19% CDZ, 50% SDY, !% VWO, 15% VEA and 3% CGL in a RIF. I need to sell $12K from a RIF. Is there something you would recommend selling, or just move in kind?

Q: Greetings, I have a portfolio of Canadian and US stocks that is weighted about 60% in banks and insurance companies. I want to hold dividend paying stocks and am considering AQN, CU, & EMA to get more exposure to utilities (have Enbridge already) and PG for a consumer staple. Does this make sense or are their other names in the utilities and consumer sectors to consider?
Alex