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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: I am a recent subscriber to your ETF newsletter. I find it very informative. Thank-you.
I have read with great interest your articles about tax efficiency of ETFs. I have two questions: (1) If a US ETF is held in a non-registered account, I understand that there is a 15% withholding tax on dividends. However, is this withholding tax not deducted from Canadian taxes payable? If a person is in, say a 40-50% tax bracket, how big an issue is this on an after-tax basis?; and (2) Where can I find out the tax impacts for each ETF before I consider making a purchase?

Thank you again for all of your excellent advice.
Read Answer Asked by Dale on March 05, 2019
Q: For a position as part of an investors high risk allocation, would you consider MAXR? Seems to be back to previous lows after the earnings numbers. I am looking at a short term trade. Do you think most of the downside is priced in at this point? Do you think it is better to own the stock or buy calls (say July or further) for more limited downside risk? Thank you!
Read Answer Asked by Marco on March 05, 2019
Q: Our 32 year old daughter has $30k for initial positions in her TFSA. She’s looking for balance + growth with a timeframe of 3-5 years. Could you suggest some of your preferred companies at the present time.
Read Answer Asked by Warren on March 05, 2019
Q: I hold VSP Vanguard S&P 500 Index ETF (CAD-Hedged) in my RRIF. I am confused by the following comments in the February 2019 ETF & Mutual Fund Update under the title Exchange-Traded Funds for Your RRSP – “When it comes to Canadian-listed funds that hold U.S. equities or hold U.S. listed ETFs it is best to avoid them because U.S. dividend income is taxed on your behalf.” I had thought that VSP was appropriate for RRIF’s. Please advise.
Read Answer Asked by Nadine on March 05, 2019
Q: Been looking for a reliable accurate system/app or software to accurately calculate a portfolio rate of return - is there any options that you know of and could recommend??
THX
Ralph N.......
Read Answer Asked by RALPH on March 05, 2019
Q: Hi Peter,
I really enjoyed your appearance recently on BNN. I like the fact that you appear without notes, printouts, “model” prices or table-pounding buys, unlike some of the other guys.

I read your FP article on the weekend on asset and sector allocation. I agree 100% with getting the sector right - just look at commodities over the past many years. It is the larger asset allocation question (stocks vs. bonds) that puzzles me. For me, I am an equity guy and typically run 90-100% equities for better long run returns. Any remainder is cash looking for new opportunities.

I have never in my life bought a bond (or bond ETF), unless you count CSBs 40 years ago when they were at 12% plus; rates we will never see again in our lifetimes. I understand bonds for reducing volatility in your portfolio. Last fall showed the volatility of an all equity portfolio. Yet today, we are making a nice recovery. My question is if or how do bonds enhance your returns?

In Warren Buffett’s recent interview on CNBC, he said that given a choice of holding a 10 year government bond versus holding the S&P 500 for 10 years, he would buy the S&P in a second. He said the same thing for a 30 year comparison. I just can’t get comfortable with the idea of holding bonds to enhance your returns. If the primary advantage of bonds is to reduce the volatility of your portfolio, then I am fine without bonds.

Thanks again for your insight.
Dave
Read Answer Asked by Dave on March 05, 2019