skip to content
  1. Home
  2. >
  3. Investment Q&A
You can view 3 more answers this month. Sign up for a free trial for unlimited access.

Investment Q&A

Not investment advice or solicitation to buy/sell securities. Do your own due diligence and/or consult an advisor.

Q: I have some cash in a non-registered account that I will need access to sometime in the next 6-18 months. Given the indeterminate timeline I'm reluctant to lock the funds up in a GIC or term deposit and am looking to put them into a HISA ETF. Aside from slight differences in yield, MER or AUM are there any significant differences between the various HISA ETF's available and which one would you see as preferable? Thanks.
Read Answer Asked by Bruce on June 07, 2023
Q: I have some cash (in a non-registered account) that I will need to have access to sometime over the next six to eighteen months and am looking for somewhere to park it until needed. Because of the indeterminate timeframe I want to stay away from locking the funds in to a GIC or term deposit. Aside from slight differences in yield, MER and/or AUM are there any significant differences between the different high interest savings account ETF offerings and which would you suggest? Thanks.
Read Answer Asked by Bruce on June 06, 2023
Q: I have a few questions about money market ETFs and high interest savings ETFs. Can you suggest one or two MM ETFs or HIS ETFs? Additionally, do they have monthly interest distributions and experience daily price changes? Do these distributions count as taxable interest? Are they available for purchase without charges and do they have management expenses (MERs)? Lastly, are these ETFs tradeable daily with high liquidity?
Read Answer Asked by Dev on May 08, 2023
Q: If the unthinkable happens and the US doesn't raise the debt ceiling leading to the US government defaulting, how would this affect holdings in each of HSAV, HSUV.U and ZMMK? Secondly if an investor held both such an opinion and such holdings, would it then be prudent to sell the holdings before the limit is reached? Please define the risks to these holdings if any actually exist.
Read Answer Asked by Ken on April 25, 2023
Q: Hello 5i Team

Further the many questions on HISA ETF (i.e. CASH, HSAVE, PSA etc.)

The Globe and Mail on February 09, 2023 a summary of the brokers services including availability to purchase HISA ETF; HISA Mutual Funds; and GIC.

Link (may be behind a pay wall) - https://www.theglobeandmail.com/investing/article-canadas-top-digital-broker-is-td-direct-investing-with-an-assist-from/

Essentially the three brokerages which do NOT allow HISA ETF are:

BMO Investor Line
RBC Direct Investing
TD Direct Investing

Regardless most brokers allow access to HISA mutual funds, however you may be restricted to the particular brokerages affiliated products (i.e. Royal Bank at RBC Direct Investing TD Bank at TD Direct Investing).

Thanks
Read Answer Asked by Stephen on March 16, 2023
Q: I am interested in both of these ETFs to replace PSA as my savings account. My understanding is that rather than the distributions being taxed as interest as in the PSA the earnings are reinvested and NAV increases accordingly and when I need money sales of units at higher prices are taxed as Capital Gains.
When reading the Horizons website both of these ETFs have suspended sales of new subscriptions. As these ETFs continue to trade am I correct that this will result in market prices being increasingly inflated over NAV. The website also goes on to say that it does not recommend purchasing units when price exceeds NAV.
Can u clarify what this all means and am I ok to purchase these ETFs to use as a savings account to place temporary excess funds.
Read Answer Asked by Bruce on March 15, 2023
Q: My sister needs to park around $90,000 which she intend to put on a house down-payment next February.

She can get around 4.5% for a 9-month GIC.

From reading your website over the years, I know that the above funds are also an option. However, I don't know how to judge the return that can be expected.

Which of the two options (GIC or one of these funds) would you recommend?

Thanks as always.
Read Answer Asked by Kevin on March 13, 2023