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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: 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?
Read Answer Asked by William Ross on March 08, 2019
Q: Hi,
I have approx 10% weight in these in a long term RRSP following your porfolios(Only 1% WN as spin off)
I have about $!0,000 to add. What are your thoughts?
Add to a few laggards or add new?
Read Answer Asked by Paul on March 08, 2019
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
Read Answer Asked by angus on March 06, 2019
Q: I have $25,000 in my TFSA invested in the above companies, eaqch with a weighing of between 8% - 10%. Looking to add another $10,000. I'm 63. Preference is dividends and some growth. Looking for stability if another December 2018 were to repeat itself.
May I please have your suggestions, in order of preference. Please deduct appropriate credits.

Thank you.
Read Answer Asked by Larry on February 26, 2019
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.
Read Answer Asked by James on February 20, 2019
Q: In my portfolio I have following Canadian equities: AQN (4.9%), BCE (4.78%), BNS (4.64%), WXM (4.5%), SIS (3.8%), BEP (2.68%), MG (2.29%), KXS (2.03%), PBH (1.94%), MX (1.92%), COV (1.87%), TSGI (1.76%).

I have a full positions worth of cash I would like to add to my Canadian content and was wondering on your thoughts as to adding to one new stock (ATD.B, WSP, CCL.B, other suggestion), 2 half positions, or adding to my existing positions.

I have a 20 year time frame and comfortable with some risk.
Thank you.
Read Answer Asked by Dave on February 13, 2019
Q: Good morning. I’m looking to invest in either BPE or AQN, both of which companies you are positive about. I’m looking at the respective yields ( 6.6 vs 4.2) and am wondering about that disparity. If risks is correlated to reward, does that mean BPE is more risky and if so, why is that? I notice that BPE is showing negative EPS and that makes me wonder how they can sustain such an attractive dividend yield. Thanks
Read Answer Asked by alex on February 04, 2019
Q: I’m looking to add a 3 positions to this list. I was thinking about bns or slf. Can you give me some other suggestions from the balanced portfolio? This account is 20% of my total investments, and is for medium to long term savings. The rest is in well diversified funds. Thanks.
Read Answer Asked by Matthew on January 23, 2019
Q: could you please rate these stocks in order of preference and why. thank-you.
Read Answer Asked by Jim on January 21, 2019
Q: With a theoretical projection that a slow-down is nearing, which 5 dividend paying stocks would 5i suggest to your readers that can ride out a market decline and offer a reasonable rate of return on investment?

Thank you
Debbie and Jerry
Read Answer Asked by Jerry on January 17, 2019
Q: Given your recommendationed percentages for sector allocation could you tell me which stocks in your balanced portfolio are utility stocks and telecom stocks and if there are none in your balanced portfolio which would be a buy at this time?
Read Answer Asked by Shelley on January 16, 2019
Q: Does the following make sense, or is there a flaw I'm missing? For a beginning RRSP with 35 yrs to retirement: 50% VGRO and 50% equal amts TD, EMA, PBH, BEP.UN? ( to increase Cdn exposure and to make a little more conservative)
Thank you.
Read Answer Asked by M.S. on January 14, 2019
Q: Hi, is the distributions received from these stocks classified as dividend or R.O.C. ? What is your thoughts or can you suggest some good stocks that payout roc as I have a high income from dividends. I understand that roc lowers book value and in turn can increase capital gain. Thx Jack.
Read Answer Asked by Jack on January 14, 2019
Q: Hi,

I'm looking for two good dividend payers, with some growth, and minimal volatility over the next 2 years. If they perform, I'd prefer to hold them long term. What to do you recommend and why? I already own AQN. If theres a better choice I haven't mentioned, pease do.
Read Answer Asked by Graeme on January 11, 2019