Davis invested in a tactical asset allocation fund in his non-registered investment account. Distributions from the mutual fund are paid directly to Davis and not reinvested. Assuming a federal marginal tax rate of 26%, dividend gross-up rate of 38% and federal dividend tax credit rate of 15%, which type of distribution would result in the lowest amount of tax payable?
Answer(s): C
An eligible dividend is a type of dividend that is paid by a Canadian corporation that meets certain criteria and is eligible for the enhanced dividend tax credit. The dividend tax credit reduces the amount of tax payable on dividends by providing a credit against the tax liability. An eligible dividend has a higher gross-up rate and a higher dividend tax credit rate than a non-eligible dividend, which means that it results in a lower effective tax rate. A capital dividend is a type of dividend that is paid from the capital gains realized by a corporation and is tax-free to the shareholder. However, a tactical asset allocation fund is unlikely to pay capital dividends, as they are usually reserved for private corporations. A capital gain is the profit from selling an asset at a higher price than its purchase price. Only 50% of the capital gain is taxable, which means that it has a lower effective tax rate than interest income, which is fully taxable. However, a capital gain distribution from a mutual fund is not the same as a capital gain from selling the mutual fund units. A capital gain distribution is paid when the fund realizes a capital gain from selling its underlying assets, and it is taxable in the year it is received, regardless of whether the shareholder sells the fund units or not. Therefore, it does not benefit from the deferral of tax that occurs when the shareholder sells the fund units at a later date. An interest distribution is paid when the fund earns interest income from its underlying assets, such as bonds or money market instruments. Interest income is fully taxable at the marginal tax rate, which means that it has the highest effective tax rate among the four types of distributions.To compare the amount of tax payable for each type of distribution, we can use the following formula:Tax=(Distribution×Gross-up)×MarginalTaxRate-(Distribution×Gross-up)×DividendTaxCreditRateFor simplicity, we assume that Davis receives $100 of each type of distribution and that he does not have any other income or deductions. We also ignore any provincial taxes or credits. Using the formula, we can calculate the tax payable for each type of distribution as follows:Capital Dividend: Tax=(100×0)×0.26-(100×0)×0=0Capital Gain: Tax=(100×0.5)×0.26-(100×0.5)×0=13Eligible Dividend: Tax=(100×1.38)×0.26-(100×1.38)×0.15=10.14Interest: Tax=(100×1)×0.26-(100×1)×0=26Therefore, an eligible dividend would result in the lowest amount of tax payable, followed by a capital gain, a capital dividend, and an interest distribution.Canadian Investment Funds Course (CIFC) Study Guide, Chapter 7: Taxation, Section 7.2: Taxation of Investment Income, page 7-41Eligible Dividends Definition - Investopedia2Capital Dividend Definition - Investopedia3Capital Gain Distribution Definition - Investopedia4
Your client, Cosmo, recently inherited $50,000 from his uncle. He wants to use this money towards his retirement savings. Cosmo is a 50-year old, self-employed carpenter and he earns on average $65,000per year. He has a registered retirement savings plan (RRSP) with the bank worth $425,000 and a tax- free savings account (TFSA) worth $46,000. He started saving when he was 25 years old and has always made his own investment decisions. His money is mostly invested in balanced funds. He feels most comfortable with these types of mutual funds since they offer potential investment growth but without being too aggressive. Cosmo has no other assets.What additional information do you need about Cosmo to fulfill your know your client obligation?
To fulfill the know your client (KYC) obligation, an advisor must collect and document information about the client's personal and financial situation, investment objectives, risk tolerance, and investment knowledge. The KYC rule is a regulatory requirement that ensures that the advisor understands the client's needs and goals, and provides suitable recommendations that match the client's profile. In this case, Cosmo has provided some information about his personal and financial situation, such as his age, occupation, income, assets, and inheritance. He has also given some indication of his investment objectives, such as saving for retirement, and his investment knowledge, such as making his own investment decisions and preferring balanced funds. However, he has not disclosed his risk tolerance, which is his willingness and ability to accept fluctuations in the value of his investments. Risk tolerance is an important factor that affects the choice of investment strategies and products. Therefore, to complete the KYC process, the advisor needs to obtain additional information about Cosmo's risk tolerance.
Canadian Investment Funds Course (CIFC) Study Guide, Chapter 1: The Investment Funds Industry, Section 1.4: The Know Your Client (KYC) Rule, page 1-111Know Your Client (KYC) Definition - Investopedia2
Malik has been saving money for retirement but he is worried about the impact inflation may have on the value of his savings. He wants to purchase a bond that will give him a steady stream of income that is greater than the inflation rate. He has found a bond issued by a major airline with a market price of $9,200, a par value of $10,000, and a coupon rate of 6.75%. What is the current yield of this bond?
Answer(s): A
The current yield of a bond is the annual interest payment divided by the current market price of the bond. The annual interest payment is the coupon rate multiplied by the par value of the bond. In this case, the annual interest payment is:6.75%×10,000=675The current market price of the bond is $9,200. Therefore, the current yield is:9200675 ×100%=7.34%The current yield is higher than the coupon rate because the bond is selling at a discount, meaning that its market price is lower than its par value. This implies that the bond is offering a higher return than the prevailing market interest rate. However, the current yield does not take into account the capital gain or loss that will occur when the bond matures or is sold. A more accurate measure of the bond's return is the yield to maturity (YTM), which is the annualized rate of return that accounts for both the interest payments and the price change of the bond over its remaining term.Canadian Investment Funds Course (CIFC) Study Guide, Chapter 5: Fixed-Income Securities, Section 5.2: Bond Pricing and Yield, page 5-61Current Yield Definition - Investopedia2
Yesterday, Mariana who is new to investing and purchased mutual funds for the very first time. She shared her excitement with her good friend, Julius. However, after Julius learned about her investment, he admits that he had a bad experience with mutual fund investing and that he lost money. Mariana regrets not talking to Julius prior to making her decision. Her feelings of enthusiasm have changed to fear. She is wondering if it is too late to change her mind and cancel her purchase order.Which statement regarding the right of withdrawal is CORRECT?
The right of withdrawal is a statutory right that allows investors to cancel their purchase order of mutual funds within a specified period of time and receive a refund of the amount they paid. The right of withdrawal is also known as the cooling-off period or the rescission right. The right of withdrawal for investors can be different depending on which province (or territory) the fund was purchased within, as each jurisdiction has its own securities legislation and regulations that govern the mutual fund industry. For example, in Ontario, the right of withdrawal is two business days after receiving the simplified prospectus or the fund facts document, whichever is later1. In Quebec, the right of withdrawal is two business days after receiving the simplified prospectus or confirmation of purchase, whichever is later2. In British Columbia, the right of withdrawal is 48 hours after receiving confirmation of purchase3. Therefore, Mariana may still be able to exercise her right of withdrawal, depending on where she bought her mutual funds and when she received the required documents.
Canadian Investment Funds Course (CIFC) Study Guide, Chapter 3: The Regulatory Environment, Section 3.2: The Right of Withdrawal, page 3-54Ontario Securities Commission - Mutual Funds - Buying and Selling1Autorité des marchés financiers - Mutual Funds - Buying and Selling2British Columbia Securities Commission - Mutual Funds - Buying and Selling3
Over the course of a couple of weeks and several appointments, Harold was finally able to provide an investment solution for his new client, Felicia. It was a lump sum investment where they plan to see her money grow for the next 5 years.With regards to Know Your Client (KYC) requirements, what are Harold's responsibilities moving forward?
Know Your Client (KYC) requirements are ongoing obligations that advisors must fulfill to ensure that they provide suitable recommendations and services to their clients. KYC requirements include collecting and documenting information about the client's personal and financial situation, investment objectives, risk tolerance, and investment knowledge. KYC requirements also include monitoring and updating the client's information and investment performance on a regular basis. According to the Mutual Fund Dealers Association of Canada (MFDA), advisors must review the KYC information at least once every 36 months, or more frequently if there are any material changes in the client's circumstances or needs1. Advisors must also monitor the investment performance of the client's portfolio and compare it with the client's expectations and goals. If the investment performance is not satisfactory or consistent with the client's risk tolerance, advisors must take appropriate actions, such as rebalancing the portfolio, switching funds, or revising the investment strategy2. Therefore, Harold's responsibility moving forward is to monitor the investment performance of Felicia's lump sum investment and determine if it is on track to satisfy her financial needs for the next 5 years. He must also review her KYC information at least once every 36 months, or sooner if there are any changes in her situation or objectives.
MFDA Bulletin #0756-P - Know-Your-Client and Suitability1MFDA Bulletin #0760-P - Monitoring of Investment Performance2
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