My name is Mark Goodfield. Welcome to The Blunt Bean Counter ™, a blog that shares my thoughts on income taxes, finance and the psychology of money. I am a Chartered Professional Accountant. This blog is meant for everyone, but in particular for high net worth individuals and owners of private corporations. My posts are blunt, opinionated and even have a twist of humour/sarcasm. You've been warned. Please note the blog posts are time sensitive and subject to changes in legislation or law.

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Common Investment Errors

I am involved in wealth management for some of my clients as their wealth quarterback, co-ordinating their various professional advisors to ensure they have a comprehensive wealth plan. In that capacity, as well as in my day to day capacity, I see several common issues arise in relation to my clients’ investments whether they have professional management or manage their own investments. Here is a short list of some of the issues that I see on a consistent basis.

Duplication of investments

Duplication or triplication of investments, which can sometimes be interpreted as diworsification is where investors own the same or similar mutual funds, ETF’s or stocks in multiple places. A simple example is Bell Canada. An investor may own Bell in their own “play portfolio,” they may also own it in a mutual fund, they may own it in a dividend fund and they may own it again indirectly in an index fund. The same will often hold true for all the major Canadian banks. Unless one is diligent, or their advisor is monitoring this duplication or triplication, the investor has actually increased their risk/return trade off by overweighting in one or several stocks.

Laddering

This is simply ensuring that fixed income investments such as GIC’s and bonds have different maturity dates. For example, you should have a bond or GIC maturing in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and so on, out to a date you feel comfortable with. However, many clients have multiple bonds and GIC’s come due the same year or group of years. The risk of course is that interest rates will spike creating a favourable environment for reinvesting at a high rate and you will have no fixed income instruments coming due for reinvestment. Alternatively, rates may drop and you have all your fixed income instruments coming due for reinvestment locking you in at a low rate of return. With the current low interest rate environment, you may wish to shorten your ladder, however, that ladder should still have maturity dates spread out evenly over the condensed ladder period.


Utilization of Capital Gains and Capital Losses

Most advisors and investors are very cognizant of ensuring they sell stocks with unrealized capital losses in years when they have substantial gains. However, many investors get busy with Christmas shopping or business and often miss tax loss selling. Even more irritating is that I still occasionally see clients paying tax on capital gains as their advisors have not reviewed the issue with them and crystalized their capital losses.

Taxable vs. Non-Taxable Accounts

There are differing opinions on whether it is best to hold equities and income producing investments in your RRSP or regular trading account. The answer depends on an individual’s situation, however, the key is to review the tax impact of each account. For example, if you are earning significant interest income in your trading account and paying 46% income tax each year, should some or all of that income be earned in your RRSP?  Would holding equities in your RRSP be best, or do you have substantial capital losses you can utilize on a personal basis? There is not necessarily a one-size-fits-all answer, but this issue must be examined on a yearly basis.

Tax Shelter Junkies

I have written about this several times, but it bears repeating, I have observed several people who are what I consider "tax shelter junkies" and continuously buy flow-through shares or other tax shelters, year after year.  I have no issue with these shelters, however, you must ensure the risk allocation for these type investments fits with your asset allocation.


Beneficiary of Accounts

This is not really an investment error, but is related to investment accounts. Where you have a life change, you should always review who you have designated as beneficiary of your accounts and insurance policies. I have seen several cases of ex-spouses named as the beneficiary of RRSP’s and insurance polices.

The blogs posted on The Blunt Bean Counter provide information of a general nature. These posts should not be considered specific advice; as each reader's personal financial situation is unique and fact specific. Please contact a professional advisor prior to implementing or acting upon any of the information contained in one of the blogs.

11 comments:

  1. Hi Mark - I'm really glad I found your blog. i re-posted this article about investment errors at my own site http://ow.ly/6dj5m

    Thanks from Ross at http://askross.ca

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  2. Great blog! Looking for some general information.
    I own a cottage and rent a home in the city. As well my brother and I own my mothers condo approximately valued at 250 k. He would like to buy me out and I would the the cash to use as a down on a condo in the city. What are the tax implications in Ontario? Will I owe on all 125000? Or just any capital gains?
    Thanks
    Mary-Leigh

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  3. Thank you for the post. With your permission I have added your post to http://financial-articles.ca/view/article/35/Common-Investment-Errors

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  4. Hi - this Financial Post article http://www2.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/business/story.html?id=9f222a94-78de-4be7-9045-72720007fb88 says: "A third-party custodian adds an important layer of protection between you and your investment adviser's firm - both large and small. This is because the custodian is working for you and not the firm managing your money.
    To determine if you have taken on this risk, see if the initial cheque to fund your account was made out to the firm managing your money."

    What does that mean??
    Thank you!

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    Replies
    1. Hi Anon

      Lets say you invest your money with Blunt Bean Counter Investment Advisors. If you write the cheque to BBC Investment advisors, I could take your money and run. However, if there is a 3rd party custodian like TD or National Bank, then you know your money and investments are safe.

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  5. Does this plan an investment error? The goal is to get interest deductibility on a second mortgage. Can a non-resident of Canada open a corporation, take a shareholder's loan, add it to income, pay the extra tax personally and then have money to cover the down payment on a house? Is the interest in the company deductible? Since the corporation has no income, I expect I am into a investment error. Please comment. David

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    Replies
    1. Hi Unknown

      I do not provide tax planning advice on the blog. That being said, your plan does not make sense and has issues. If you wish to tax plan as a non-resident I would engage an accountant so you dont create tax issues

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  6. I was charged $1500 in advisor fees for 4th quarter of 2017 in a non-registered fee-based account. This Fee was PAID in mid-January 2018. Do I report it as a carrying charge (Line 221) on my 2017 Income Tax return or must I report it on my 2018 Tax return?

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    Replies
    1. Hi Anon

      Your advisor should be sending you a summary of deductible fees paid for 2017, if not ask for it.

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