RRSP and TFSA Maxed Out? Invest in Your Taxable Account and Avoid/Defer Taxes With This ETF Hack!

Total return swap based ETFs have significant advantages over traditional ETFs and stocks when held in a taxable account.

| More on:

It’s RRSP season! If you haven’t yet maxed out your 2021 contribution limit, you have until March 1, 2022. TFSA limits have also increased, giving you an additional $6,000 in contribution room for 2022.

If you’ve already maxed these out and invested, give yourself a pat on the back! But for some of you, I’m guessing you’re now wondering what to do with the excess cash.

My suggestion is to invest it in a taxable account. You can hold the same investments as in your RRSP and TFSA. The difference is you pay taxes on the dividends and capital gains (which are taxed at a favourable rate relative to your income).

However, a cool exchange-traded fund (ETF) from Horizons ETFs allows you to eliminate dividend tax and delay capital gains tax, potentially saving significant amounts. Let’s take a look at how they work!

Total return swaps, and how they work

Traditional ETFs hold a basket of underlying stocks and sell you shares of that basket. These ETF shares trade on an exchange and their prices fluctuate based on the underlying holdings.

Horizons ETFs, and in particular, Horizons S&P/TSX 60 Index ETF (TSX:HXT) are quite different. HXT does not hold the underlying 60 stocks in the index. Instead, it uses a derivative called a total return swap (TRS) to replicate the performance of the index.

Essentially, Horizons enters into a swap agreement with a counterparty. When you buy units of HXT, your investment is held in cash as collateral. The counterparty is then obligated to remit to Horizons the total return of the index (capital gains + dividends).

For example, if the stocks in the index increase by 8% and pay a 2% dividend, the counterparty will pay 10% to Horizons (minus fees), and HXT will increase in price by 10% (again, minus the fee).

What are the benefits?

Firstly, the tracking error of HXT is incredibly small. Because the counterparty is obligated to deliver the total return of the index, they minimize turnover and the trading costs that come with traditional ETFs. The dividends are also perfectly reinvested, which boosts returns.

The management expense ratio (MER) is rock bottom at 0.03% due to the use of swaps. This is the cheapest you’ll find in the Canadian ETF market right now.

Finally, holding HXT in your taxable account is highly efficient. Because there are no distributions, you pay no dividend tax. Your only pay capital gains tax, which can be deferred until you are ready to sell.

The backtest below from 2011 with all dividends reinvested shows outperformance of HXT compared other S&P TSX/60 Index ETFs due to the afformentioned advantages:

What are the risks?

Complex derivative-based products like HXT also come with a unique set of risks. While Horizons has done a great job of mitigating them, investors should still be mindful.

First up is counterparty risk, the possibility that the counterparty will fail to pay a return equal to that of the index when owing. I’m not worried about this. The main counterparty is the National Bank of Canada. It would be highly unlikely for a Big 6 bank to default on this obligation.

Moreover, in the event that does happen, the underlying index would likely tank and eliminate the counterparty exposure (the returns owed, which are now zero or negative as the index has gone down) anyway, and you would get the cash collateral held (losing any gains but keeping the principal).

The second risk is regulatory risk. The government might eliminate the tax loophole that turns taxable dividend income into capital gains. It if happens, HXT investors would be forced to sell and and realize all of those capital gains, which would cause a big one-time tax bill.

The Foolish takeaway

Investors using a taxable account can use HXT to eliminate dividend tax and defer capital gains tax, saving themselves money. HXT also has lower fees and less tracking error compared to traditional index ETFs of its class. As long as you’re mindful of the counterparty and regulatory risk, HXT can be an excellent addition to your holdings.

This article represents the opinion of the writer, who may disagree with the “official” recommendation position of a Motley Fool premium service or advisor. We’re Motley! Questioning an investing thesis — even one of our own — helps us all think critically about investing and make decisions that help us become smarter, happier, and richer, so we sometimes publish articles that may not be in line with recommendations, rankings or other content.

Fool contributor Tony Dong has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned.

More on Investing

ETF stands for Exchange Traded Fund
Dividend Stocks

How to Invest Your $7,000 TFSA Contribution in 2024

Here's how I would prioritize a $7,000 TFSA contribution for growth and income.

Read more »

a man relaxes with his feet on a pile of books
Dividend Stocks

CPP Pensioners: Watch for These Important Updates

The CPP is an excellent tool for retirees, but be sure to stay on top of important updates like these.

Read more »

Technology
Dividend Stocks

TFSA Investors: 3 Dividend Stocks I’d Buy and Hold Forever

These TSX dividend stocks are likely to help TFSA investors earn steady and growing passive income for decades.

Read more »

money goes up and down in balance
Investing

Unveiled: 2 Must-Watch Stocks for Your TFSA Before 2025

Value-conscious TFSA investors should consider Bank of Nova Scotia (TSX:BNS) and another great dividend pick.

Read more »

four people hold happy emoji masks
Dividend Stocks

Love Dividend Growth? Check Out These 2 Income-Boosting Stocks

National Bank of Canada (TSX:NA) and another Canadian dividend-growth stock are looking like a bargain going into December 2024.

Read more »

An investor uses a tablet
Dividend Stocks

A Dividend Giant I’d Buy Over Enbridge Stock Right Now

Enbridge stock may seem like the best of the best in terms of dividends, but honestly this one is far…

Read more »

how to save money
Dividend Stocks

Got $1,000? The 3 Best Canadian Stocks to Buy Right Now

If you're looking for some cash flow from your $1,000 investment, these are the ideal investments to make.

Read more »

Data center servers IT workers
Tech Stocks

Better Buy: Shopify Stock or Constellation Software?

Let's dive into whether Shopify (TSX:SHOP) or Constellation Software (TSX:CSU) are the better options for growth investors in this current…

Read more »