IFC Exam Dumps - Investment Funds in Canada (IFC) Exam

A Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) is a tax-advantaged savings plan that helps parents and family members save for a child’s post-secondary education. The government also contributes to the plan through the Canada Education Savings Grant (CESG) and the Canada Learning Bond (CLB), depending on the family income and the amount of contributions. However, there are some rules and limits that apply to RESP contributions and government grants. One of them is the lifetime contribution limit, which is the maximum amount that can be contributed to an RESP for a beneficiary from all sources. The lifetime contribution limit is $50,000 per beneficiary, regardless of how many RESPs are opened for them or who contributes to them. Therefore, statement A is correct. Justin and Yvonne may contribute a combined lifetime maximum of $50,000 for Grace to their RESP.

The other statements are incorrect for the following reasons:

Statement B: RESPs are not tax-free investment plans. They are tax-deferred plans, meaning that the contributions are made with after-tax dollars and the investment income earned in the plan is not taxed until it is withdrawn as an educational assistance payment (EAP) for the beneficiary. The EAPs are taxed in the hands of the beneficiary, who usually has little or no income and pays little or no tax.

Statement C: There is no annual contribution limit for RESP contributions. However, there is an annual limit for the CESG, which is 20% of the first $2,500 contributed per beneficiary per year, up to a maximum of $500 per year. The CESG also has a lifetime limit of $7,200 per beneficiary.

Statement D: Contributions made to an RESP are not eligible for a tax deduction in the year they are contributed. They are made with after-tax dollars and do not reduce the contributor’s taxable income.

Canadian Investment Funds Course, Unit 9, Section 9.1

The correct answer is A. JKL, the non-registered international small-cap fund, because it is most likely to generate unexpected and fully taxable distributions at year-end. The Investment Funds in Canada course explains that mutual funds held in non-registered accounts are subject to taxation on distributions, even if the investor does not sell the fund. These distributions may include interest income, foreign income, dividends, and capital gains.

International equity funds typically generate foreign-source income, which does not qualify for the Canadian dividend tax credit and is therefore fully taxable at the investor’s marginal tax rate. In addition, international small-cap funds tend to have higher portfolio turnover, increasing the likelihood of realizing capital gains inside the fund. The CIFC curriculum emphasizes that “capital gains distributions are taxable to investors even when automatically reinvested,” making them a common source of unexpected taxes.

By contrast, DEF (Canadian dividend fund in a non-registered account) benefits from the dividend tax credit, reducing its tax burden. ABC and GHI are held in registered accounts, where income and capital gains are either tax-deferred or tax-sheltered, meaning no current tax consequences apply.

The course specifically warns that purchasing funds late in the year in non-registered accounts can result in “buying a taxable distribution”, especially with international equity funds.

The national self-regulatory organization (SRO) for investment dealers is the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC). An SRO is a non-governmental organization that sets and enforces rules and standards for its members in a specific industry or profession. IIROC is an SRO that oversees all investment dealers and their trading activity in Canada’s debt and equity markets. IIROC’s mandate is to protect investors and support healthy capital markets by ensuring high standards of conduct, competence, and compliance among its members and their representatives. Therefore, option D is correct regarding the national SRO for investment dealers. The other options are not correct or relevant to the question. Option A is false because there is no such organization as the National Securities Commission in Canada; rather, there are provincial and territorial securities regulators that form the Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA), which is a council of securities regulators that coordinates and harmonizes regulation for the Canadian capital markets. Option B is false because the Mutual Fund Dealers Association of Canada (MFDA) is not the national SRO for investment dealers; rather, it is the national SRO for mutual fund dealers and their representatives in Canada. Option C is false because the Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) is not the national SRO for investment dealers; rather, it is a council of securities regulators that coordinates and harmonizes regulation for the Canadian capital markets. References: [IIROC - Home], [SROs | GetSmarterAboutMoney.ca], [CSA - Home]

The representative failed to verify that the client’s KYC information was current, which is critical for assessing suitability, especially given the client’s recent job loss. The feedback from the document states:

"Standard A - Duty of Care starts with the Know Your Client rule. It is impossible to apply due diligence and assess the suitability of an investment if the client’s information has not been updated. Client account documentation should reflect all material information about the client’s current status, and should be updated to reflect any material change to the client’s status in order to assure suitability of investment recommendations."

Diversification is the mutual fund benefit that would address Jasmine’s concern about volatility. Diversification means spreading investments across different asset classes, sectors, regions, and companies to reduce risk and volatility. A mutual fund provides diversification by pooling money from many investors and investing in a portfolio of securities that meet the fund’s investment objective and strategy. By investing in a mutual fund, Jasmine can gain exposure to the energy sector without putting all her money in one company. She can also benefit from the professional management and research of the fund manager, who can select and monitor the best securities for the fund. References: Mutual Funds, Diversification

Whether the couple saves on income tax will be dependent on Minu’s marginal tax rate. Pension income splitting is a tax planning strategy that allows a spouse or common-law partner who receives eligible pension income to allocate up to 50% of that income to their spouse or common-law partner1. This may result in tax savings if the transferring spouse or common-law partner is in a higher tax bracket than the receiving spouse or common-law partner1. The tax savings depend on the difference between the marginal tax rates of the spouses or common-law partners1. The other statements are incorrect. Minu will not be exposed to a pension adjustment (PA) if she receives income from Saheed’s pension. A PA is a measure of the value of benefits accrued in a registered pension plan or deferred profit sharing plan during a calendar year2. It reduces the RRSP contribution room of the plan member, not the spouse or common-law partner who receives part of their pension income2. Pension income splitting is not a form of tax evasion and is not illegal based on income tax legislation. It is a legitimate way to reduce taxable income and taxes payable by shifting income from a higher-income spouse or common-law partner to a lower-income spouse or common-law partner1. Pension income splitting may change the total amount of income taxes paid by the couple, depending on their marginal tax rates. If the transferring spouse or common-law partner is in a higher tax bracket than the receiving spouse or common-law partner, pension income splitting may lower their combined taxes payable1. However, if they are in the same tax bracket, pension income splitting may not have any effect on their taxes payable1. References: Pension income splitting, Pension adjustment

A is correct because mortgage mutual funds typically pay monthly distributions of interest to their investors, as they invest in mortgages that generate regular interest income. If interest rates fall, the mutual fund’s net asset value per unit (NAVPU) will increase (B), not decline, as the value of the existing mortgages in the fund will rise. Mortgage mutual funds are suitable for low to moderate risk investors ©, not only for high risk investors, as they provide stable income and capital preservation. Mortgage mutual funds are not risk-free (D), even if the mortgages are National Housing Act (NHA) insured, as they still face credit risk, interest rate risk, and liquidity risk.