Canada Revenue Agency: Earn $397/Month TFSA Income the CRA Can’t Touch (2024)

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Amy became interested in investing in 2018 after having her first daughter. After receiving a masters degree in journalism from Western University, she became frustrated that the finance industry remained a confusing place for Canadians like her: new parents, millennials, and other young people who needed to understand their finances.

Now, Amy focuses on tech companies and renewable energy for growth opportunities, coupling that with long-term investing strategies and equities.

Before joining Motley Fool Canada, she wrote for major news organizations including HuffPost, CTVNews.ca, and CBC. Amy’s work can be found regularly on the Financial Post and MoneyWise Canada.

When she’s not researching investing strategies, Amy’s time is pretty much monopolized by her two wild daughters, but in what little spare time she has she loves to do yoga, go on walks with her dog Finley, and travel.

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Canada Revenue Agency: Earn $397/Month TFSA Income the CRA Can’t Touch (3)

The Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA) is the top choice of Canadian investors, and for good reason. Since 2009, the Canadian government has increased the TFSA contribution limit again and again, adding thousands for Canadians to invest. Luckily, as long as you follow the rules, the government can’t touch of penny of your TFSA.

Despite the title, it’s more than just a savings account. There’s a reason the TFSA contribution limit isn’t endless. Here, I’ll go over the goal of a TFSA for both the government and investors, and what you should be investing in for decades — especially if your goal is monthly income in the triple digits.

The TFSA’s purpose

First, let’s look at the goal of the TFSA according to the government. Back in 2009, when it was introduced, the TFSA contribution was a measly $5,000. Each year, that limit has increased to where today, over a decade later, it’s at a whopping $69,500! So, why only a little at a time?

As I said, this isn’t a savings account. It’s an investing account. The goal is for Canadians to invest in Canadian companies. If you do that, you stand the chance of creating a bigger Canadian company, which the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) can tax even more! But if it gave you endless room, you could make a lot of money, all tax free. Even today, the CRA is figuring out the grey area of when it can actually say you’ve earnedtoo much tax free cash. But as long as you’re investing Canadian, not cheating the system, and staying within the TFSA contribution limit, you should be fine.

So, the goal of investors should be to find the stocks that will make them strong returns for years, even decades, to come. These companies should be well known in the industry, with a solid future outlook and dividends to boot. Sure, you could invest in a risky stock and make huge returns. But here at the Motley Fool, we recommend buying and holding stocks. That leaves far fewer chances of losing everything in a decade or two.

A top TFSA choice

If you’re looking for a company to bring in solid passive income, and with a huge potential for growth in the next few decades, then I would highly considerNutrien (TSX:NTR)(NYSE:NTR). The company provides crop nutrients around the world. With less and less arable land available, that means countries will be going to companies like Nutrien to help keep land alive.

Why Nutrien? Because it’s already acquiring crop-nutrient companies all over the place, taking up the market share. The company remains stable, even during this pandemic and economic downturn, actually decreasing total debt. Meanwhile, shares are actually up for the year, with an increase of 7.54% in the last year alone.

What’s great is that this company is new but has taken over its market. With a market capitalization of only $36 billion, it has so much more room to grow in this industry worth $66 billion in the next few years. And, of course, during that time investors will receive a top dividend of 3.8% as of writing.

Bottom line

To get to your goal of $397 per month in passive income, that means you would have to bring in $4,760 per year. To do that, you would need to invest in 2,000 shares as of writing. That can’t be all kept in your TFSA given the TFSA contribution limit of $69,500. However, if you and your partner team up, you can certainly invest the $126,000 it would take and still have some room to spare! Meanwhile, if returns increase at the current rate, you could also see your investment increase to $136,080. That’s a grand total of $14,840 in returns, including dividends, all within one year.

Canada Revenue Agency: Earn $397/Month TFSA Income the CRA Can’t Touch (2024)

FAQs

How does CRA keep track of TFSA? ›

Our response: Financial institutions track and report your TFSA contributions to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). You do not report your TFSA contributions on your tax return. To check your TFSA contribution room, you may use CRA's My Account service online.

Can you claim TFSA contributions on income tax? ›

Contributions to a TFSA are not deductible for income tax purposes. Any amount contributed as well as any income earned in the account (for example, investment income and capital gains) is generally tax-free, even when it is withdrawn.

What is the TFSA limit for 2024? ›

The annual TFSA dollar limit for 2024 is $7,000. The annual dollar limit is indexed to inflation.

What is the TFSA limit? ›

TFSA contribution room
2009 to 2012$ 5,000
2016 to 2018$ 5,500
2019 to 2022$ 6,000
2023$ 6,500
2024$ 7,000
2 more rows
Jan 17, 2024

Does the IRS recognize Canadian TFSA? ›

TFSA earnings are subject to U.S. income tax. You must include any earnings from your TFSA as taxable income on your U.S. income tax return, and a direct foreign tax credit cannot be recouped as there is no Canadian tax incurred on them.

How do I avoid tax on my TFSA? ›

You can withdraw a part of or all the funds in your TFSA tax-free. Any amount withdrawn (including the income or growth which exceeds your original contributions) will be added back to your contribution room, but only starting in the following year.

How do I withdraw money from my TFSA CRA? ›

You can withdraw funds from your TFSA any time you want1 and you don't have to reach a certain age before you withdraw your money. Withdrawals made from your TFSA will be added back to your TSFA contribution room the following year. Your financial institution can help you make withdrawals from your TFSA.

What is the lifetime limit for TFSA in Canada? ›

It also means that starting on January 1, 2024, eligible Canadians will now have a cumulative lifetime TFSA contribution limit of $95,000 (see “What is the lifetime contribution limit for TFSA?” below for examples and charts).

What is the difference between a savings account and a TFSA? ›

RRSPs and TFSAs are government-registered accounts designed to help you save and invest. They both offer tax benefits — but the nuance of how these benefits work is what differentiates RRSPs and TFSAs. Whereas, a savings account generally holds cash and earns interest without tax advantages.

Does TFSA reset every year? ›

Contribution room for any withdrawal you make from a TFSA is restored the following year. If you make a TFSA withdrawal one year, you'll regain that exact amount of room – in addition to the new annual limit – the following year.

Can I put 50k in my TFSA? ›

Your TFSA lifetime contribution limit is $75,500. Your ongoing contribution amount. There is new contribution room every year. For 2024, you can contribute up to $7000 plus any unused contribution room from previous years.

How much can I put in my TFSA if I have never contributed? ›

What if you've never contributed to a TFSA before? If you have lived in Canada your entire life and you were 18 or older when the Government of Canada first introduced TFSAs (in 2009) and you've never put money into a TFSA, then your contribution room could be as much as $95,000 (in 2024).

What happens if TFSA grows beyond limit? ›

The amount of money you can put into a TFSA every year is called the contribution room, and if you exceed your it, you'll have to pay a penalty. Any amount you withdraw from your TFSA gets added to your contribution room for the following calendar year, which can mean even more penalties the following year.

Can I take money out of my TFSA without penalty? ›

TFSAs can offer hassle-free withdrawals without immediate taxes, fees, or penalties, providing financial flexibility when needed. You can withdraw from your TFSA without losing contribution room, and recontribute withdrawn amounts in the following years.

Which bank has the highest interest rate for TFSA? ›

Best TFSA GIC Rates Currently Available In Canada
  • EQ Bank – 5.35% (1-year)
  • Saven Financial – 5.45% (1-year)
  • Peoples Trust — 5.40% (1-year)
  • Hubert Financial and Ideal Savings – 5.35% (1-year)
  • Oaken Financial — 5.35% (1-year)
  • Achieva, Motive and Outlook Financial – 5.20% (1-year)
  • Wealth One Bank of Canada – 5.05% (1-year)

Does TFSA show on credit report? ›

Investment accounts such as RRSPs, RESPs, TFSAs and RDSPs are intended to help individuals build their personal savings. Although there may be tax implications when you move money out of these savings plans, these activities are not reported to the credit bureaus and therefore will not affect your credit scores.

Does TFSA get reported on tax return? ›

Most TFSA holders have no tax payable related to their TFSA investments, and no TFSA tax return has to be filed. However, when TFSA taxes are applicable for a year, Form RC243, Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA) Return, must be filed by June 30, of the following year. Any tax owing must also be paid by that date.

Are all TFSA accounts registered? ›

Are TFSAs and RRSPs Registered Accounts? Yes, Tax-Free Savings Accounts and Registered Retirement Savings Plans are registered accounts.

Is there a catch to TFSA? ›

If you contribute more than the total allowed amount to your TFSA at any point, you'll be subject to a 1% tax on the highest excess amount in the month for each month you leave the excess amount in the account or until more contribution room becomes available that uses up the over contribution or until you withdraw the ...

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