PRO TOOLKITS

Investor Toolkits & Cheat Sheets

Actionable, audit-proof templates and decision checklists to guide your real-world execution across Canadian and U.S. accounts.

TOOLKIT 01

Annual Tax Optimization Checklist & Deadlines

CRA & IRS Deadlines

Key Critical Deadlines

December 31: FHSA annual $8,000 contribution deadline (unused room rolls forward up to $8k, max lifetime $40k).
December 27-29: Tax-Loss Harvesting trade settlement cutoff (trades must settle before year-end to count for current tax year).
December 31: Charitable giving cutoff to claim non-refundable tax credits on this year's tax return.
January 1: New TFSA contribution room unlocked (e.g. $7,000/yr) + new FHSA $8,000 room.
March 1 (or 60 days post Dec 31): RRSP contribution deadline for previous tax year deduction.
April 30: Individual Canadian income tax filing & balance due deadline (June 15 for self-employed).

Self-Directed Action Checklist

Download T3 and T5 tax slips from all brokerages (often released late February / mid-March). Confirm official Notice of Assessment (NOA) for exact RRSP deduction limit before making lump-sum contributions. Verify employer RRSP match vesting requirements are met to prevent leaving free matching dollars on the table.

TOOLKIT 02

Adjusted Cost Base (ACB) Tracking Worksheet

CRA Tax Audit Proofing

Brokerage T5008 slips frequently miscalculate cost bases by ignoring reinvested distributions and return of capital (ROC). The CRA legally holds you responsible for accurate reporting.

The Universal ACB Formula


              New ACB = Previous ACB + Total Purchase Price + Reinvested Phantom Distributions - Return of Capital (ROC)

Date	Transaction	Shares	Price ($)	Total Cost ($)	Cumulative ACB ($)	ACB / Share ($)
2024-03-15	Initial Buy (VCN)	100	$40.00	$4,000.00	$4,000.00	$40.00
2024-08-20	Additional Buy (VCN)	50	$44.00	$2,200.00	$6,200.00	$41.33
2024-12-31	Phantom Reinvested Cap Gain	0	—	+$150.00	$6,350.00	$42.33

TOOLKIT 03

Brokerage Execution & Order Types

Never use Market Orders for ETFs. Market orders can execute against illiquid market maker spreads during volatile opening minutes.

Always Use Limit Orders: Set your limit price at the current Ask price (for buys) or Bid price (for sells).
Trade During Core Market Hours: 10:00 AM – 3:30 PM EST when liquidity is deepest and bid-ask spreads are narrowest.
Avoid the First and Last 15 Minutes: Opening (9:30 AM) and closing (3:45 PM) have elevated spread volatility.

TOOLKIT 04

High-Yield Cash Alternatives Guide

Keep emergency funds and short-term capital earning optimal yield without locking it into illiquid multi-year GICs.

CASH.to / PSA: High-interest savings account ETFs yielding ~4.5% net of MER. Traded like standard stocks.
CBIL / UBIL: 1-3 month Canadian & U.S. Treasury Bill ETFs backed 100% directly by federal government sovereign debt.
T+1 Settlement: Canadian and U.S. equities settle in 1 business day, making liquid ETF cash accessible rapidly.