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What Investments Can I Hold in My RRSP?

Written by The Content Team | Published on December 31, 2018

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Q. What Investments Can I Hold in My RRSP?

A. Your Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) can be built using different types of qualified investments, such as stocks, bonds, options, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), savings deposits, treasury bills and guaranteed investment certificates (GICs).

The "qualified" designation is an important one. Here's how that breaks down:

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) sets the requirement that only qualified investments are allowed in registered plans like your RRSP. Generally, if a security trades on at least one exchange that Canada's Finance Department considers a Designated Stock Exchange, it will be recognized as a qualified investment. Among those global exchanges – which total around 46 — are the New York Stock Exchange, NASDAQ, the London Stock Exchange, the Toronto Stock Exchange, the TSX Venture Exchange and more.

Holding non-qualified investments can have tax consequences and may result in penalties levied by the CRA. Find out more in Owning a Non-Qualified Investment Can Be Costly

For more on RRSPs, check out:

Understanding RRSPs

Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) FAQs

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