Let's deal with mutual funds
17.05.12
You may have questions about tax issues relating to your mutual fund investment portfolio. More detailed information about taxes and investing is available from your qualified tax advisor.
A T3 tax slip (also known as a T3 Supplementary or Statement of Trust Income Allocations and Designations) is produced whenever a mutual fund held in a non-registered account makes a distribution of taxable income to unitholders. The manager of the fund produces a T3 tax slip for every unitholder of the fund, as required by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).
A T3 tax slip indicates the amount of income distributed by the fund for the previous year. The slip also shows the amount of each type of taxable income (dividend, capital gain, etc.) distributed. All income shown on a T3 tax slip (except for return of capital, which is discussed in a later question) must be declared on a tax return.
Funds may earn dividends and interest from their underlying investments and they may realize capital gains or losses when investments are sold. This income may be fully or partially offset by fund expenses. The fund allocates any remaining income or capital gains to unitholders by way of distributions where it is taxed in their hands at their marginal rate. This is preferable to having the income taxed at the highest marginal rate, as it would be if it were retained by the fund. Income is distributed in the same form as it is earned by the fund: interest income, Canadian dividends, net capital gains, foreign non-business income or a combination of the four.
Source: Times and Transcript