Overview
A mutual fund can also be set up as a federal or provincial corporation, provided that it meets the following conditions set out in the Income Tax Act:
- The corporation’s holdings must consist mainly of a diversified portfolio of securities.
- The income it earns must be derived primarily from the interest and dividends paid out by these securities and any capital gains realized from the sale of these securities for a profit.
Investors in mutual fund corporations receive shares in the fund, rather than units.
Key Features
Portfolio Requirements
The corporation’s holdings must be diversified across various types of securities. This diversification helps reduce risk and ensures compliance with legal standards.
Income Sources
The primary sources of income for these corporations include:
- Interest from debt securities
- Dividends from equity securities
- Capital Gains from selling securities at a higher price than the purchase price
Taxation
Investment funds established as corporations do not benefit from the flow-through status of investment fund trusts. However, these corporations can achieve a virtually tax-free status through strategic financial management and distributions.
Tax Advantage Strategy: The corporation can declare dividends throughout the year equivalent to its net income after fees and expenses. These dividends are taxed in the hands of the shareholders rather than at the corporate level.
Investors and Shares
Shareholding
Unlike mutual funds structured as trusts where investors hold units, in mutual funds structured as corporations, investors receive shares. The value and return on these shares depend on the performance of the underlying assets in the portfolio.
Dividend Taxation
Dividends declared and paid by the corporation are subject to tax in the hands of the shareholders. This allows for the potential minimization of double taxation, a scenario where both the corporation and investor would be taxed on the same income.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: What is a mutual fund corporation?
A: A mutual fund corporation is a type of investment fund set up as a corporate entity meeting specific conditions under the Income Tax Act, investing primarily in a diversified portfolio of securities.
Q: How are mutual fund corporations taxed?
A: Mutual fund corporations can achieve virtually tax-free status by declaring dividends equivalent to their net income after fees and expenses, which are then taxed in the hands of the shareholders.
Key Terms
- Diversified Portfolio: A mix of various types of investments within a single portfolio, designed to reduce exposure to risk.
- Interest: Earnings generated from debt securities such as bonds.
- Dividends: Portions of a corporation’s earnings distributed to shareholders.
- Capital Gains: The profit realized from selling an asset at a higher price than the purchase price.
- Flow-Through Status: A tax feature enabling income generated by a fund to be passed directly to its investors, avoiding taxation at the corporate level.
Key Takeaways
- Mutual funds structured as corporations must maintain a diversified portfolio of securities and generate income primarily from interest, dividends, and capital gains.
- Investors receive shares rather than units in mutual fund corporations.
- These corporations can achieve a tax-effective status by distributing their net income as dividends, hence reducing or eliminating corporate taxation.
- Dividends are taxed in the hands of shareholders, providing a potential tax advantage.
graph TB
A[Corporate Mutual Fund] -->|Issues| B[Shares]
C[Investors] -->|Receive| B
B -->|Generates/Income Derived from| D[Interest, Dividends, Capital Gains]
A -->|Declares/Pays| E[Dividends]
E -->|Taxed in hands of| C[Shareholders]
📚✨ Quiz Time! ✨📚
## Which of the following is a requirement for a mutual fund structured as a corporation under the Income Tax Act?
- [ ] The corporation must only invest in real estate properties.
- [x] The corporation’s holdings must consist mainly of a diversified portfolio of securities.
- [ ] The corporation must only invest in government bonds.
- [ ] The corporation must have no more than 50 investors.
> **Explanation:** A mutual fund structured as a corporation must hold a diversified portfolio of securities as per the Income Tax Act, not limited to real estate, government bonds, or a specific number of investors.
## How do investors in mutual fund corporations receive their holdings?
- [ ] Units in the fund
- [x] Shares in the fund
- [ ] Bonds from the fund
- [ ] Options in the fund
> **Explanation:** Investors in mutual fund corporations receive shares rather than units.
## What is one key difference between mutual fund corporations and mutual fund trusts regarding tax treatment?
- [x] Mutual fund corporations do not have flow-through status.
- [ ] Mutual fund trusts can defer taxes indefinitely.
- [ ] Mutual fund corporations provide tax shields to investors.
- [ ] Mutual fund trusts cannot distribute dividends.
> **Explanation:** Mutual fund corporations lack the flow-through status of mutual fund trusts and thus do not pass income and losses directly to investors.
## How can a mutual fund corporation achieve a virtually tax-free status?
- [ ] By reinvesting all profits back into the fund.
- [ ] By only investing in municipal bonds.
- [ ] By declaring zero dividends.
- [x] By declaring dividends equivalent to the corporation’s net income after fees and expenses.
> **Explanation:** The corporation achieves a virtually tax-free status by declaring dividends equivalent to its net income, transferring the tax burden to the shareholders.
## What primary sources of income must a mutual fund corporation derive its earnings from?
- [ ] Rental income from properties
- [ ] Manufacturing profits
- [x] Interest, dividends, and capital gains from securities
- [ ] Consulting fees
> **Explanation:** Mutual fund corporations must earn their income primarily from interest, dividends, and capital gains from securities.
## What happens to the dividends declared by a mutual fund corporation?
- [ ] They are taxed at the corporate rate.
- [x] They are taxed in the hands of the shareholder.
- [ ] They are not subject to any taxes.
- [ ] They are reinvested automatically.
> **Explanation:** The dividends declared by the mutual fund corporation are taxed in the hands of the shareholder, not at the corporate level.
## How is income distributed to investors in a mutual fund corporation?
- [ ] Through capital appreciation only.
- [x] Through dividends.
- [ ] Through share buybacks.
- [ ] Through interest payments.
> **Explanation:** Income is distributed to investors primarily through dividends.
## Why might an investment fund choose to be established as a corporation rather than a trust?
- [ ] To avoid paying all types of taxes.
- [x] To have the ability to declare dividends equivalent to net income.
- [ ] To invest exclusively in physical assets.
- [ ] To reduce administrative overhead.
> **Explanation:** Establishing the fund as a corporation allows it to declare dividends equivalent to its net income, achieving a virtually tax-free status.
## What can mutual fund corporations not achieve when compared to mutual fund trusts?
- [ ] Tax efficiency
- [x] Flow-through status
- [ ] Dividend distribution
- [ ] High returns
> **Explanation:** Unlike mutual fund trusts, mutual fund corporations cannot achieve flow-through status where income and losses pass directly to investors.
## Under the Income Tax Act, which criterion is NOT a requirement for a mutual fund structured as a corporation?
- [ ] The corporation’s holdings must consist mainly of a diversified portfolio of securities.
- [ ] The income must be derived primarily from the interest and dividends from securities and capital gains.
- [x] The corporation must reinvest all profits back into the fund.
- [ ] The corporation must declare dividends that are taxed in the hands of shareholders.
> **Explanation:** There is no requirement to reinvest profits back into the fund; the focus is on diversified holdings, income from securities, and distributing dividends to shareholders.