IFC Exam Dumps - CSI Canadian Investment Funds Questions and Answers

A mortgage fund is a type of income fund that invests in mortgages and other debt instruments secured by real estate. It provides a steady stream of income to investors and has a low correlation with other asset classes. A mortgage fund is suitable for Yael because she needs income to pay her monthly expenses and is comfortable with high risk. A global equity fund, a money market fund, and a Canadian equity index fund are not suitable for Yael because they do not meet her income objective and risk tolerance.

Canadian preferred share funds distribute income in the form of eligible Canadian dividends, which are tax-advantaged through the dividend tax credit.

In contrast:

U.S. preferred dividends are taxed as foreign income, fully taxable without credits.

Mortgage and bond funds generate interest income, which is fully taxable at the investor’s marginal rate.

Therefore, the most tax-advantaged distribution comes from a Canadian preferred share fund.

Index mutual funds and traditional exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are both types of investment funds that use a passive investment management style, which means they try to track the performance of a specific market index, such as the S&P/TSX Composite Index or the S&P 500 Index. They do so by holding the same securities as the index or a representative sample of them, and by adjusting their portfolio composition and weighting to reflect any changes in the index. However, both types of funds may not be able to exactly replicate the return of the index for various reasons, such as fees, expenses, tracking error, rebalancing frequency, dividend reinvestment, and cash holdings. Therefore, there may be some deviation or difference between the fund’s return and the index’s return, which is called tracking difference.

Canadian Investment Funds Course, Chapter 4: Types of Investments1

A beta of 1.4 indicates that the Optima Equity Fund is 1.4 times more volatile than the market. If the market rises by 5%, the fund is expected to rise by 5% × 1.4 = 7%. The feedback from the document states:

"One way to measure market risk is by calculating a portfolio’s beta. Beta shows how much a portfolio fluctuates when the market as a whole fluctuates. A higher beta means that the portfolio is exposed to more risk. The market has a beta of 1.0. In this example: The Optima Equity Fund has a beta of 1.4, which means the Fund is expected to be 1.4 times more volatile than the market as a whole. If the S&P/TSX Composite Index is used to measure the performance of the Optima Fund, then if the Index rose by 10% you would expect to see the Optima Fund rise by 14% (1.4 × 10%)."

C is correct because the management expense ratio (MER) reflects the percentage of each dollar of fund assets that is used to pay for management services and operating expenses of a mutual fund. The MER includes various fees and expenses, such as management fees, administration fees, trailer fees, audit fees, legal fees, and taxes. The MER reduces the return of the fund, as it is deducted from the fund’s income and capital gains before they are distributed to investors. Mutual funds are not required to calculate the MER on a daily basis (A), but rather on an annual basis. Trailer and brokerage fees are included in the MER (B), not charged separately. Mutual fund performance is impacted by the MER (D), as it lowers the net return of the fund. Rates of return are published net of fees, but they do not reflect the impact of the MER on the fund’s performance.

The cash flow from operations to total debt ratio assesses a company’s ability to meet its debt obligations using cash generated from operations. The feedback from the document states:

"The cash flow from operations/total debt ratio gauges a company’s ability to repay the funds it has borrowed. A company’s annual cash flow should therefore be adequate to meet these commitments."

Factors that increase a mutual fund’s management expense ratio (MER) include investing in foreign equities and paying trailer fees, as these add to operational costs. The feedback from the document states:

"Four factors primarily affect the management expense ratio. Funds that invest in foreign equities; are small in size; are managed by an outside specialist firm; and charge trailer fees will have higher management expense ratios."

PIPEDA (Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act) requires firms to obtain informed consent when collecting, using, or disclosing personal information.

B (prohibit disclosure) is too absolute; exceptions exist (e.g., legal requirements).

C (verify client ID) is under AML rules, not PIPEDA.

D (must provide service if info refused) is incorrect; firms may deny services if info is not provided.