Investing Accounts and Asset Location in Canada
Which account first, how to fund it, and which investment goes in which account.
This hub is about the containers: which account to open, which to fund first, and which investment belongs in which account. Getting the order right can matter as much as the investments themselves, because each account is taxed differently on the way in, while you hold, and on the way out.
The guides cover TFSA contribution timing, corporate versus personal investing, and how to place investments across accounts so tax and foreign withholding land where they cost least. The tax rules for each account live in the Taxes hub for TFSA, RRSP and FHSA rules; these guides focus on opening, funding and investing.
If you haven't chosen a brokerage yet, start with the brokerages hub.
What this hub helps you decide:
- Which account should I open first?
- When in the year should I contribute to my TFSA?
- Should I invest personally or through my corporation?
- Which investment belongs in which account?
Updated November 2026 · 2 guides by Andrew
Start here
New to investing? Read the overview first: How to Invest in Canada: The Optimizer's Guide to Accounts, ETFs, and Brokerages.
All Accounts & Asset Location guides
Corporate vs Personal Investing in Canada
When a holding company is a sensible place for a portfolio, and when TFSA, RRSP, and non-registered accounts are the simpler home.
TFSA Contribution Optimization Strategy for 2026
When to fund 2026 TFSA room, which assets belong inside, and the overcontribution and in-kind mistakes that quietly cost more than the contribution.