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posted Oct 30, 2019 8:24:53 AM

Is compound interest eligible to deduct on line 221? Buy $100,000 dividend-paying stock on margin at 1%/month. Deduct $12000. Can I also deduct $682 compound interest?

Question about Line 221 - Carrying charges and interest expenses
Is interest paid on interest eligible to deduct on that line?

To explain - let's say for simplicity I have a margin investment account that has $1m in stocks, fully invested. I buy $100,000 of an a dividend-paying stock on margin, so I'm eligible to deduct the margin interest on Line 221. 
Let's say interest rate is 1%/month, 
At the end of month 1 I have $1000 in interest charges, so I end up owing $101,000 to cover the margin. 
At the end of month 2 I have $1010 in interest charges ($1000 on borrowed amount, and $10 in interest on $1000 interest in month 1), so I owe $102,010

At the end of the year I have $112682 owed, out of which $12000 is interest on the amount borrowed (100k), and $682 is interest on interest, since I did not make payments monthly.
It's obvious that I can deduct $12000 as on Line 221. 

Is $682 -compound interest- also deductible? 

I was reading CRA document here but it's not clear. 

https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/technical-information/income-tax/income-tax-fol...

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1 Replies
Level 15
Oct 30, 2019 8:24:54 AM

CRA states this in Income Tax Folio S3-F6-C1, Interest Deductibility

"Compound interest (that is, interest on interest) is only deductible pursuant to paragraph 20(1)(d), and only in the year in which it is actually paid. Specifically, paragraph 20(1)(d) refers to "an amount paid in the year pursuant to a legal obligation to pay interest on an amount that would be deductible under paragraph 20(1)(c) if it were paid in the year or payable in respect of the year". It is a question of fact whether an amount of interest paid, or payable, in a year is simple or compound interest."

There are some other references to compound interest in this folio:

https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/technical-information/income-tax/income-tax-fol...