Free tools and no-nonsense guides for Canadians optimizing their finances. Track your mortgage, HELOC, investments, and tax deductions — individually or combined for full Smith Maneuver execution. No account required.
100% client-side. Your data stays on your computer. No accounts. No tracking.
Track mortgage payments and amortization alongside your investment loan (HELOC, LOC, or margin). Use individually or combine all tools for full Smith Maneuver execution.
Calculate your Adjusted Cost Base per security using the CRA-mandated average cost method. Tracks buys, sells, and capital gains automatically. Integrated into the SM tracker or usable standalone.
Track your annual deductible HELOC interest, estimate tax savings at your marginal rate, log tax refunds, and see where you deployed them — mortgage prepayment, more investments, or HELOC paydown.
Each payment frees up principal, which increases your available HELOC room.
Draw the freed-up amount from your HELOC. This borrowed money is for investing.
Buy income-producing investments in a non-registered account. The HELOC interest is now tax-deductible.
Withdraw dividends, prepay the mortgage, borrow again, and buy more. Each cycle converts more debt to deductible.
The Smith Maneuver is a Canadian tax strategy that converts your non-deductible mortgage interest into tax-deductible investment loan interest. You pay down your mortgage, borrow the freed-up room from your HELOC, invest the borrowed funds, and deduct the HELOC interest on your tax return. Over time, your entire mortgage is replaced with tax-deductible debt backed by an investment portfolio.
Yes. The CRA allows Canadians to deduct interest on money borrowed for the purpose of earning investment income. The Smith Maneuver simply structures your mortgage and HELOC to take advantage of this rule. It was first described by Fraser Smith and has been used by Canadians for decades. As always, consult a tax professional for your specific situation.
A readvanceable mortgage is a mortgage product that automatically increases your HELOC credit limit as you pay down the mortgage principal. This is essential for the Smith Maneuver because it gives you immediate access to the equity you free up with each payment — without needing to refinance or reapply. Most major Canadian banks offer readvanceable products (e.g., Scotiabank STEP, TD Flexline, BMO ReadiLine).
Interest capitalization means borrowing from your HELOC to pay the HELOC interest itself. This keeps the borrowed funds 100% invested (you never pull from investments to pay interest) and the capitalized interest is also tax-deductible since the borrowed money is paying for the cost of earning investment income. It increases your HELOC balance but maximizes your tax deductions.
ACB (Adjusted Cost Base) is the total cost of your investment for tax purposes. In Canada, the CRA requires you to use the average cost method: each time you buy, your ACB increases; each time you sell, it decreases proportionally. When you sell, your capital gain (or loss) is the difference between sale proceeds and the ACB of the units sold. Tracking ACB accurately is critical for reporting capital gains correctly on your tax return.
No. Your data never leaves your browser. Everything is stored in a JSON file on your computer. On Chrome and Edge, the tracker can auto-save directly to a local file. On other browsers, you download your data file manually. There are no accounts, no cloud storage, and no tracking.
The key requirement is that the investments must have a reasonable expectation of earning income (dividends, interest, or capital gains). Canadian dividend ETFs are popular because they provide regular income and qualify for the dividend tax credit. Common choices include broad Canadian equity ETFs and Canadian dividend ETFs. The investment must be in a non-registered (taxable) account — RRSP and TFSA don't qualify since the interest wouldn't be deductible.
At renewal, you can switch lenders, change your rate, or refinance — the Smith Maneuver continues. The tracker lets you log renewals, refinances, and blend-and-extend events, and the amortization schedule adjusts automatically. If you switch to a variable rate, you can also track mid-term rate changes as the Bank of Canada adjusts its overnight rate.
When your investments pay dividends, you withdraw them and use them to make a lump-sum prepayment on your mortgage. This frees up more HELOC room, which you borrow and invest again — buying the same dollar amount of stock. The result: your portfolio stays the same size, but more of your mortgage is converted to deductible debt. The tracker helps you log this full cycle.
Yes. All tools handle fractional shares (e.g., 0.0195 units). Purchases, sales, dividends, and ACB calculations all work with any precision — there is no rounding to whole shares. This is important for platforms like Wealthsimple that support fractional trading.
No. This site and its tools are for educational and tracking purposes only. The Smith Maneuver involves borrowing to invest, which carries risk — if your investments lose value, you still owe the HELOC balance. Always consult a qualified financial advisor and tax professional before implementing any financial strategy.
No sign-up. No data collection. Just open the tracker, start logging, and save your file when you're done. Pick up where you left off next time.
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