Frequently Asked Questions

RBC InvestEase is an online investment management service that simplifies investing and adds the expertise of real advisors leaving all the investing work to us.

We provide you with an investment plan based on your answers to a few questions. We’ll invest your money in a portfolio of carefully-selected ETFs on your behalf, and our accredited advisors keep an eye on them to help you stay on track.

Our hours of operation are from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET. You can reach us by email at questions@rbcinvestease.com or by calling 1–800–769–2531.

No. While RBC InvestEase is an online investing service, it is not the same as self-directed investing (such as through RBC Direct Investing).

With self-directed investing, the responsibility of researching and picking investments, creating an investment portfolio, and buying/selling investments is on you. At RBC InvestEase, we do all this work and recommend the investment plan for you. All you have to do is choose your account type and deposit money into your account.

You can open an account with us at any time online provided that you meet the eligibility criteria. Here’s how:

• On our welcome page select Get Started.
• Answer some questions about yourself so we can understand your needs and recommend an investment plan.
• If you’re happy with the recommendation, you can open an account online in just a few quick steps.
• A Portfolio Advisor may call you to confirm that your investment plan and portfolio suit your needs.
• Once your account is open, log in to your dashboard and make your first deposit to start investing.

You can call us at 1–800–769–2531 if you have more questions about opening an account.

You can open a Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA), a Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) or a non-registered investment account. Even though you may already have other registered or non-registered accounts with RBC, you will need to open a new account.

We are working on adding other accounts in the future, like a Locked-In Retirement Account (LIRA), Restricted Locked-in Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RLSP), Registered Retirement Income Fund (RRIF), Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) and joint accounts.

Start small or start big - it’s up to you. Your money is invested once you reach a balance of $100 or more, to allow you to start saving for your goals without having to save up thousands of dollars first.

For balances of $100 to $1499 we invest you in a “Small Balance portfolio,” which obtains similar exposure to the full Standard and Responsible Investing portfolios through the purchase of fewer ETFs. We offer a Small Balance portfolio to help get more Canadians off the side-lines and investing for their future. Our Small Balance portfolio is necessary because we do not purchase fractions of ETFs (these are also known as “fractional shares”), which makes the construction of a diversified portfolio more difficult for values below $1500.

When your account balance rises above $1500 we would transition it to a full Standard or Responsible Investing portfolio (which contain four to six ETFs) at no additional cost and no action required by you

To open an account, you must meet the following criteria:

• You are a resident in Canada
• You’ve reached the age of majority in your province/territory of residence
• You have a Social Insurance Number that starts with a number from 1 to 7
• You are opening this account on your own behalf and are not a General Power of Attorney, Public Trust or third party
• You’re the only person with financial interest in and exerting control over the assets in this account

Yes, no problem! You can open an account with RBC InvestEase even if you don’t currently bank with RBC. Also, you can easily move money to your account by transferring funds or investments from another financial institution.

Yes we do! We’ll waive up to $200 in transfer fees when you transfer $1000 or more to your RBC InvestEase account from another financial institution.

Automatic transfers (or pre-authorized, ongoing contributions) are an easy way to make sure your investment plan stays on track. Here’s how to set them up:

• Sign in to RBC InvestEase.
• In the top menu, choose Move Money.
• Fill in the fields, including the Amount and Frequency of the transfers.

Deposits you make from your RBC bank account to your account between 4:30 a.m. and 7:54 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) will be processed in real time. Deposits made during all other times will be processed the next business day.

If you have set up your deposits from another bank using Bill Pay, refer to your bank on when your transaction will be processed.

If you withdraw money from your account, it may take 5 to 7 business days for your funds to become available, since it takes a few days for the ETFs to be sold and converted to cash. The value of your investments may vary based on market fluctuations.

To find your account statements:

• Sign in to RBC InvestEase.
• In the top menu, choose Documents.

We will mail your tax documentation during the first quarter of each year. Alternatively you can sign up for electronic tax documents by navigating to profile → account setting → document settings and selecting electronic delivery.

Since we do all the investing work for you, there is no need to set anyone else as your trading authority.

To request a withdrawal from your account, sign in to RBC InvestEase, click on Move Money from the top menu and then select Withdraw.

Next, select the account you wish to withdraw from (if you have multiple accounts) and how you would like to receive your funds.

After you submit your withdrawal by following the online guidance provided, it may take 5 to 7 business days for your funds to become available. During this time, depending on your withdrawal amount, some or all of your investments will be sold to fund your requested withdrawal. The value of your investments may vary based on market fluctuations.

You will be provided with the option to close your account when you submit a request for a full withdrawal.

To request a full withdrawal, sign in to RBC InvestEase, click on Move Money from the top menu and then select Withdraw.

If your account is unfunded, please call 1-800-769-2531 to close your account.

You will be required to pay any accrued unpaid fees that are outstanding as of the date of your account closure. Such fees will be debited from your account and will be subject to applicable tax.

RBC InvestEase charges an annual management fee of 0.50% + applicable sales tax (billed monthly, based on your account’s average Assets Under Management). A weighted average management expense ratio between 0.11%–0.23% will apply to the ETFs held in your portfolio.

For additional details on transfer fees please refer to the below section.

The annual investment management fee covers the costs of buying your investments, rebalancing your portfolio, and accessing our Portfolio Advisors. There are no surprise transaction or administrative fees.

Like mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have expenses related to managing the fund. These expenses are expressed as the management expense ratio (MER). In general, ETFs are more cost-efficient compared to mutual funds of equivalent strategies. The MER is made up of the following costs:

• Management fee: The annual fee payable to the fund manager for acting as a trustee and manager. It’s the largest portion of the MER and includes costs of the custodian and valuation agents, registrar and transfer agents, and any other service providers retained by the manager.
• Operating expenses: Include fees like complying with national regulations and fees payable to members of the board of governors of the ETFs.
• Taxes: Each fund must pay applicable sales taxes on management fees and administration fees charged to the fund.
• Management expense ratio (MER): This is the total of the costs noted above expressed as a percentage. In other words, it’s a portion of a fund’s average net assets paid each year to cover the day-to-day and fixed costs of managing the fund. MER includes all management fees and applicable sales taxes paid by the fund for the period, including fees paid indirectly as a result of holding other ETFs.

Note: The ETF MERs described above are different from the annual investment management fee of 0.50% that RBC InvestEase charges for its services.

Our annual investment management fee of 0.50% + applicable sales taxes will be billed monthly, based on your average assets under management.

You won’t need to pay any fees to withdraw funds from your account. You’ll only pay a fee of $135 + applicable sales taxes if you make a transfer from your RBC InvestEase account to an investment account (registered or non-registered) at another non-RBC financial institution.

If transferring money from another financial institution, RBC InvestEase will waive up to a maximum of $200 in transfer fees when you transfer $1000 or more into your new RBC InvestEase account.

If you’d like to withdraw funds from your account, sign in to RBC InvestEase and click on Move Money from the top menu and then select Withdraw.

You’ll only be charged any outstanding management fee on a prorated basis if you close your account.

An investment portfolio is a grouping of investments, combined in such a way to meet a specific financial goal and to match a person’s tolerance for investment risk and time horizon.

For example, depending on your reasons for investing and how long you have to invest, your portfolio could be focused on aggressive growth, moderate growth, protecting and preserving your money, or a balance of growth and preservation.

Your investment portfolio uses an asset allocation mix – a combination of stocks, bonds and cash determined by your risk profile – to help you reach your investment goals. As time passes, your portfolio may drift from the original mix (or target allocation) due to the relative performance of each asset class or because of deposits and/or withdrawals.

As a result, your portfolio may become unbalanced with too much of one asset class or too little of another. When this happens, RBC InvestEase buys or sells the required (ETF) units to bring you back to your original target allocation. Rebalancing ensures that your portfolio stays in line with your objectives.

An exchange-traded fund (ETF) is similar to a mutual fund, except an ETF trades like a stock on an exchange. Like a mutual fund, you can buy “units” in an ETF to own a proportional interest in a pool of assets (such as stocks or bonds).

Indexed ETFs commonly track a specific:

• Market index (a composite of securities, such as the S&P/TSX Composite Index)
• Market sector (a group of stocks representing companies in similar lines of business)
• Commodity (such as precious metals or energy futures)

Browse our product profiles below to learn more about the ETFs used in our Standard Portfolio:

• iShares Core Canadian Short Term Bond Index ETF (opens in a new window)
• iShares Core Canadian Universe Bond Index ETF (opens in a new window)
• iShares Global Government Bond Index ETF (CAD-Hedged) (opens in a new window)
• iShares Core S&P/TSX Capped Composite Index ETF (opens in a new window)
• iShares Core S&P 500 Index ETF (opens in a new window)
• iShares Core MSCI EAFE IMI Index ETF (opens in a new window)
• iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets IMI Index ETF (opens in a new window)

Browse our product profiles below to learn more about the ETFs used in our Responsible Investing Portfolio:

• iShares ESG Aware Canadian Short Term Bond Index ETF (opens in a new window)
• iShares ESG Aware Canadian Aggregate Bond Index ETF (opens in a new window)
• iShares Global Government Bond Index ETF (CAD-Hedged) (opens in a new window)
• iShares ESG Aware MSCI Canada Index ETF (opens in a new window)
• iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA Index ETF (opens in a new window)
• iShares ESG Aware MSCI EAFE Index ETF (opens in a new window)
• iShares ESG Aware MSCI Emerging Markets Index ETF (opens in a new window)

The investment returns shown on your dashboard are calculated using a modified time-weighted rate of return. This method accounts for your portfolio’s performance and timing of cash flows in and out of your account. These calculations exclude the current month’s activities.

Yes. If your investment plan no longer makes sense for your needs or if you’ve had an important life change, give us a call at 1–800–769–2531. A Portfolio Advisor will ask a few questions to understand your situation and help you update your plan. We will also follow up on an annual basis to make sure our information on file is correct.

RBC Direct Investing Inc. provides custodial services for the funds that you invest with RBC InvestEase. RBC Direct Investing Inc. is responsible for keeping your financial assets safe, maintaining your accounts, record keeping, trade settlement and reporting. RBC Direct Investing Inc. is regulated by the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC) and a member of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund (CIPF).

Through RBC Direct Investing Inc., your account is protected up to certain limits by the CIPF in the event of the insolvency of RBC Direct Investing Inc. The CIPF does not protect your assets from losses due to market movements or the activities of RBC InvestEase. If you’d like to learn more about these limits, please visit the CIPF website (www.cipf.ca) for more information.

Under the Online Security Guarantee, if an unauthorized transaction is made in your account through the RBC InvestEase online dashboard, you will be reimbursed 100% for any direct losses in your account. Terms and conditions will apply.

$1500 and Beyond: Congrats! We have enough money to purchase the full list of ETFs in your Standard or Responsible Investing portfolio. Where can I find more details about the ETFs RBC InvestEase uses to create my portfolio?

$100 - $1499: You are invested in a Small Balance portfolio, which obtains similar exposure to the full Standard and Responsible Investing portfolios through the purchase of fewer ETFs. We offer a Small Balance portfolio to help get more Canadians off the side-lines and investing for their future. Our Small Balance portfolio is necessary because we do not purchase fractions of ETFs (these are also known as “fractional shares”), which makes the construction of a diversified portfolio more difficult for values below $1500. When your account balance rises above $1500 we would transition it to a full Standard or Responsible Investing portfolio (which contain four to six ETFs) at no additional cost and no action required by you.

A Standard Small Balance Portfolio will use the following ETFs:

• iShares Core Canadian Short Term Bond Index ETF (opens in a new window)
• iShares Core S&P/TSX Capped Composite Index ETF (opens in a new window)

A Responsible Investing Small Balance Portfolio will use the following ETFs:

• iShares ESG Aware Canadian Short Term Bond Index ETF (opens in a new window)
• iShares ESG Aware MSCI Canada Index ETF (opens in a new window)

$0-$99: Your money will stay in cash until you reach a balance of $100 or more.

Responsible Investing (RI) uses an investment approach that measures how a company manages its Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) risks. This means the issuer (i.e. a company) of a security (a stock or bond) is evaluated on how well it manages its Environmental (i.e. carbon emissions, waste disposal, water management), Social (i.e. workplace health and safety, labour management, privacy/data security), and Governance (i.e. tax transparency, board independence and composition, ownership) risks in the operation of its business. The Responsible Investing approach used in RBC InvestEase’s portfolios focuses on companies with the highest ESG factors. The process also removes companies involved in the business of tobacco, controversial weapons, and civilian firearms while also omitting companies involved in severe controversies.

We’ve selected an investment approach to Responsible Investing that we believe should not result in lower returns after fees versus a standard portfolio over the long term. Our Responsible Investing portfolio emphasizes companies that best manage these risks at the expense of companies that score lower after completion of the investment process. In addition, we have excluded companies involved in tobacco, controversial weapons, civilian firearms, as well as companies involved in very severe controversies.

Our Responsible Investing investment process begins by drawing on some elements of socially responsible investing by excluding companies involved in tobacco, controversial weapons, civilian firearms, as well as those companies involved in severe controversies. The remaining companies are then assessed on how well they manage their Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) risks. Examples of how superior risk management can translate into favourable financial results include limiting fines and penalties from waste-management policies (environmental), acquiring clients at a faster rate than peers due to superior talent management (social), and benefiting from a higher valuation in the marketplace due to a commitment to an independent board and an effective management structure (governance).

We believe our Responsible Investing portfolios should not result in lower returns after fees versus a standard portfolio over the long term. In contrast, SRI is predicated solely on the exclusion of entire industries on a moral basis. Long-term portfolio returns could be lower, and portfolio risk higher, due to the exclusion of industries that could represent a large portion of the index without any consideration of future financial performance. SRI is generally not based on a framework that takes into consideration the potential future financial impact of how a management team manages its ESG risks.

RBC InvestEase charges the same low fee of 0.50% to manage both our Standard and Responsible Investing portfolios.

The ETFs used in the construction of our Responsible Investing portfolios have a slightly higher management expense ratio (MER) versus our Standard portfolio. While the range of fees for the Responsible Investing portfolios is 0.18%-0.23%, it is 0.11%-0.13% in a Standard portfolio.

It’s a personal choice. We believe either our Responsible Investing or Standard portfolio will help clients reach their financial goals. Responsible Investing will appeal to those looking for choice and wanting to invest with companies that effectively manage environmental, social, and governance risks. In addition, we exclude companies involved in tobacco, controversial weapons, civilian firearms, as well as companies involved in very severe controversies. For those clients who are more focused on fees, or who are not drawn to Responsible Investing, our Standard portfolio remains an excellent solution.

Yes! Each friend or family member (the referee) that an RBC InvestEase client (the referrer) refers is eligible to receive $25 when they open their first RBC InvestEase account, fund it with a minimum of $1,000 within 30 days of account opening and hold that amount in their account for at least 90 consecutive days. The referrer is also eligible to receive $25 for each eligible friend. Please visit your dashboard for more information.

For you (the referee) and the person who referred you (the referrer) to receive the $25 bonus, you must open an account using the link provided to you by the referrer and fund your account with a minimum of $1,000 within 30 days of account opening, and maintain that deposit in your account for at least 90 consecutive days.

As long as you have met all of the eligibility requirements, we will deposit $25 into your account within 30 days of the program conditions being met. We will also give $25 to the friend who referred you, based on the program conditions.

Only existing RBC InvestEase clients may refer friends/family for the purposes of receiving $25 for referrals. Once you are a client, we will provide you with your own unique link to share.

The referrer may refer as many friends/family members. Each eligible referee can receive $25, if program conditions are met. However, the referrer may only receive up to $300 per year total (or for 12 referrals), if all are eligible.