What Is A Mortgage Investment Corporation?
A Mortgage Investment Corporation (MIC) is a lending company designed specifically for mortgage lending in Canada. Owning shares in a MIC enables investors to participate in income from a diversified and secured pool of mortgages. Shares of a MIC are eligible investments under the Income Tax Act (Canada) for RRSPs, RRIFs, DPSPs, or RESPs and TFSAs.
A Mortgage Investment Corp. portfolio can include everything from a small second mortgage on residential property to commercial and development mortgages on new projects. A typical Mortgage Investment Corp. loan does not exceed 75%-85% of the current value of the property. The rules for MICs, which are flow-through instruments (meaning that tax is not paid by the company, only its investors), are found in the Tax Act, and include the following:
- A Mortgage Investment Corp. must have at least 20 shareholders.
- A Mortgage Investment Corp. is a flow-through investment vehicle and distributes 100% of its net income to its shareholders.
- No shareholder may hold more than 25% of the Mortgage Investment Corp’s total capital.
- Dividends received with respect to directly held shares, not held within RRSPs or RRIFs, are taxed as interest income in the shareholder’s hands.
- At least 50% of a Mortgage Investment Corp’s assets must be residential mortgages, and/or cash and insured deposits at Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation member financial institutions.
- A Mortgage Investment Corp’s annual financial statements must be audited.
- A Mortgage Investment Corp. may invest up to 25% of its assets directly in real estate, but may not develop land or engage in construction.
- A Mortgage Investment Corp. may employ financial leverage by using debt to partially fund assets.