A brokerage account to manage your investment
Choosing an account is the first step to becoming a self-directed investor.
The brokerage account is different from the bank account. It allows do-it-yourself investors to invest in the markets.
Here's what you can do:
- Choose products that match your financial goals
- Implement your tax and investment strategies
An account for all your goals
Registered accounts | Non-registered accounts | |||||||
Advantages | TFSA | FHSA | RRSP/RRIF | Spousal RRSP/RRIF |
RESP | Cash | Margin | Short selling |
Taxable capital gains and dividends | ||||||||
Tax free | ||||||||
Unlimited deposits | ||||||||
Contributions to your spouse's account | ||||||||
Grants | ||||||||
Tax deductions | ||||||||
Taxable withdrawals | ||||||||
Tax-free withdrawals | ||||||||
Possibility of trading most products | ||||||||
Borrowing on margin | ||||||||
Available in US currency | * | |||||||
For more information | Notify me by email when available this fall |
Learn more about RRSPs |
Learn more |
Learn more |
* RRSP only
FHSA
The FHSA brokerage account will be available in the fall of 2023. However, you can open a FHSA at one of our National Bank branches. Schedule an appointment to find a tailored solution to your needs.
Accounts for legal entities
Does your company or your corporation have surplus cash? Why not use it to make a profit with a cleverly chosen investment? NBDB offers a selection of accounts for legal entities and guides you through the process of opening your account. To open one of those accounts, call one of our agents:
- Company account
- Sole proprietorship account

Tips from our experts
A margin account offers many advantages, such as a very competitive rate when borrowing against the securities held in your account or against a portion of a future purchase..
Other types of account
With NBDB, you can also have an account for specific circumstances and conditions.
- Estate account 1
- In trust account 2
1 Open the account at a National Bank branch
2 Call one of our agent to open the account
- LIRA
- LRSP
- LIF
Fully-paid securities lending program
Lend your fully-paid securities and earn extra income effortlessly
The fine print
Definitions of accounts for legal entities
Company account
A corporate body separate from its shareholders and managed by a board of directors and officers.
Sole proprietorship account
A business with a sole proprietor who personally owns all the assets, manages the business, collects all the income and assumes all the financial and administrative responsibilities.
Definitions of the other types of account
Estate account
An estate bequeathed by a deceased person and administered by an executor.
In trust account
An alternative option for clients (usually parents) who would like to open a brokerage account for a minor. This type of account is not available to Quebec residents.
Locked-in retirement account (LIRA - Provincial) and locked-in registered retirement savings plan (LRSP - Federal)
LIRAs and LRSPs are retirement savings instruments into which you can transfer the value of your locked-in rights accumulated in a retirement savings plan. These types of accounts are available in Canadian and U.S. dollars and your investments grow tax free.
Life Income Fund (LIF)
A LIF is a registered account into which you can transfer money from your supplemental pension plan or locked-in retirement account (LIRA). It has the same features and advantages as an RRIF, but with a maximum withdrawal limit. This type of account is available in Canadian dollars.