The Secrets That TFSA Millionaires Know

Albert Einstein called compound interest the “eighth wonder of the world”: “He who understands it, earns it; he who doesn’t, pays it”. The math behind compound interest has made patient investors millionaires. The secret of a TFSA millionaire lies in combining compounding returns with the tax‑free growth of the Tax‑Free Savings Account (TFSA). With discipline and strategy, even two to four stocks can make you a TFSA millionaire.

Maxing out on the TFSA contribution room

Your TFSA contribution room started accumulating when you turned 19. The secret to becoming a TFSA millionaire is filing returns even if you don’t have any tax liability. This ensures you accumulate contribution room and tax credits for the future.

So, if you are 19, make sure to get a Social Insurance Number to start accumulating TFSA contribution room. Those who turned 19 in 2009 have a contribution room of $102,000 at the end of 2025. With just a 5% average return, that portfolio could grow to $159,663 — a conservative path to becoming a TFSA millionaire.

Note that even Enbridge gives an average dividend yield of 6.5%, before including any capital gain and dividend growth. This is a conservative portfolio, the bare minimum a disciplined investment can earn.

YearTFSA ContributionCumulative TFSA Balance5% average return2009$5,000$5,000.00$250.002010$5,000$10,250.00$512.502011$5,000$15,762.50$788.132012$5,000$21,550.63$1,077.532013$5,500$28,128.16$1,406.412014$5,500$35,034.56$1,751.732015$10,000$46,786.29$2,339.312016$5,500$54,625.61$2,731.282017$5,500$62,856.89$3,142.842018$5,500$71,499.73$3,574.992019$6,000$81,074.72$4,053.742020$6,000$91,128.45$4,556.422021$6,000$101,684.88$5,084.242022$6,000$112,769.12$5,638.462023$6,500$124,907.58$6,245.382024$7,000$138,152.96$6,907.652025$7,000$152,060.60$7,603.032026$159,663.63

Using TFSA’s tax-free growth to its fullest

TFSA allows your money to grow tax-free. Selling stocks to book profits and reinvesting them in growth opportunities is a key TFSA Millionaire strategy. A perfect example of rebalancing in the current market would be Suncor Energy (TSX:SU) and Shopify (TSX:SHOP). Suncor stock has surged a whopping 226% in five years, converting $5,000 into $16,273, excluding dividends. A similar investment in Shopify is now $5,934.

Back in March 2021, Shopify stock was trading in a bubble and corrected sharply in the 2022 tech meltdown, which resulted in lower returns. However, the company has restructured since then and even turned profitable, with consistent returns. In November 2025, the stock even broke its 2021 tech bubble peak and has dipped 33% since then. This dip is seasonal, as the first quarter is always slow for the company.

Now is a perfect time to rebalance as Suncor may not be able to hold its all-time high price for long and might see some correction depending on the developments in the Iran war.

A smart TFSA millionaire plan would be to rebalance — sell part of Suncor (shares worth $6,000) at its high and reinvest in Shopify during seasonal dips. This way, you book the profit and reinvest that amount to compound in Shopify’s seasonal rally in the second half. Meanwhile, you will still own Suncor stocks, which will keep paying dividends. If you invest in the Suncor dividend-reinvestment plan (DRIP), your dividend will keep compounding tax-free.

TFSA makes this entire rebalancing strategy tax-free, which would otherwise have attracted dividend and capital gain tax in a non-registered account.

Investor takeaway

Rebalancing and compounding are the foundations of becoming a TFSA millionaire. Rebalancing and compounding can help you make the most of your TFSA contribution room. However, avoid frequent buying and selling of stocks in the name of rebalancing. The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) does not allow trading in a TFSA. While it has no specific guidelines around investing frequency, buying and selling the same share multiple times in a year and having a holding period of just a few months could attract CRA’s attention. A disciplined approach — rebalancing every two to three years — ensures steady growth without penalties.

The path to becoming a TFSA millionaire is not about chasing every rally but about consistent contributions, patient compounding, and tax‑free reinvestment.

The post The Secrets That TFSA Millionaires Know appeared first on The Motley Fool Canada.

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• Prediction: These 3 Stocks Will Crush the Market in 2026

The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Shopify. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Fool contributor Puja Tayal has no position in any of the stocks mentioned.