Investing

Should We Buy Stocks In A Bear Market?

Here’s a question I’m getting from those with long term outlooks during this COVID-19 crisis: Is now a good time to buy stocks? As of noon on March 25th, Canadian stocks were down 25% over the past month. If that doesn’t scream ‘buy’ I’m not sure what does. But we don’t live in a vacuum. it’s really… Continue Reading

When It Comes To Investing, Consider A Passive Approach

Anyone who owns a mutual fund knows the pain of opening up a statement only to find out that while the market was up, their mutual fund was down. There are generally two reasons why a mutual fund will go in the wrong direction vs. the market – the decisions made by the mutual fund… Continue Reading

Why – And How – Should You Save For Retirement?

Gone are the days when, after 35 years of loyal service to one company, an employee retires with dignity, a defined benefit pension and a nice watch.  Today, most employers are not on the hook for guaranteeing any retirement income, and we know Old Age Security and Canada Pension Plan payouts aren’t very much.  For… Continue Reading

What to do about the New Fee Disclosures

The first questions that I suspect will come from the lips of Canadians finding out how much their advisor is paid (as required by the end of 2016), will be ‘Why didn’t I know this sooner?’ ‘How come she didn’t tell me?’ and perhaps ‘What should I do about this?’. While I can’t answer the… Continue Reading

Disclosure of Fees is Coming

You may not know it but 2016 marks a year of disruption for the financial services industry. Regulatory change, specifically the initiative entitled ‘CRM2’, will require all mutual fund companies and advisors to disclose – for the first time – the full amount being paid to advisors for their services. It will no longer be… Continue Reading

Stick with your long term investment strategy

Once you have decided on your investment portfolio’s asset allocation, you are happy with the diversified and low fee portfolio you have created with a qualified financial planner (or on your own), and you are investing according to the plan, what are you supposed to do next? NOTHING. Here is where most people get in… Continue Reading

Do you know what you are invested in?

For most people I know, deciding how to invest hard-earned dollars to fund a distant retirement is more painful than a root canal. How could there possibly be more options? And products? And promises? How do you sort through all the myriad of investment alternatives available? Today I won’t cover how much you should put… Continue Reading

Know your own risk profile

You may have heard from an investment advisor at some point that your investment risk profile is important. Today I will cover what the term means, why it is important and what it implies. When it comes to investing, I like to talk about five keys to success: 1. Spend less than you earn 2.… Continue Reading

What’s so great about the TFSA?

Plenty! I love the TFSA for many reasons. To begin with, it stands for ‘Tax Free Savings Account’. Who couldn’t love something that earns you tax-free income? It works very differently from an RRSP. RRSP contributions are tax-deductible and provide the owner with deferred income tax until the money is eventually withdrawn. While there is… Continue Reading

Saving for your Child’s Post-Secondary Education (Part 2 of 2)

When it comes to funding your children’s post-secondary education, not everyone needs to start socking away $200 a month into an RESP as soon as their baby arrives home from the hospital. And while I like that option if the parents are forward-thinking and can find that space in their budget, there are other sources… Continue Reading