Looking at Investment Returns
A major Canadian financial institution ran an investment promotion earlier this year that promised attractive returns for GIC-type investors, who needed higher returns to generate income. While dealing with an advisor from this particular institution on another matter, the conversation turned to the details of their offer. The highlighted promotion offered a much higher […]
The Role of Luck in Your Planning
One of the most interesting facets of the financial services industry is how so many people tend to invest their money and plan their financial affairs by chasing trends and doing what is “popular”. For example, many investors like a “sure thing” and will often pile into an investment sector that is hot. […]
Boomer Advice to Young People: Invest Early & Diversify
When asked if they had any regrets, Baby Boomers wished they had started investing and saving at a much earlier age. Hindsight being 20/20, the Boomer generation can pass on some much needed advice and guidance to their kids and grandkids. It is normal for younger people to focus on earning money to accommodate their […]
Understanding Market Volatility – Part 2
Our previous article looked at the increase in market volatility in 2018 in historical terms to put it in perspective. The other factor to consider is where are we in the market cycle and what this might mean for you personally in terms of your own long-term financial strategy. Many market commentators suggest that […]
Understanding Market Volatility – Part 1
This year began with some market turbulence resulting in a correction in the S&P Index in late January of about 10%, and about 7% for the TSX during the same period. You would have thought the world was ending with all the hand-wringing and hysteria stirred up by media reports at the time. More […]
De-Dollarization and You – Part 2
The US has been Canada’s largest trading partner for decades, so our economy is closely tied to the fortunes of our southern neighbour. In addition, because the US economy is still currently the largest in the world, whenever an investor implements or revises a financial strategy, it is always important to consider how US Government […]
Hype, Hope and Glory
Advisors offer clients many value-added services, in addition to investment planning, insurance and risk management planning and general financial and Estate Planning advice. This often leads to a discussion by clients of what is hot in the market and what is actively being discussed in the media and whether the client should participate in the […]
Investment Risk in Retirement Years
As Joe Farnsworth* from Toronto discovered, published return percentages do not necessarily tell the whole story of an investment portfolio performance. Joe retired 9 years ago from the Toronto Police Service from which he collects a serviceable pension each month. When Joe retired he decided to try investing his life savings ($300,000) on his […]
Active Versus Passive Investing
There are very passionate views on both sides of the debate as to whether it is better for individual investors to use active investment managers versus using an index approach, with its main selling feature being lower fees. Let us first bear in mind why people invest in the first place, whether it is […]
The Story Behind ‘Sell Everything’
The media in general has a tendency to take an idea or story and run with it until the original context or point is lost in a wave of misinformation, taking a form of its own. At that point, the idea can become very dangerous to you as an individual working to build your own […]