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Don’t get burned in the red-hot real estate market
Timely tips for first-time homebuyers Real estate is hot, hot, hot. Just ask anyone trying to buy a home in Vancouver or Toronto. The Teranet-National Bank National Composite House Price Index was up 0.5% in January from December. The rise matched the largest...
Yes, you can create completely tax-free investment income
Beat the taxman with a Tax-Free Savings Account! Yes, you can beat the taxman! In fact, you have the legal right to arrange your financial affairs within the law to pay the least amount of taxes possible. Make sure you exercise that right. This is legitimate tax...
How to tell if your advisor is delivering value
Five key questions to ask Horizons ETF Management, a leading Canadian provider of exchange-traded funds, recently announce that it will be cancelling the Advisor-class units (that is, units that pay a fee to advisors who recommend them) on its Canadian-listed...
Stocks and bonds and RRSPs, oh my!
Proper asset diversification is key to long-term investment success With recent stock market uncertainty and fluctuating bond yields, many investors are wondering whether the tried-and-true principles for stock and bond allocations in an RRSP portfolio still hold....
$1 million in assets, but concerned about cash
Robyn Thompson is regularly featured in The Toronto Star’s “Money Makeover” series by Deanne Gage. Money Makeover takes a look at Mary Lou, a 65-year-old widow with a portfolio valued at more than $1 million. She is uncertain about how much income to withdraw...
RRSP limits and investments
How much you can contribute, what you can invest in Among the most common questions financial advisors are asked at this time of the year are, “How much can I contribute to an RRSP?” and “What can I invest in?” Registered Retirement Savings Plans are still the best...
Avoid these three wealth destroyers in 2017
Common investment errors can hit your portfolio hard Investors who sold out of equities after Brexit and again just after the Trump election victory quite possibly lost money last year, even though the big stock market indices turned in strong gains. Turns out they...
Your New Year’s financial resolution
Take stock of your entire financial situation The beginning of the New Year is often a time to turn a new financial leaf: make a budget; pay down debt; save more. That’s all commendable, but these good intentions are mostly forgotten by, say, mid-February. A better...
When does portfolio rebalancing make sense?
Skewed asset allocation can change your risk profile Q – I believe that my investment portfolio is fairly well balanced, with about 60% in equities and 40% in fixed income assets. I do trade from time to time, but generally I stick to a buy-and-hold strategy. But...
Are segregated funds worth the cost?
More popular with older, risk-averse investors Many investors, especially those facing retirement, are often offered so-called “segregated” funds by their financial advisors as a way to participate in the stock market while guaranteeing their principal. Although a...
Just a few days left for these year-end tax tips
Don’t delay! They could save you a bundle Even though most of us are preoccupied with other things at this time of year, there is a handful of year-end investment and tax tips that make a lot of sense to look at now. That’s because they could save you money now and...
Important information about RRSP maturity options
You must act by Dec. 31! If you turned 71 this year, and you still have an RRSP, you have until Dec. 31 this year to convert it into another type of tax-sheltered plan. If you don’t, the Canada Revenue Agency can take away up to half of whatever is in your RRSP....