INVESTMENT PLANNING You may have been shocked at just how much your kids raked in over this past holiday season. Clearly, giving cash in lieu of “stuff” is becoming more commonplace. Between those gifts and extra hours on the job in December, your young tycoons might be sitting on a sizeable sum. What can they do with that money besides […]
Read more ›INVESTMENT STRATEGY It’s the mutual fund investor’s annual dilemma: Contribute to your Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) or your Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA)? It’s rarely as simple as picking one or the other. To get the most long-term benefit from both plans, we need to take a closer look at your income and your tax bracket — both current […]
Read more ›Equity Funds In March 2015, oil prices hit a six-year low,1 but that doesn’t mean the energy sector is finished — far from it. What it does mean is that astute companies that can find ways to produce it more effectively or that come up with energy alternatives could become more profitable. Finding such companies on your own is a […]
Read more ›Investing 201 We all take risks every day. Eating, walking, and even getting out of bed seem fairly harmless, yet they’re precarious enough to be measured by the U.S. National Safety Council. This kind of information is valuable because it helps us to know what and where the risks are so we can mitigate them. And this isn’t just true […]
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Estate Planning The widespread adoption of social media has changed our lives in many ways. Take a moment to reflect on your own online presence. Are you on Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr, LinkedIn, Classmates? What about an online dating profile or membership in an alumni forum? These are great ways to connect with other people. But what happens to these accounts […]
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Focus on Mutual Funds Talking with your children about money ranks right up there with the birds and the bees for discomfort level. The fidgeting. The “deer in the headlights” expression. The awkward questions. And that’s just you! But like most important lessons, starting the conversation early and revisiting it often is the best way to give your kids a […]
Read more ›INVESTMENT STRATEGY With our lacklustre loonie showing no sign of bouncing back to parity anytime soon, many investors may be reluctant to even consider U.S. purchases. The bottom line, however, is that U.S. equities can be a smart part of any portfolio investment strategy. Diversification by sector The U.S. economy is buoyed by many global powerhouse companies and industry-leading titans. Not […]
Read more ›Tax Planning If you haven’t taken full advantage of your 2015 tax- and investment planning strategies, you could be leaving money on the table for the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). Here are a few year-end tax tips for your consideration. Crystallize capital gains or losses for tax advantages. Remember that trades must settle before December 31 in order for you […]
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At death, registered assets can pass tax-free “in kind” to a qualified, specifically designated beneficiary (typically your spouse or a dependent child). But what if you don’t have a qualifying beneficiary? Or your child reaches the age of majority and no longer qualifies as a dependent? Or suppose you and your spouse die at the same time. What happens then? […]
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There’s a battle going on in the markets that’s likely having a run-off effect on your mutual fund portfolio. It’s the age-old David and Goliath story and, like the fable, care to guess who’s winning? For the past five years, small-cap stocks have been quietly but successfully muscling their way past many of the bigger, brawnier companies that underpin the […]
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