“Long-term investment success is ultimately determined by the ability to ignore external ‘noises’ and concentrate on the issue of buying good businesses.”
~ Michael Lee-Chin
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Don’t be a newb
May 26, 2022 | All Columns, Ask The Expert, Planning Encyclopedia
“When it comes to money, there are a lot of newbs who think they know what they are doing. And that can lead to some very expensive mistakes. The tragic part is many times these mistakes are avoidable.” Smart Money Don’t be a newb
Don’t leave charity to chance
May 12, 2022 | All Columns, Money Management
“If you are like me, you never have enough time to get your stuff done. There is perpetual work to do, and kids to raise, and a bottomless list of chores, and somewhere in there we need to look after ourselves too. It’s go-go-go. Personally, I am at the point in life where what I…
Inflation-proofing your investments
May 2, 2022 | All Columns, Investment Management, Planning Encyclopedia
“Without question, people worry about bad things happening to their money. The idea of losing money can cause considerable mental anguish. Unfortunately, sometimes people may not be worrying about the right things. People will overestimate the risk of something rare but dramatic, and underestimate the risk of something common but boring.” Smart Money Inflation-proofing your…
Do you have a Financial Ninja as an advisor?
April 4, 2022 | All Columns, Investment Management, Money Management
“Canadian financial regulators are cracking down on who can use the term “financial advisor.” Going forward, anyone who is going to call themselves a financial advisor will actually have to have a financial planning, or equivalent, designation.” Smart Money Do you have a Financial Ninja as an advisor
350,000 Canadians qualify for a Registered Disability Savings Plan and yet they are not using it
April 4, 2022 | All Columns, Money Management, Risk Management
“I came across an unpleasant statistic this week. It’s not a surprising statistic but, still, it’s a darn shame. There are over 350,000 Canadians who qualify for a Registered Disability Savings Plan but have not yet established one. Often these are the people that could really use a hand, and yet they are not using…
Making decisions in times of grief
March 22, 2022 | All Columns
“I have found that for most people grief is a fog that settles in and stays for a while. Making it hard to think clearly. Making it hard to focus. Making it hard to process information. In other words, grief is a terrible mindset for making important financial decisions.” Smart Money Making decisions in times…
What are you going to do about these low interest rates?
March 16, 2022 | All Columns, Insurance Columns, Investment Management
“Are you an investor looking for something more from the safe part of your portfolio? Do you seem to perpetually roll over your Guaranteed Investment Certificates for another term because you don’t really need the money, but you don’t know what else to do?” Smart Money What are you going to do about these low…
What should you do with your investments in light of the Russian invasion of Ukraine?
March 16, 2022 | All Columns, Investment Management
“So what should you do with your investments in light of the Russian invasion of Ukraine? Generally speaking, I would say that this is a scary time, but probably not a great time to make reckless decisions. Market timing is a strategy that historically has produced inconsistent results. As things stand now, anyone that was…
Is the government going to confiscate your money?
March 16, 2022 | All Columns
“Lately I have been fielding an assortment of enquiries from some apprehensive people. Some people are worried that the government is going to come after their bank accounts. Some want to buy cryptocurrency, even though they don’t really know what crypto is or how it is supposed to help them. For some people, there is…
Marketing slogans are catchy but…
February 28, 2022 | All Columns, Insurance Columns
“I am a big life insurance guy, but I am not a fan of the phrase “buy term and invest the difference.” Here’s why. Generally speaking, permanent life insurance is designed to last for your lifetime. Often your premiums do not increase. These policies can also have cash value. Term life insurance is designed to…