It’s tax season in our family medicine clinic. Seriously. You might think it’s coronavirus all the time in family practice these days. But, being family doctors, we see the full picture of health – what causes illness, what prevents it, and what keeps us happy and well. And that’s why we’re excitedly preparing for the…
An ETF is a low-cost mutual-like fund that trades on the stock market, with a significantly different fee structure
Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) seem to be all the rage. There are more than 600 ETFs traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange and it seems like new ones are being created almost every day. An ETF is basically a diversified investment pool that’s very similar to a mutual fund, with the exception that they’re sold or…
Each investor is unique in their goals and personal risk tolerance, so their investment portfolio should be customized to their situation
You worked hard for your money and, in turn, your money should be working hard for you. However, when comparing returns, you need to be sure you’re making a fair comparison. Investors often compare their returns to that of a published benchmark such as the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX), or to the returns their friends…
Investors often purchase investments that don’t suit their intended time frame. Do your homework, know your risk tolerance and be clear on your expectations
When it comes to comparing your investment returns to others, make sure you’re comparing the exact period and investment transactions. Published returns for any investment are based on a single investment over a given period. This isn't the way most people invest, so their returns are often much different than the published numbers. The timing…
By Jake Fuss and Finn Poschmann The Fraser Institute According to a Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO) report released this week, the federal government’s plan to increase the basic personal income tax deduction will cost nearly $7 billion annually when fully implemented. This is not only higher than what the Liberals anticipated during last fall’s election…
When it comes to owning a home versus renting, you can’t just compare the amount of rent you would pay to the amount of a mortgage payment
Should I buy a home or rent? It’s a common question but the answer isn’t as simple you may think – it totally depends on your situation, since there are advantages and disadvantages to both. It’s usually better to own an asset that’s likely to go up in value than to rent an asset that’s…
Be smart, shop around and make sure you’re aware of the total fees you pay and what you're getting for them
Some fees for investments are hidden, some are visible. But there’s always some type of fee or cost involved in investing. Some people will disagree with my broad use of the word fee, but I believe that any money paid out, regardless of how it’s paid, is a fee. Every business sets out to make…
Households with an average income of $50,000 worry twice as much (2.25 hours) a day than households with an average income of more than $100,000
There’s no question that Canadians these days are worrying a lot more about their personal finances, according to new surveys from Scotiabank. The surveys indicate 65 per cent of Canadians with debt struggle to save or invest money while paying down debt and 67 per cent said they find the amount of information about investing overwhelming.…
The second biggest worry for buyers is whether they can afford the mortgage payment, say more than half of Canadians
A new survey says 56 per cent of Canadians see qualifying for a mortgage as a barrier to homeownership. This is up six points from a year ago. The report by Zillow also found that this concern rises to 64 per cent for consumers who recently purchased a home, likely linked to the mortgage regulation…
Welcome to the predatory online scamming world. Fraudulent emails, often containing links or attachments, are dangerous. If it seems too good to be true, it is
Beware the phishing hook. Phishing describes an attempt to get you to unknowingly disclose personal information such as credit card details, banking information, usernames and passwords. The party trying to gather your information will try to hook you by sending you an email and asking you to click on a link. The email will look…