March - 2017

Will Trump Raise the Roof?

Mar 31, 2017
5 min

Will Trump Raise the Roof?

Debates regarding the US debt ceiling are likely to kick into high gear in the coming weeks as the debt-limit suspension expires mid-March. Scrapping the US debt ceiling will no doubt be absent from President Trump’s list of top priorities for his first 100 days in office, but it perhaps ought to be included. The US is due to hit its debt ceiling in March and if the past two debt ceiling debates are anything to go by, the US will likely face a tough negotiation to suspend or

9.78% Investment Return in the Past 6 months - What About You?

Mar 30, 2017
2 min

9.78% Investment Return in the Past 6 months - What About You?

Financial news is often dominated by market milestones. You may even get notified on your phone within seconds of the Dow or the S&P/TSX Composite hitting a record. All this market sound and fury can make even the most staunch “buy-and-hold” investors begin to question their financial strategies: “Should I ride the wave and buy more stocks?” “Is the market overvalued? Is it time to move money into bonds?” “What’s in store for 2017?” “Now what?” We believe that milestones s

Crash Course on Low Interest Rates

Mar 29, 2017
2 min

Crash Course on Low Interest Rates

The first thing we learn about fixed income investing is that when bond yields go up, bond prices go down, and vice versa. And since the United States presidential election, bond yields have gone up as global markets have assessed the implications of the Trump presidency. The markets were clearly surprised by the election outcome and have shifted gears to contemplate higher future inflation as a result of anticipated aggressive fiscal policy coming out of Washington. This all

Mutual Funds, ETFs and Bears…? Oh God.

Mar 28, 2017
3 min

Mutual Funds, ETFs and Bears…? Oh God.

Investors face many choices and potentially adverse conditions while walking down the yellow brick road of investing. Using active or passive funds is one of those choices, and bear markets are one of those adverse conditions. I often hear that active funds are like ruby slippers that can spirit investors to safety even as passive funds are buffeted by the bear market’s whirlwind. However, given the principles of the zero-sum game, can this really be the case? Active and pass

Federal Budget 2017: Less is More... more or less?

Mar 27, 2017
5 min

Federal Budget 2017: Less is More... more or less?

Finance Minister, Bill Morneau, delivered the majority Liberal governments second Federal Budget on March 22, 2017. There were no increases in either personal or corporate tax rates. Like last year, speculation that the capital gains inclusion rate would increase was false. The Budget focused on closing tax loopholes, cracking down on tax evasion, providing tax relief for the middle class, and eliminating measures that are ineffective, inefficient and that disproportionately

You Can't Eat Your Home ... Right?

Mar 26, 2017
2 min

You Can't Eat Your Home ... Right?

IN A RECENT SURVEY of Canadian homeowners, only four in 10 respondents were confident they would have enough savings to maintain their lifestyle when they retire. One reason may be that, for many, a significant portion of their wealth at retirement is tied up in their home. And selling their house to free up that money simply isn’t what they want to do. If that sounds like your situation, you may want to consider accessing the equity in your home to help boost your retirement

Should I Rent Out My Basement?

Mar 25, 2017
3 min

Should I Rent Out My Basement?

BABY BOOMERS – one of the wealthiest generations in history – are heading into retirement. They’re ready to kick back and finally enjoy the fruits of their labours. Yet despite the lure of an early and active retirement, for many, the picture isn’t as rosy as expected. In fact, a record number of retired or soon-to-be-retired Canadians owe more than ever before. According to Statistics Canada, 70 per cent of people aged 55 to 64 were carrying debt in 2012, an increase from 61

Travel Insurance Is Damn Tricky

Mar 24, 2017
3 min

Travel Insurance Is Damn Tricky

WHETHER IT’S HEADING SOUTH to a beach, embarking on an overseas adventure or just crossing the border for a weekend shopping trip, most Canadians enjoy travelling. And, given winter’s icy grip, it’s no wonder many of us look forward to getting away at this time of year. In January and February 2016 alone, Canadian residents went on 8.7 million out-of-country trips.1 What’s surprising, though, is that only 47 per cent of Canadians say they always purchase travel insurance, acc

Vancouver Life In 7 Paragraphs

Mar 23, 2017
1 min

Vancouver Life In 7 Paragraphs

House-rich, but savings-poor Homeowners may face difficult decisions at retirement. THE LATEST HOMEOWNER DEBT SURVEY reveals many Canadians find it difficult to pay for today and plan for tomorrow. Faced with rising housing costs, homeowners struggle to balance daily expenses, debt repayment and saving. Demands on dollars Only 4 in 10 are very confident they’ll save enough for retirement. More than 1 in 3 were “caught short” of cash to meet monthly expenses at least once in

Real World Bike Race

Mar 22, 2017
2 min

Real World Bike Race

The first half of the race was literally a breeze. We enjoyed tailwinds in excess of 60 km/h, making my normally average (though respectable) cycling times look heroic. I arrived at the midpoint in good shape and shattered my personal record in the process. The second half wasn’t quite so comfortable. After a welcome break, we set off again and … uh-oh. Those tailwinds were now headwinds, and with interest, as the wind picked up with regular gusts of more than 100 km/h. The f

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