Posts by Greg Brown
DAILY FINANCIAL TIPS – DAY 48 – THE SKY IS FALLING – ARE YOUR INVESTMENTS?
All news outlets were highlighting yesterday that the Dow Jones had it’s largest one day point drop ever. It was pretty hard to miss. Should one be concerned? Is the next depression/recession around the corner? Cautious perhaps, concerned – less so. Yesterdays stock market news, helps put a number of investment practices into perspective. If…
Read MoreDAILY FINANCIAL TIPS – DAY 47 – 3 INVESTING TIPS FOR CHILDREN SAVINGS
We all want the best for our children. Laying a financial foundation is a priority for many parents and grandparents. Those who have children are aware that having children and bringing them up is not cheap. Some studies estimate it to cost $13,366/year to have a child and it will cost approx. $243,656 (2011 estimate)…
Read MoreDAILY FINANCIAL TIPS – DAY 46 – HOW TO REDUCE INVESTMENT VOLATILITY
Many people open their investment statements with trepidation – wondering if their investments have increased or decreased. Investment values fluctuate regularly due to market conditions. That is very normal and to be expected. Large or significant fluctuations in value however can be very disconcerning. Our comfort level with the magnitude of investment fluctuations will depend…
Read MoreDAILY FINANCIAL TIPS – DAY 45 – RISING INTEREST RATES AND STOCK MARKET VOLATILITY
As the saying goes – May we live in interesting times.. And as another saying goes – What goes up must come down.. What does this mean for your investments and financial plans? Two things: Firstly, having a properly diversified investment portfolio strategy is critical for all markets. Secondly, engage a Financial Planner or Investment…
Read MoreDAILY FINANCIAL TIPS – DAY 44 – THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DISABILITY AND CRITICAL ILLNESS INSURANCE
There is much confusion between the differences in Disability Insurance and Critical Illness insurance. Part of the confusion arises because there are some overlaps in coverage. People should also not confuse choosing one over the other. They are not exclusive of each other, but complementary plans designed to provide different support for different circumstances and…
Read MoreDAILY FINANCIAL TIPS – DAY 43 – PAYING DOWN MORTGAGE DEBT OR RRSP CONTRIBUTIONS?
People who have disposable cash are often conflicted whether to pay down their mortgage debt or make RRSP contributions at this time of year. This is a nice dilemma to have. It also doesn’t have to be an “either – or” decision. Either choice makes financial sense, but a combination strategy may maximize the effect.…
Read MoreDAILY FINANCIAL TIPS – DAY 42 – SPOUSAL RRSP INCOME SPLITTING
The appeal of RRSP contributions for many Canadians is reducing their tax payable and enhancing their tax refunds. Spousal RRSP contributions can further enhance the effects of contributing to RRSP by further reducing income tax payable through the effects of income splitting. Spousal RRSP are particularly effective for families where one spouse doesn’t work or…
Read MoreDAILY FINANCIAL TIPS – DAY 41 – SEGREGATED FUNDS – PROTECTING YOUR MONEY
87% of Canadians want investments that grow and guarantee their principal. No one likes to lose money. Yet most are unfamiliar with what Segregated Funds offer. In a nutshell, Segregated Funds are like mutual funds that are offered by Insurance companies and have principal guarantees. Much like Mutual Funds, Segregated Funds offer a variety of…
Read MoreDAILY FINANCIAL TIPS – DAY 40 – EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS (ETF) AND ROBO ADVISORS
In recent years, there has been an explosive growth in Exchange Trade Funds as an investment alternative and Robo Advisors as a form of investment advice. A lot of the growth in both these investment options has been due to heightened awareness of fees associated with Mutual Fund Investing. As with most things in life…
Read MoreDAILY FINANCIAL TIPS – DAY 39 – INVESTING COSTS
There are many different investment options people can take advantage of. Each has their pros and cons. One can purchase specific stocks and bonds, many purchase Mutual Funds for their investments. One can engage the services of an investment advisor from a brokerage firm such as RBC Dominion Securities, ScotiaMcLeod, BMO Nesbitt Burns, etc. You…
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