Posts by Robb Engen

I’ve fielded a dozen emails from clients and readers about the U.S. election and how it might impact their portfolios. The short answer: Who knows? A longer answer: The stock market probably doesn’t care as much about the election as you think it does. Besides, there has been an election every four years for the…

I’ve been toying with a savings concept that I’m tentatively calling the TFSA snowball. It’s a play on Dave Ramsay’s “debt snowball” method (his one positive contribution to society) where borrowers pay off their smallest loan balance first, then roll those freed-up payments into the next smallest balance. Rinse and repeat until debt free. Related:…

I swear half my job is to convince my frugal clients to spend a bit more money. I’m not talking about making a complete 180 degree turn to become a different person. But if you’ve always stayed at a Best Western, then an upgrade to the Ritz every once in a while won’t kill you.…

Canadians are nuts for home ownership, but with real estate prices soaring to unaffordable levels in many areas of the country it has become increasingly difficult to buy a home. Still, the prevailing narrative around renting vs. buying is that renting is throwing away money and buying is a surefire path to building wealth. That…

Retirement is often put on a pedestal – the pinnacle of achievement after a decades-long career. But the transition from full-time work to full-time leisure can be challenging, both financially and psychologically, if you’re not prepared to meet them. I’ve witnessed these challenges firsthand working with hundreds of retirees over the years. Here are four…