Posts by Robb Engen
Weekend Reading: Moonlight Run Edition
Today marks the 30th anniversary of one of the biggest running events in southern Alberta – the Moonlight Run – and I’m excited to say that I’ll be competing in the event for the first time along with my wife, who is an avid runner. I don’t have any aspirations of winning my age category…
Read MoreBanking On A High Pressure Sales Culture
Canada’s big five banks continue to post record profits and the pressure to achieve ever-increasing sales targets has filtered its way down to the front line. Three TD Bank tellers went to CBC Go Public and explained how the bank’s high-pressure sales culture has them relentlessly pushing new products on unsuspecting customers. Suggestive selling, cross…
Read MoreChecking In On Fraud Prevention Month
March is Fraud Prevention Month in Canada and the Alberta Securities Commission (ASC) wants investors to be on alert for any potentially fraudulent schemes disguised as too-good-to-be-true investment opportunities. To show Albertans how easy it is to become a victim of investment fraud, the ASC orchestrated a scheme of its own to raise awareness about…
Read MoreWhy My Four-Minute Portfolio Is Tough To Beat
I spent a total of four minutes working on my RRSP portfolio last year. It wasn’t benign neglect – my two-ETF all-equity portfolio really is that simple! I made four trades, which took about a minute each after determining how much money to invest, in which of the two ETFs to allocate the investment, and…
Read MoreWeekend Reading: Wall Street Edition
Wall Street is synonymous with investment firms and stock traders, but the name of the street originates from an actual wall that was constructed in the 17th century by the Dutch. The 12-foot wall was built to protect against attacks from pirates and Native American tribes, and to keep other potential dangers out of the…
Read MoreMillionaire Teacher (Second Edition): Book Review and Giveaway
The financial landscape can change a lot in a short period of time, which can make even the best personal finance book obsolete in just a few years. Ask David Chilton, who after 22 years brought The Wealthy Barber out of retirement and gave it a significant makeover in The Wealthy Barber Returns. That’s why I…
Read MoreAsking The Wrong Questions About Your Investing Strategy
If you’re anything like me you started investing because you wanted to make money and the stock market just happens to be the best place to achieve inflation-beating returns over the long term. Investors must accept, however, that greater returns come with greater risk, along with the possibility that your portfolio might suffer losses of…
Read MoreWeekend Reading: Buffett’s Annual Shareholder Letter Edition
Warren Buffett is a living legend in the world of investing and each year he issues, on behalf of his company Berkshire Hathaway, a widely anticipated letter to shareholders. Berkshire stock was up 23 percent in 2016, more than double that of the S&P 500 index. The Oracle of Omaha has still got it! Buffett’s annual…
Read MoreLong Weekend Reading: Family Day Edition
Welcome to another edition of weekend reading. Monday is Family Day here in Alberta so we’re enjoying a long weekend and looking forward to some fun and affordable family entertainment. With that in mind, I don’t want to spend my entire Sunday morning writing, so let’s get on with the links. This long weekend reading edition…
Read MoreTax Tips From An Eager Tax Filer
Where’s my T4?!? I know it’s only mid-February but I’m eager to get started on my taxes so that I have the option to make an RRSP contribution before the deadline. But my employer has yet to issue our T4s and I can’t file my taxes if I’m missing such a key document. Surprisingly, many…
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