Around the Blogosphere

A new report issued last week by condo research firm Urbanation Inc. shed light on a problem that has plagued real estate investors for years – the vast majority of rental property owners are bleeding cash flow. According to the report (G&M subs), which looked specifically at new condo investors in Toronto, more than 80%…

Global stocks continue soaring to new all-time highs, with US large cap growth stocks (aka Big Tech) leading the way. Even the TSX is getting in on the action, finally surpassing its March 2022 high earlier this year. Big returns are all around us, and it’s only natural for investors to feel a bit of…

Robo-advisors have been around for a decade and, while its promise to disrupt the traditional financial services model has so far fallen flat, the concept of an automatically rebalanced, low-cost portfolio of index funds is still incredibly sound. The investing landscape continues to evolve and when Vanguard introduced its suite of asset allocation ETFs in…

When I first create a financial plan for a client I tell them that this is my initial interpretation of their current situation and future goals mapped out over time. It’s a projection or road map based on their current trajectory. I’m looking for clues, patterns, red flags, and opportunities. The numbers are telling a…

You might not have a hot clue how much you plan to spend in retirement, especially if those days are still a decade or further away. Even those nearing retirement may not have a good sense of their desired retirement spending amount. A good rule of thumb is that you’ll likely want to enjoy the…

Some readers were appalled to learn that my wife and I completely drained our TFSAs in 2022 to fund a larger down payment on our new house. Okay, maybe not appalled – but it did raise a few eyebrows. Remember, inflation was running hot and interest rates started to rise in March of that year.…

Our net worth crossed the million-dollar mark at the end of 2020, but that included about $300,000 in home equity. This week I noticed the total amount we had invested across our RRSPs, corporate account, RESPs, and my LIRA had surpassed the $1M threshold for the first time. We’re managing a million dollar portfolio! RRSP…

The federal government unveiled its 2024 federal budget with a proposed $53B in new spending over five years, including an ambitious $8.5B plan to tackle the housing crisis. The feds also proposed an increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, from 50% to 66% on gains in excess of $250,000 (personally) and from 50% to…

When is the best time of year to retire? For retirement projections 10-20 years out we might use a random date like your birthday, your pension’s normal retirement date, or the end of the year. Once you get closer to retirement, the details matter. For instance, you might consider timing your retirement date just after…

“When the facts change, I change my mind. What do you do, sir?” – John Maynard Keynes (maybe) As a long-time mortgage holder, I’ve been adamant about a mortgage renewal strategy that goes something like this: Go variable when the 5-year variable rate is offered at a steep discount off of prime rate (prime minus…