Investing

The message is everywhere. You don’t need the input of an investment professional to manage your portfolio. You can easily do it yourself and it takes no time at all. There are many reasons for investors to pursue DIY investing. Perhaps you are tired of paying the high fees for so-so performance with your advisor,…

Many investors don’t have the time, inclination, or ability to handle their own investing. Once their portfolios reach a certain level they decide to rely on an investment adviser or wealth manager. After all, these “experts” are supposed to have superior knowledge. What do you get from these advisers? Are your best interests in mind?…

When I was growing up, my dad used to do his own car maintenance – changing the oil, spark plugs and air filter, and flushing the radiator. He taught my brother how to do these chores so he could save money. Now vehicles have become a lot more complicated and not many people do their…

The investment fund industry would have you believe that banning embedded commissions – or trailer fees – on mutual funds will create an advice gap. The thought being that a commission ban will cause thousands of financial advisors to flee the industry and leave small investors, those with portfolios under $100,000, without access to quality financial advice.…

It has become increasingly important for individuals to become financially knowledgeable and to be able to plan and manage their financial assets, and especially, to be able to save and invest for their retirement years. Complicating matters is the shear volume of financial information accessible to retail investors, and the large number of investment options…

The stock market has been full-on raging bull since March 2009. Indeed, the S&P 500 bottomed-out at 682 in the depths of the great financial crash, but has since climbed to a record 2,415 as of this writing. Those who started their investing journey in the past eight years have only known markets to rise, but prices…

When I sold my dividend stocks in 2015 my portfolio was worth $100,000 and generated about $4,000 a year in dividend income. I’ll admit it was motivating to watch the dividends grow each year as I added new money to my portfolio and companies increased their payouts. I regularly tracked my progress and projected out…

According to IIROC (Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada), more than half of the complaints they receive are about investment issues – in particular, unsuitable investments. Many of these problems can be avoided with an accurate “Know Your Client” (KYC) document in place. This document is not just another piece of administrative paperwork. It is…