Cash reserves held by Canadians have risen significantly since the global financial crisis. Earlier this year, CIBC World Markets reported that Canadians currently hold $75 billion in cash. That’s almost 10 per cent of the total value of overall personal liquid assets in Canada. CIBC also [Read more]
The independent research and consultancy firm ETFGI confirms 2015 was another banner year for the global ETFs/ETPs industry, with US$372.0 billion in net new assets – a 10% increase over the 2014 record of US$338.3 billion. Global assets under management grew from US$2.784 trillion to US$2.992 [Read more]
According to Investor Economics, one million U.S. citizens living in Canada have $30 billion invested in mutual fund industry assets. Meanwhile, TD Economics reports that over 500,000 Canadians spend significant periods of time in the United States. While the former likely know their U.S. tax [Read more]
For many Canadians, tax-free savings accounts (TFSAs) may be the most advantageous change made to the tax code since RRSPs were launched in 1957. Many professionals even contend that the popularity of TFSAs will ultimately surpass that of RRSPs. However, despite countless clarifications by [Read more]
According to a recent survey done by Franklin Templeton, Canadians are generally quite optimistic about their future, with 92% looking forward to retirement. On the whole, Canadians are planning on traveling, spending time with friends and family, and pursuing hobbies. Despite the optimism, 82% are [Read more]
Every year many Canadian families are face with paying for a large portion of their child’s post-graduate education. A study conducted by BMO Global Asset Management found that 70% of parents are worried their children will not be able to afford university or college. As a result, they are [Read more]
Investors pay fees for portfolio management, as they do for any professional service, but many are unaware of the variety of options regarding fee structure. One of the most popular is the fee-based pricing model. According to PriceMetrix, fee-based structures are the preferred method of [Read more]
Although it’s understood that stock markets fluctuate, volatility still makes investors uneasy. Unfortunately, nervousness about market turbulence can cause them to make short-term decisions with detrimental impacts on long-term portfolio performance. Investors hastily sell but are usually [Read more]
Wise investors have dividend-paying investments in their portfolios and, if they don’t require the income, are even wiser to consider dividend reinvestment plans (DRIPs). Instead of delivering cash payouts, DRIPs reinvest the money to purchase additional shares. There are many advantages. To [Read more]
As Canadian investors contemplate tax season, they think about efficiency. Do I pay too much in taxes? How can I minimize them? One answer comes in the form of flow-through shares, which provide a legitimate tax-assisted investment vehicle to save or defer taxes. Flow-through shares are a [Read more]
Mutual funds have long been a favorite of Canadian investors. According to the Investment Funds Institute of Canada (IFIC), 4.6 million Canadian households own mutual funds representing $1.14 trillion in assets. Many opt for mutual funds for their simplified approach to investing. However, [Read more]
As one year passes and another unfolds, it’s time to make Tax Free Savings Account (TFSA) contributions. They’ve been around since 2009 and yet Canadians still largely misunderstand them. The annual BMO TFSA Report says 66 per cent claim to be knowledgeable about TFSAs, but only 22 percent [Read more]
Independent research and consultancy firm ETFGI reports there are 5,410 exchange-traded products (ETPs) globally, with 10,477 listings from 222 providers listed on 60 exchanges. These ETPs represent US$2.62 trillion as at the end of July. The most popular ETP is the Exchange Traded Fund (ETF). [Read more]
If not placed in the context of either market history or investment horizon, a significant market drop will cause some investors to doubt the wisdom of their investment plans and become nervous. Then they jeopardize their long-term portfolios by making short-term decisions during the turbulence. [Read more]
Canadian residents, who die owning assets such as vacation properties in the United States or stocks in U.S. companies, may be subject to U.S. estate taxes. For tax purposes, assets include real and tangible personal property situated in the U.S., shares of U.S securities and units of U.S. mutual [Read more]
