RRIF rule changes from 2015 Federal Budget

When a RRSP holder reaches age 71, the plan must either be collapsed entirely or converted to income.  The plan of choice for most is a Registered Retirement Income Fund (RRIF) – an account type that has almost all the same characteristics and rules as a RRSP, except that it requires the planholder to withdraw […]

Changes to the Universal Child Care Benefit (UCCB)

The following material is from the Canada Revenue Agency website that explains the UCCB. Summary: Under proposed legislation, the Government is increasing and expanding the UCCB starting in 2015. The UCCB is being enhanced by providing up to $1,920 per year for each child under the age of 6, and introducing a new benefit of […]

Investment value moves around the world

I recently met again with Lawrence Chin, co-manager of the Cundill Value Fund.  One of the things that frequently strikes me about the Cundill team’s work is how they search the world for deep value investment opportunities and how the best ones are so often found before the rest of the world gets excited about […]

You might have a really long investment time horizon

Many clients will know of my interest in life expectancy and its implications for retirement income planning.  For many years I have taught an adult education class titled “What If I Live To Be 100” and this helps keep me up to date on changes in this area. The November 2013 edition of The Atlantic […]

Disregard all short term forecasts and predictions

When they feel uncertain, investors often look to the investment media for insights into how to position their portfolios. While reading the work of these forecasters and prognosticators may seem to provide compelling evidence you should “do something”, they usually add no real value and are more likely to detract value. As an example of this, one study tracked the […]

Certified Executor Advisor – added qualification for Dave

A Certified Executor Advisor (CEA) is an accredited specialist advising Canadian executors using a team-oriented networking approach. CEAs will likely have expertise in one or more of the disciplines required by executors and, by taking the CEA program, gain a practical level of knowledge in all remaining areas.  Their relationships with experts in these other […]

By and large, having few ideas is better

Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman is a world leader in studying investor behaviour and the psychology of investing.  At a recent conference he was asked to condense his career, built upon studying how people think, into the most essential piece of advice for financial advisers. His advice: “Don’t churn accounts and trade too much.” Kahneman is credited with […]

Warren Buffett on the importance of discipline

“I will not abandon a previous approach whose logic I understand even though it may mean forgoing large, and apparently easy, profits to embrace an approach I don’t fully understand, have not practiced successfully and which, possibly, could lead to substantial permanent loss of capital.”   —Warren E. Buffett, America’s most admired, least imitated investor

Chasing performance

In the early years of this century one Canadian fund company, Sprott Asset Management, had incredibly strong performance for several years in a row in its flagship fund and then topped the short and long-term mutual fund performance charts.  The company then was able to advertise this amazing performance, attracted many new investors, grew its assets […]