Advisorsavvy Blog

You have big hopes for that new mutual fund. A hefty $500 per month should turn into a 5% annual return until retirement, if the market performs accordingly. But something’s eating into your return: those pesky fees. Unfortunately, that’s just part of every investment fund. If you read the fine print, you’ll notice a few categories of fees that you can’t wrap your head around. The most prominent two on the list? MER, or management expense ratio, and management fees. A solid financial advisor will walk through these fees with you so there aren’t any misunderstandings. You can find one on our highly rated and fully vetted roster. But for now, what’s the difference between MER vs management fee? And how do you avoid paying too many fees on investments? After all, your goal is to make money, not spend your profits. We’ll cover what each one means and what they mean for your investment with this guide. Keep reading

Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have gained popularity among Canadian investors. They offer investors the opportunity to buy various securities within a single investment, similar to a mutual fund. The most desired feature of ETFs is their ability to minimize tax liabilities, especially when compared to mutual funds which are not as tax efficient. By reducing tax burdens, investors maximize their returns. Otherwise, taxes will negatively impact the overall income generated from investments. Overall, tax efficient ETFs in Canada can maximize your capital growth. Furthermore, they can generate a passive income stream, mitigate your investment risks, and much more.Do you want to strategically minimize tax liability and increase your investment yield? This article will outline four tax efficient ETFs in Canada and their distinct features. Read on to learn more! Tax Efficiency and ETFs: Knowing the Basics ETF stands for exchange traded fund. They are investment vehicles that pool money from numerous investors. Those funds are then invested into various assets, typically

Nobody likes a big bill come tax season. Even if you invest in all the right financial products, some of those products might be less tax efficient than others. Our roster of financial advisors discuss many topics with clients to help them select investment strategies and products to minimize tax burden.So, how do you choose?Let’s start with two popular financial products: ETFs and mutual funds. Are ETFs more tax efficient than mutual funds? Or is it the other way around? We’ll walk through each of their unique attributes and help you figure out which one is more tax efficient. What does tax efficient mean? First stop? Let’s clear the air on what we mean when we say “tax efficient.” Tax efficient means an individual or business can pay the least possible amount of taxes required by law. For investment products, tax efficiency is based on the product’s return and tax obligation on that return. For example, Registered Retirement Savings Plans

Property flipping involves buying and selling real estate over a short period of time with the goal of turning a profit. With rapidly rising home prices in various parts of Canada, many engage in property flipping. Not only can you make a lot of money doing so, but the tax treatment was quite reasonable, meaning that after-tax profits were generous. However, this all changed with the new residential property flipping rule introduced on January 1, 2023. In short, these new rules require investors to report income earned from flipping property as business income, not investment income. This results in higher taxes, unless the investor is willing to wait longer than a year to offload their real estate investments. Curious about whether the new residential property flipping rule affects you? Continue reading to learn more! What is property flipping? Property flipping is a real estate investment strategy. It involves buying property with the intention of reselling it for profit, rather than

The negative effects of fossil fuels on the environment have been a growing concern in the last few years. Consequently, fossil fuels are gradually phasing out and renewable energy sources are taking the lead. The Canadian Renewable Energy Association (CanREA) recorded 13.6% (288 MW) growth in Canada’s solar energy sector between 2020 and 2021. This means that Canada evolved from a solar power of 2,111 MW to 2,399 MW in just one year. For this reason, it’s a great time to invest in the Canadian solar energy stock market! As you can imagine, many investors already have an eye on Canadian solar energy stocks. Here, we’ll reveal which Canadian solar energy stocks are more likely to perform well to allow you to maximize your returns and build up your portfolio. Renewable Energy vs. Fossil Fuel: Which one should you invest in? If we were to compare renewable energy to fossil fuels 5 years ago, we might have had a relatively

When it comes to buying stocks, there is so much information to consider. Using ratios and other market data, investors can make insightful investing decisions. But, where do investors get the information needed to make those decisions? And are there tools that can help you refine the data? There are many free stock research sites to help narrow down and process the information, which we’ll explore in this article. Key factors to consider during your research include a company’s leadership, history, financials, and competitors. Fortunately, the best free stock research sites help break down this information. Keep reading to learn more! Related Reading: Stocks vs Real Estate: Which is better to invest in? What is stock research and why do I need it? Stock research helps you evaluate the true value of a company. Often, companies can be over or under valued in any given market for a number of reasons. Most investors attempt to find companies that are under

Semiconductor ETFs in Canada have become one of the most popular sectors for investors. These components are a major part of our daily electronic accessories and devices.Without semiconductors, the world would not have been able to make technological advancements function today. It’s no longer a surprise that investors are interested in getting involved with the next big thing in technology.In fact, there has been a recent shortage of semiconductors which has brought much attention to the sector. Investing in semiconductors has since become a rewarding opportunity for investors. In this article, we will mention the top semiconductor ETFs in Canada and some of the features of each of them. Keep reading to learn more! What is a semiconductor ETF? Before we go ahead to discuss semiconductor ETFs, it’s helpful to understand what a semiconductor is exactly. After all, investors should be aware of what they’re investing in! Semiconductor devices display different useful features, such as passing current from one direction

There are tons of investing styles out there. When it comes to stocks and other types of securities, there are different kinds of trading strategies. Some stick to stocks and ETFs, while others explore bonds, GICs and mutual funds. Some Canadians prefer to participate in long term investing, and some prefer to earn gains in the short term. When we consider timelines in relation to investing, that’s where swing trading comes into play. So, what is swing trading exactly? In simple terms, swing trading is an investing strategy used to profit in the short run, typically a week to a month. Keep reading to find out more about swing trading and if it’s the right trading style for you! What is swing trading? Swing trading is a type of market security trading tactic. With this method, securities are held longer than day trading. Typically, securities are held for a few days to no longer than a month. Securities held for

Swing trading vs day trading: with so many trading methods available at our fingertips, what is the best strategy? Both swing and day trading involves watching markets closely. Traders make predictions for short term changes in markets to earn a small profit. By continuously doing this, investors can earn cumulative profits in the long run. As with any security market, there are significant risks to consider before getting involves in swing trading or day trading. Continue reading to understand how these trading strategies compare and contrast, and which is the best option for you. What is swing trading vs day trading? Swing trading and day trading are both short term trading strategies. Day trading occurs many times in a single day and requires high involvement. In fact, most day traders work on a full time basis and are considered self-employed. In summary, securities are not held overnight or for longer than a day when day trading, as the name implies.

Investments that pay you every month help you find financial freedom and achieve your financial goals. They allow you to live more independently and on your own terms. Building up the right investments that pay you every month takes time, consideration and money. And unfortunately, the path won’t always be linear, you may have setbacks and losses. Most people seek these types of investments for retirement or other large goals, like saving for a down payment on a home. However, passive income provides additional freedom, security and flexibility which supports retirement and an independent lifestyle. These benefits can be accessed at any point in your life. With dedication and effort, you can build a portfolio of investments that pay you every month. Invest in what interests you and aligns with your level of risk tolerance. No investment is without risk but given the right information, you can begin wisely. What is passive income? Passive income is a source of money

Are you interested in getting involved in day trading? It’s a challenging profession, but if you have a knack for numbers and are a self starter, it could be a lucrative endeavor. Before you can begin your day trading journey, you must choose an online platform to facilitate your trades. There are a variety of features to consider, such as fees, supplemental market information, and user friendliness. This concise guide presents the 5 best day trading platforms in Canada. By the end of this guide, you can make an informed choice to kickstart your day trading journey. Continue reading to find your perfect platform! What is day trading in Canada? A day trade is the process of an investor buying a financial instrument and selling it off on the same day. The goal of this investment is to make short-term profits from price fluctuations.In other words, you buy low and sell high within a day. The financial instrument used for

Day trading in Canada is an investment practice that involves an investor buying and selling shares and other securities within the span of one day. The objective is to purchase a security for one price and sell it at a higher price to make an incremental profit. Over time, all these incremental profits add up to produce significant income. There is potential to earn a lot from this practice, especially with low trading fees on online discount brokerages. In addition to profit potential, many investors enjoy the lifestyle of day trading because the hours are limited to the market and you can work from home. Over the years, this has made day trading more popular in the investing world. While day trading may be a lucrative business for some, it can be a waste of time and money for others. In this article, we’ll be defining day trading in Canada, how it works, and how to get started. Keep reading

Your 20s, 30s, and even 40s might be too early to think about retirement, right? Nope! Bloomberg says you need to start saving at 25 when saving for retirement in Canada and the US.But saving is just one part of the puzzle. Our financial advisors walk clients through four phrases of retirement saving: earn, save, grow, and preserve. If you’re interested in learning more, you’re best bet is to find a financial advisor today.But in the meantime? We’ll break down the four phases of retirement for you to help you master saving for retirement in Canada.Let’s dig in! How much should I be saving for retirement in Canada? Depends on who you ask. Sunlife says anywhere from 40% to 70% of your pre-retirement income; Canada Life says 70% to 80%. We’re inclined to agree with Canada Life on this one. Why? Because you can’t imagine how much inflation eats at your money over the course of decades. Also, most consider