Sheila's Blogs

We all know death is inevitable. This bit of grim wisdom is front and center in the well-worn phrase, "the only two certainties in life are death and taxes." And yet, even though we are aware of the inevitability of death, I still find it surprising how...

Most people understand the need for insurance for their car, house, health, and some even for flight cancellations. However, I find that most people don’t really understand life insurance and its various applications. As a Wealth Advisor, my role is to...

Responsible Investing is a new and increasingly popular trend that has emerged in the past few years. I have had a number of clients who have asked me if their investments with us are responsibly invested and so I believe it’s important to define exactly...

I shared some of my thoughts on fees in blog #5 when I discussed mutual and exchange traded funds, but they deserve some more attention as they can really detract from portfolio returns. I believe it’s really important to understand both the fee you are...

Last week I talked about how to construct a portfolio with a focus on risk management. We are all bombarded with investment choices: Royal Bank or Amazon?, Canadian Tire or McDonalds?, and it’s not easy to choose. However, if you make a conscious effort...

Last week we explored the topic of risk and emphasized the importance of finding the right mix of stocks and bonds to meet your needs. Once you have determined your mix, there is another great way to reduce portfolio risk which is to make sure you don’t...

You have chosen the type of investment account and funded it, and now you are ready to invest! The next step is a big one! You need to decide how much you should put in equity (stocks), how much in fixed income (bonds) and how much to leave in cash. Stocks...

Given that we have just finished personal tax season, it’s a good time to review the taxation of investments in non-registered accounts. With investments in registered accounts (such as RRSPs, RIFs, LIRAs, LIFs and TFSAs), there are no tax consequences...

After a Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP), tax free savings accounts are the most important vehicle for you to understand and use, although my experience is that most investors still don’t understand all the rules. Since the government introduced...