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Investment Q&A

Not investment advice or solicitation to buy/sell securities. Do your own due diligence and/or consult an advisor.

Q: Hello 5i,

Please provide your opinion on the BMO "Blue Chip GIC"
It offers 100% capital protection + 1% rate of return (total over 5 years) and a 100% participation in the S&P TSX Low Volitility Index.
I have seen many equity linked GIC's before but never with a 100% participation.
Fine print indicates that the maximum allowed by law is an average of 60% per year. The negatives I can see with this;
Possible opportunity loss of only a total guarantee of 1% over 5 years.
Money is locked in for 5 years.
Returns will be considered as interest not capital gains, so it would only make sense in a RRSP and or TFSA.
Is there anything else I am missing here?
Thanks,

RD
Read Answer Asked by Randy on October 11, 2016
Q: What's your advice for a younger investor with regards to TFSAs and RRSPs versus non-registered accounts? Should we direct all our savings to registered accounts until we max out our contributions and then direct excess to non-registered accounts? Is there a case to be made for the tax-loss advantages of non-registered accounts before looking at RRSPs? I see TFSAs as a more liquid savings account and an RRSP as much less so. Thanks.
Read Answer Asked by Jordan on October 11, 2016
Q: I have about 10% cash right now. Normally I prefer to be fully invested because I like the steady dividends. My investing style is somewhere between your income portfolio & balanced portfolio and the portfolio is reasonable balanced. I don't need to take anything from my investments now but I will in a couple of years.

It "feels" like sitting on a bit of cash makes sense right now in the short term and maybe take advantage of tax loss season or other buying opportunities (seems like a lot of those recently).

Your thoughts?
Read Answer Asked by Gordon on October 11, 2016
Q: Hello & Happy Thanksgiving to all.

I’m considering lending my 18-year old daughter some money at 3% so that she can invest in securities that yield 6-7% (preferreds, etc). The favourable dividend tax credit, and other tax credits (personal exemption, tuition etc) should keep her tax bill close to zero.
Would you suggest an etf, like CPD, or would you pick a basket of individual names like ENB, BCE, NPI prefs?
At this stage in the cycle, would you go Rate Rest or Perpetual?

Any website you can suggest that rates the various preferreds? The TD monthly Preferred Report is the only one I know of.

Thank you
Read Answer Asked by Carlo on October 11, 2016
Q: There is something I'd like to share with your members. I've been tracking 3 portfolios in detail for the last 18 months. One of them is a "couch potato" self-directed account, one is a mutual fund account while the third is an RBC "wealth management" account. The top performer believe it or not is the self-directed account!
It would seem that the outrageously high portfolio management fees in Canada are indeed not justifiable (based on my limited findings at least).
I am writing this message to add my simple voice to the growing chorus of individuals managing their own financial affairs. It works! I hope this simple message will encourage your members to keep on the path that they're on.
Now for my question - in another response you mentioned that brokers add to their revenue stream by "lending clients equities held in brokerage accounts" to short sellers. What percentage of a typical brokerage firms's revenue would be derived this way?
Read Answer Asked by DAVE on October 06, 2016
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