Business Investment Decline is Bad for Workers
Business investment helps maintain good jobs, writes Peter Watson. Canadian companies are investing less per worker and that could have negative consequences. Recent information from StatsCan showed Canadian businesses investment per worker fell by 20 per cent over the 15-year period ending in 2021. Business has a delicate balancing act between the output of work […]
Thieves are swiping your hard-earned money via phone, text and email
It is time we did more to protect Canadians from theft, writes Peter Watson. A significant risk, as well as a significant nuisance, is the continuous attempts that are made on our technology devices to take our hard-earned money. Thieves call, text, and email. My own experience and that of others is these attempts at […]
Was 2023 a Good Year to Sell Your Stocks?
Investors sold stocks in 2023 and missed out on significant gains, writes Peter Watson. Should you have sold your stock holdings last year? Consider significant world events because many investors use that information as an indicator of how to invest. If bad news is a reason to get out of stocks, we had plenty of […]
Investor Communication with Advisors Still Has Room for Improvement
Communication between a client and financial advisor is an important part of their relationship, writes Peter Watson. Are you satisfied with the relationship you have with your financial advisor? Research from Angus Reid highlights the most important characteristics of how your advisor communicates with you. Offering personalized service combined with transparency are key ingredients. There […]
The Shock of Higher Mortgage Payments Could be Just Around the Corner
Most homeowners face higher mortgage payments in the next two years, writes Peter Watson. Last year many homeowners escaped the burden of rising interest rates pushing their mortgage payments higher. That will soon change. Interest rate increases do not immediately affect all existing mortgages. For example, if you have a five-year mortgage at three per […]
2024 Stock Market Could be Volatile
US political uncertainty plus two wars could result in a volatile stock market this year, writes Peter Watson. There are many reasons why 2024 could have a very volatile stock market. Stock market volatility can be caused because investors are nervous. And there are several things this year that can make us nervous. The wildcard […]
TFSA Contribution Limit Increases to $7,000 in 2024
Tax-Free Savings Account contribution limit increase in 2024, writes Peter Watson. As of 2024 the annual contribution of a Tax-Free Savings Account has increased to $7,000. To be eligible to contribute a person must be 18 or older and have a social insurance number. The TFSA was introduced in 2009 and the maximum contribution limit […]
Your Personal Financial New Year’s Resolution
Find the mistakes you are making with your personal finances, writes Peter Watson. I have a suggestion for your new year’s resolution. But first a story. When my children were young, before they took an examination at school, I would ask them an important question: What are the chances you will get a perfect score? […]
Thank you volunteers for all that you do
Volunteers are an important fabric of our communities, writes Peter Watson. The end of the year is always a good time to look back and reflect. Some can measure success because of their career that is possible because of a strong effort to develop their skills, plus a lot of hard work. Others can measure […]
Three Types of Investment Risk
The more you think about investment risk the more you realize the different ways your investment returns might be lower than expected, writes Peter Watson. The problem with risk is it comes in several different forms. The first risk is having poor investment returns. This is the one that gets all the attention. One option […]