Government Grants Offered to Parents
The government is offering free money to help educate your children, writes Peter Watson. Today a question. If you could make an investment that provided a 20 per cent return guarantee in the first year, would that be of interest? There are no hidden glitches. You can invest with the financial institution of your choice […]
University Costs Can Disrupt Your Retirement Plans
Beware – the cost of your children’s university education can compete with funds you need for retirement, writes Peter Watson. The closer you get to retirement the more focused you can become on paying down or eliminating personal debt including a mortgage. Plus increasing your savings that will be necessary to provide a revenue source […]
Lessons Learned from 2022 Disappointments
Investor disappointments from 2022 can be a guide to building your portfolio, writes Peter Watson. Five high-tech stocks that previously were considered the darlings of investing lost $2.8 trillion in the first 10 months of 2022, according to S&P Global. These companies are referred to as FAANG stocks. Facebook (Meta), Apple, Amazon, Netflix and Google […]
What’s your New Year’s resolution
Today we suggest is the time to think about your New Year’s Resolution. The question to resolve during the next 12 months is what will you start when work stops? Picture yourself in retirement. You could be there now or hope to be there at some point in the future. The easy focus on retirement […]
The Holiday Season is a time to reflect
We have a lot to reflect on this past year. For many it will be time for difficult financial decisions caused by some of the unkindest events we could imagine. The world was progressing nicely and then there was COVID-19. That resulted in the most significant reset to our everyday lives that many have experienced […]
The New Financial Challenge for Seniors – Mortgage Payments
Statistics Canada reported 1.5 million people older than 65 had a mortgage in 2021. This was an increase from 1.2 million during the previous five years. Rising interest rates will make paying off a mortgage more difficult so it is understandable that the trend for more seniors to have a mortgage will continue. That will […]
Investments Too Good to Be True
Another large speculative company fails, and investors lose billions, writes Peter Watson. In life, people like to pick a winner, and this is certainly true in the world of investing. But this can sometimes backfire. Until recently, FTX was a global giant as a cryptocurrency exchange platform. According to CNBC its value was $32 billion. […]
Stock Market Can Provide Useful Investing Insights
Understanding how the stock market works can be a useful guide to personal investing, writes Peter Watson. Do you want to know the best place to look for reliable information on the stock market? The answer is simple. Look to the stock market. The reason is buyers and sellers come together to trade a stock. […]
Financial Pain is on The Way
Beware, the financial storm clouds are closing in, writes Peter Watson. That was the tone of a recent warning by Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland. Her conclusion was that many households are going to be adversely affected. Interest rates are being aggressively increased to try to control inflation. That will slow the economy, businesses will suffer, […]
Investing – A Time to be Brave
Investing in the current climate can be challenging, writes Peter Watson. The stock market has been volatile with many significant declines and bonds, that are meant to be a safe haven, have done poorly too. Then there is that sacred asset that Canadians are so proud of: Homeownership. Rising home values over a prolonged period […]