Lessons Learned from COVID-19 can Help Your Personal Finances
There is a strong similarity from the lessons learned from COVID-19 and how best to manage your finances, writes Peter Watson. Since March, we have consistently heard the same theme. Understand the illness and use that knowledge to protect yourself and others from getting sick. Knowledge with the pandemic often comes from medical science. And […]
Financial Planning will be taught in elementary schools
Ontario’s overhaul of math teaching will include financial literacy, writes Peter Watson. Young children will start learning financial planning at school. This is an excellent life skill and, in my opinion, an educational upgrade. One of the foundations an individual carries through life is a strong education. Reports over the years show a correlation to […]
Tough financial decisions ahead
COVID-19: Canada responds with financial support, writes Peter Watson. When Canada suddenly found itself in the COVID-19 crisis I was extremely impressed with the government’s quick response to support Canadian businesses and workers. Prime Minister Trudeau, from the very beginning, was offering support and was handing out money by the truckloads. To me that was […]
Stock Market COVID-19 Volatility
Stock market volatility as measured by the S&P 500 demonstrates the fears and uncertainty of these troubled times, writes Peter Watson. Welcome to the roller coaster world of investing. The stock market volatility has been extreme and set new records. The emotional stress on some investors can be significant. Many will have bailed on their […]
Stock market declines can result in panic selling
In 11 out of the last 15 recessions, the value of the US stock market fully recovered in two years. In all 15 recessions the market eventually recovered every time, writes Peter Watson. Losing money in the stock market can drive some investors away from owning stocks altogether. There are two problems. First, you see […]
Are you Making an RRSP Mistake?
Many Canadians squander some of the benefits of making an RRSP contribution, writes Peter Watson. Many Canadians fail to take advantage of income tax rebates resulting from RRSP contributions. That rebate could be included in your long-term financial plan and used to finance other investments as opposed to treating it like “free money” and spent […]
Protecting your investments before a stock market crash
Address this before a stock market crash, not after, writes Peter Watson Protecting your assets is the key to investment success. Perhaps consider diversifying your portfolio with more than one asset class and security type to mitigate downside risk exposure during times of market volatility. A popular question after severe stock market crashes is how […]
Seven Steps to Building an Evidence Based Investment Strategy
Use what is known about investing to your benefit, writes Peter Watson Evidence-based investing uses research and what is known about investing to the benefit of individual investors. The evidence applies to solid investment principals and human behaviour that greatly impacts individuals decision-making ability. This column will provide seven solid principles of how to best […]
10 tips for a better retirement
Sunset on Lake Today I’m going to share a list of 10 things you can do to prepare for a fulfilling retirement. 1. Housing. The aging process can result in less mobility. Consider a house with no stairs and an easy way to access the garage. 2. Car. Some cars are either too high off […]
Tennis win shows the benefits of planning
We can all learn a lesson from the teenage tennis superstar who captured the women’s singles title at the U.S. Open in early September. No other Canadian had ever won a singles championship in one of the four major tennis tournaments. Not a man nor a woman. Bianca Andreescu is a first for Canada. This […]