Red Alert: What is an Emergency Fund & Why Do I Need One?
Do you need an emergency fund? When times are good, it’s tempting to put your money elsewhere: whether it’s spending on a night out, those new Bluetooth speakers,...
Lost Your Job? Here’s How to Fund a Financial Emergency
Efforts to contain the spread of the coronavirus across Canada have had a tremendous and sudden impact on employment. Many Canadians have lost their jobs, while others are...
Investing During a Market Downturn
The stock market is down. In times like these, it can be tempting to make gut decisions based on emotion. Instead, now is the time to reflect on...
Saving vs. Investing: Which is Right for Me
When should you save, and when should you invest? The answer depends on what you have planned for the future—and what you want to do with your money. First,...
RRSP vs. TFSA: Which is right for me?
Which is better—a TFSA, or an RRSP? That’s kind of like asking, “Which is better—a t-shirt, or a sweater?" Fundamentally, they do the same thing—t-shirts and sweaters both...
What is an RRSP and how does it work?
Maybe you can’t drive stick shift. Maybe you don’t know the name of your local representative. Or maybe you’re still unclear on what, exactly, gluten actually is. We all...
4 important investment accounts for new Canadians
This post was written by our friend Enoch at Savvy New Canadians. The views and opinions he expresses here are independent of CI Direct Investing. After arriving in...
How Does an RESP Work? Your Questions Answered
Today’s Canadian students are up against ever rising post-secondary tuition fees.Wouldn’t it be nice if your kids didn’t have to kick off the first phase of their adult...
Performance and volatility
How to understand market volatility A lot of novice investors shy away from risk. They get scared by big swings in market volatility — which is understandable, but...
How are my investments taxed?
How can we pay less tax? Well, it matters whether we’re talking about interest, capital gains or dividends. When you get your annual tax forms from the bank,...
How to use a TFSA to get better investing results
Interested in putting money into your Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA)? The new limit for 2019 will be $6,000. What if you've never invested in a TFSA before? In...
Finance 101. Leveraging and short selling
Leveraging and short-selling are alternative investment strategies traditionally used by the sophisticated investor. This style of investing aims to helps to mitigate the downside when markets are volatile. It...
Finance 101. How currency hedging affects your investment return
If you invest overseas, your holdings may be valued in foreign currency. When markets are volatile, a portfolio manager can use currency hedging to protect the value of...
Finance 101. Oil!
We don’t just use it to drive. It’s in the roads we drive on. In fact, it is used in over 6,000 products that help make up modern...
Term insurance vs. mortgage insurance. A tale of 2 brothers
Buying a home is a big deal. That’s why you really want to be able to trust the people who are helping you. But when your banker or mortgage...
Tax hacks. Fall in love with these income splitting tips for you and your spouse
Want to make the most of your savings in retirement with your married or common-law spouse? The trick here is not knowing to save, but knowing how to save. Which accounts make sense?...
Short selling and leverage in Private Investment Portfolios
You are invested in a Private Investment Portfolio, which we are able to offer through Nicola Wealth Management (NWM). These are different from the ETF portfolios we offer. One difference: Private Investment Portfolios contain underlying...
Even Seasoned Investors Can Make Rookie Mistakes
Do you tend to follow the herd when making investment decisions? When you look at all of your investment options, from RRSP vs TFSA, stocks vs bonds, etc.,...
Financial Advice for Canadian Expats Who Want to Invest
Canadian expats have a big need for financial advice. But that advice probably isn’t readily available. That’s a problem. After all, investing for retirement isn’t something you want to ignore until you get...
Your Personal Finance Journey. TFSA, RRSP and Bank Accounts
When you're in this business, you spend a lot of time talking to people about their finances. On the clock, off the clock, at the supermarket, at the...
Understanding Your Insurance Needs
Why do Canadians buy insurance? Well, if you've ever met someone who sells insurance, you might have heard something along these lines. "Buy insurance for peace of mind!...
Finance 101. What’s in your insurance policy?
An insurance policy is a contract between a person and a company in which the company takes on a financial burden on behalf of a person under certain...
How Income Tax is Calculated in Canada
Income tax calculations are not completely straightforward, which is why you, almost always, need a tax-calculator to help you. Figuring out your personal income tax isn't just a...