Author Archives: peter benedek
Hot Off the Web- October 13, 2014
Contents: Mint interview, ready for possible sell-off? even low ETF fees are corrosive, scammers target >50 crowd, singles must save more, Bernanke refused mortgage refinance, 25% of Canadians’ retirement at risk if housing declines, IMF warns on Canadian housing, US Steel latest indicator of systemic private sector pension failure in Canada, Ontario’s small businesses unhappy […]
Hot Off the Web- October 6, 2014
Contents: Tax smart investing, downsizing to rent? building wealth, reverse mortgages??? ‘advice’ from salesmen or real advisers? universal life insurance- not again? stock/bond portfolio instead of a GIC/CD- must be joking?!? US home price growth slows, Toronto condo prices correlated to stock market? Nortel judge to rule but end may be neither near nor good […]
Hot Off the Web- Sep 29, 2014
Contents: Assessing financial progress, Vanguard next disrupting business of financial advice, dumb money getting smarter, factoring health and long-term care into financial plans, housing finance reform needed now, Florida home sales/prices slowing, annuity/pension vs. lump sum decision customized to your needs, relaxing pension withdrawal rules, public vs. private sector pensions, battle over Nortel carcass continues: […]
Annuity/Pension vs. Lump-sum- Part 5: Putting it all together
In a nutshell Putting it altogether, you are now ready to explore your own personal situation for the annuity/pension vs. lump sum decision. If you are reading this Part 5 blog post of the final one of this series, then you have already ploughed through the first four parts: Annuity/Pension vs. Lump-Sum- Part 1: Making […]
Hot Off the Web- Sep 22, 2014
Contents: Disability insurance? Cleaning the portfolio clutter, how to burn $100 bills, a universal fiduciary requirement would eliminate RIA’s competitive advantage? robo-advisers in Canada, look around before renewing mortgage, best portfolio protection? equity indexed annuities (EIAs)? inheritance secret, Canada house prices up: 0.6% in month and 5% in year, Toronto/Vancouver house prices insane or not? […]
Hot Off the Web- Sep 15, 2014
Contents: Steps to retirement income, reasons to rebalance, financial elder abuse, curing home bias with World ex-Canada Index ETF (VXC), preparing financials for death, estate planning is more than wills, retirement savings catch-up, ending embedded commissions, Tactical Asset Allocation= Market Timing, Canada healthcare limitations for seniors, financial plan necessary but insufficient without disciplined execution, Vancouver/Toronto/Calgary […]
Hot Off the Web- Sep 1, 2014
Contents: Clements: financial beliefs (you can build on), DIYs: advisors needed? “daily money manager”, fund managers going the way of the horse-and-buggy? Canadian investors must diversify, human-assisted robo-advisors in Canada, US home price increases slowing, global retirement savings shortfall: $100T? Target-date glide-paths a trade-off between lifetime income and risk of capital loss, hedge funds: getting […]
Annuity/Pension vs. Lump-Sum- Part 4: Monte Carlo simulation to explore retirement income trade-offs with and without annuitization
In a nutshell In this blog post (Part 4 of this series) we use Monte Carlo simulation to explore the range potential outcomes given assumed Capital Market Expectations, (risk tolerance and corresponding) Asset Allocation, in the context of personal circumstances (Age, Assets, Expenses, Other Lifetime Income sources and the resulting required withdrawal rate) and compare […]
Hot Off the Web- Aug 25, 2014
Contents: Right level of investment risk in retirement? TFSA: best tax shelter? Housing decision in retirement, house prices down in China/London- impact on Canada? Nortel bankruptcy judge nixes post-bankruptcy bond interest, pension assets confiscation? UK insurers hit hard by end of mandatory annuitization, Hussman’s (and others’) forecasts not what it’s drummed up to be, alternatives/hedge […]
Hot Off the Web- Aug 18, 2014
Contents: Keeping portfolio on-track, investor self-knowledge questions, vacation house a financial mistake, real estate ups Canadians’ wealth, 401(k) retirement complex screwing Americans, lower money velocity kept inflation in check-so far, preparing for parents’ loss of independence, brokers lure government retirees away from gold standard of 401(k) plans. Personal Finance and Investments In the WSJ’s “Keeping […]
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