Category Uncategorized
Nortel pensioners’ annuity vs. commuted value decision: Current thinking in personal context
In a Nutshell Just passed the half way point in the Nortel annuity vs. lump sum decision, it’s time to review my current thinking on my personal decision. Prior to receiving the option letter I was heavily inclined to take the commuted value (lump sum) if it was reasonably close to the actuarial fair value, […]
Auditor: Ontario fails to protect pension plan members! And Nortel pensioners await resolution 7th year post bankruptcy.
In a nutshell Two private sector pension related bad news stories landed in my inbox in the past week: (1) the Auditor General of Ontario warns that the province (via its monitoring arm the Financial Services Commission of Ontario, the FSCO) does an inadequate job in protecting pension plan members and (2) Nortel pension windup, […]
Hot Off the Web- Jul 21, 2014
Contents: Adviser investment performance, ex-reader calls-it-as-he-sees-it: duty to own family comes before duty to client, benefits of low cost living, dangerous investments, estate distribution and its message, breakdown of costs of investment management, Vancouver/Toronto house prices up-now 25% overvalued- is China’s drive to internationalize yuan a key driver? Canada house price correction would be good […]
Hot Off the Web- October 21, 2013
Contents: Required retirement withdrawals, tax planning strategies, free Stanford finance classes, Canadian home prices flat MoM, extra savings required even with company pensions, UK pensions unfit due to annuities, annuities the worst option? will that be cash or pension? Ontario pension reform threat, Fama and Shiller Nobel democratizers, Fama: EMH/MPT good – hedge funds bad, […]
Hot Off the Web- October 14, 2013
Contents: Insured annuities-not, feedback in DC plans, longevity challenges boomer decumulation plans, more policing needed for financial planners? Florida property & casualty company practices “post-claim underwriting”, PEI’s expanded CPP proposal good but how does it solve Canadian boomers’ retirement crisis? effect of US default would dwarf Lehman impact- but it’s just a sideshow to the […]
Hot Off the Web- August 26, 2013
Contents: Prescribed rates, equity-indexed annuities? what do P/E ratios mean? Palm Beach County home prices up YoY but down QoQ, South Florida 43rd in home price increase from through, second home ownership declining and discriminatory property tax practices spreading, coastal flooding risk mitigation required in Miami/Tampa/Vancouver, Canada’s large pension plans struggle, 60% of Ontarians without […]
Hot Off the Web- February 25, 2013
Contents: Retirement scenarios, tax preparers, value investing requires patience, CCRC (Continuing Care Retirement Communities) vs. LTCI, risk based asset allocation, winner’s game, RRSP withdrawal strategy, RBC devours Ally and replace 1.8% with 1.2%, 5th monthly decline in Canada’s house index- annually still up 2.7%, CIBC endorses a voluntary expanded-CPP but others call it fantasy, communication/perspective […]
Hot Off the Web- February 18, 2013
Contents: Better diversification? Powers of Attorney, why bother with Canadian mutual funds? ETFs to replace mutual funds, US estate tax for Canadians, Shiller: home not an investment, Florida #1 in foreclosures, US vulture fund bondholders of Nortel want quick trial in US, Ottawa inaction on BIA pension priority responsible for Canadian pensioner victimization, impossible for […]
Hot Off the Web- January 7, 2013
Contents: What’s enough? 2013 money moves, “but where are the customers’ yachts”? making estate planning a priority, online vs. brick-and-mortar advice? deferred interest cards, US house prices up YoY, Toronto condo inventory up but number of under-construction skyscrapers highest in NA, model-based home appraisals deficient, demographics driven housing prices, consider an “expanded-CPP Plus”, ‘bogof’ (buy […]
Hot Off the Web- December 3, 2012
Contents: what ‘fundcos’ won’t tell you, fiduciary standard required, passive beats active-again, long-term care costs, when RRSP withdrawal is sensible, global diversification, downside of joint asset ownership, US housing up, shadow housing inventory well managed-so far, pooled assets for Ontario public sector, expanded-CPP trumps PRPP, demographics drive stock returns, end of bond bubble inevitable but […]
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