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Investment Q&A

Not investment advice or solicitation to buy/sell securities. Do your own due diligence and/or consult an advisor.

Q: I am supposed to increase my fixed income exposure via one or more ETFs. I see you usually recommend CBO, but what about VSC. VSC seems to be a better performer over the last 1, 3 and 5 year periods. Which is better in your opinion and why?

I have about $21K in cash in an RRSP to invest in fixed income products. Should I buy two or 3 ETFs, or all in CBO or VSC is sufficient?

Should I buy now, or wait until after the US election, or even after FED meeting in December to see if they increase interest rates? Does it really matter at this time?

p.s. I have been invested in over 90% equities for the last 25 years (now 53 years old) so I am struggling to get myself to buy fixed income products. I am reluctantly buying fixed income products only because I know I am supposed to have better asset allocation and not be so heavily equity focused, but today the returns are so small I wonder if I would just be better off buying stocks like BCE, T, SLF, FTS, IPL, PPL that pay around 4% dividend.
Read Answer Asked by Paul on October 04, 2016
Q: Hi Peter & team: Greetings! with reference to Tamara's question regarding who will be next US president, I hold the 3 US stock with total of some 10% gain (that is all I have in US$ and it is about 4% of my portfolio) should I hold or sell? Some money managers still recommend it. SIS I have some 30% gain and it is only less than 2% of my portfolio and you still favour it, should I take some profit? Honestly taking profit is difficult as it increases my total income and I may face a clawback of OAS. Please feel free to take my credit points as I have lots of it! Thank you.
Read Answer Asked by LOUISA on October 04, 2016
Q: I have found that my best returns are when I reduce my portfolio size to 8-10 stocks.I know that according to almost all experts that my portfolio would not be properly diversified.I find that a investor such as myself can not spend the amount of time needed to keep up to a 20 stock portfolio.
The easy answer of course is to hire someone for my investments,but I have unfortunately been burned twice by investment professionals,and unwilling to strike out the third time.
Is there anything wrong with keeping a 8-10 stock portfolio, where I can keep a close watch on the news and the financials.
I personally think that is why your site is so helpful because the average investor do not have the resources and staff of a professional money manager.
Read Answer Asked by Randy on October 04, 2016
Q: I am making a few adjustments to my SDRIF in order to improve yield. Many of my holdings are either from your Income or Balanced Portfolios. Included are 2 stocks, ESL & SJ, which I also hold in other accounts but would like to replace with stocks that have a 4%+ yield and with a small cap appreciation. I was thinking ABT to replace ESL. For SJ, I was thinking of increasing my very small holdings in either BCE or T. Is there any reason that you think these are bad choices at this time and/or would you have any strong alternative suggestions ?
Many thanks as always
Read Answer Asked by Alexandra on October 03, 2016
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