Investment Q&A

Q: What are your top 10 ETF’s to hold forever?
Would you buy them on the US or Canadian markets if available. I know some of the US listed ETF’s are more liquid. Thanks

Q: My 22 year old daughter has $7G to invest. She has dual citizenship with the US and has been told that she will be taxed on TFSA gains. Do you have any recommendations for her based on this?

Also, could you recommend some ETF’s for her?

Thank you so much.

Q: I have the time and interest to invest in individual stocks and have benefited greatly from your advice, My 28 year old son is looking to me for investment advice and I was hoping that you could help me. He is young with a long investment horizon so he is not interested in any bond or fixed income components and is comfortable with a portfolio holding a diversified mix of 100% stocks in various geographies. He wants to control his own portfolio but does not have the time to research and stay on top of individual stocks and is leaning towards an ETF portfolio. I am not well versed in this area and was hoping you could provide some guidance.

He is looking at XEQT and VEQT as possible one stop solutions. There are some minor differences between the two, but overall they appear very similar. XEQT has a MER of 0.2% and VEQT has a MER of 0.25%, VEQT holds more stocks than XEQT and XEQT is weighted a bit more towards US stocks and a bit less towards CAD stocks compared to VEQT. Would you recommend one over the other, or hold both?

Instead of buying one of these he is also considering holding a two (or more) ETF portfolio using VCN and XAW ETFs. VCN tracks the Canadian market, XAW tracks the global market excluding Canada. A portfolio of 25% VCN and 75% XAW would replicate XEQT/VEQT very closely, but would have a weighted average MER of about .18%. The trade off is that this one would need to be rebalanced, whereas with XEQT/VEQT all rebalancing is done automatically. Would a 25%VCN/75% XAW be preferable to XEQT/VEQT?

If it was you at 28, would you do either of the above or would you prefer a portfolio of other ETFs and if so, what would those be?

Many thanks

Scott

Q: Hi Peter, Ryan, and Team,

The most recent question about XMD was on Feb. 23.

For a combined portfolio that is skewed somewhat more heavily to larger-cap stocks, could XMD make a good addition? From the iShares website: "Targeted exposure to mid-cap and small-cap Canadian equities". (I can trade this ETF commission-free.) XMD holds 175 stocks, many of which are favoured by 5i, but of course it also holds some that have fallen out of favour. Please suggest alternative Canadian and US ETFs that you may consider "better" but have the same overall goals of XMD.

As always, your advice is important.

Q: Can you recommend a sort of Rip van Winkle portfolio for an 84 year old lady who just sold her house? We're talking in the neighbourhood of $400,000. She has little need for the money right now and is not worried much about volatility. She has an pension which helps too cover the need for bonds.

Q: Hi 5i,

For a new position and a 5+ year hold do you currently prefer IWM over IWO? Or could you recommend another ETF that would be good small cap exposure. Would IWO be a bit more challenged in a higher inflation environment?

Q: Hello,

Which aggressive growth ETF (or a set of ETFs), would you recommend for a long (e.g. 14+ years hold) in a RESP account?

Thank you

Q: My daugter is 22 years old, finishing her last year of university. She has some extra cash ($2500) and has just opened a TFSA. What stock or ETF would you buy today? Can you give a few options and put them in order of risk?
Thank you for your great service.

Q: We have a small amount of investable dollars available that was gifted to us when our two children were born. They both already have RESPs and those are maxed out. Our own TFSAs are maxed out, and the RRSPs are nearly as well - but this is intended to be for them when they get older, not us. Any advice you can give other than model something after the growth portfolio and wait? Time is on our side. 10+ year outlook before we might try and access it.

Q: Hi 5i, I believe in diversification and sector capital allocation as the way to help protect yourself over the long term and am currently building out a well diversified portfolio with dividends in mind. With that said my Canadian investments are good (thank you 5i) In the US I am missing exposure to small and midcap companies can you recommend a ETF or mutual fund while keeping dividends in mind currency doesn't matter to me as i have both Canadian and US accounts. Also for the rest of the world I have VXUS ETF can you help me with exposure there.
Many thanks!

Q: My 31 year old daughter has $50,000 cash in her US TFSA account. What investments would you recommend for a mid to long term hold.

Thanks

Q: Modest amount of funds in trust for teenagers. Plan to sell Alteryx at small loss. What would you suggest for USD purchase please? I was looking @ VTRS. Not keen on debt levels but will it provide downside protection in this volatile market? Time horizon 1.5 years. Could you also please identify growth oriented names. VEEV already owned. Also ETF ideas to look @ please. Please deduct question credits as appropriate.

Q: I am looking to invest in an ETF for a period of 5 to 10 years and have a medium to high risk tolerance. Can you suggest 5 to 10 ETFs that should be considered? Thank you very much

Q: I recently cashed out of IWO (nearly doubled) but in violation of your rule against selling anything just because the price is too high. It is now a bit below where I sold. Wondering if I should go back in, wait for a stabilized rising trend, or pick something similar (SPY?) that you like better for 2-3 year hold? Thanks Jim

Q: I'm looking for a ETF holding US stocks that will work well with ZWH.CA
This would be in a RRSP.

Q: Hi team,

I currently hold TD e-Series Funds in my RRSP and plan to replace them with other index ETFs. What would be your top 5 picks for this?
I have a high risk tolerance with a 25 year timeline.

Thank you

Q: Please recommend 4 index etf's Canadian for my TFSA and 4 US for my RRSP. If you recommend Bonds make it number 5 Looking at 15-20 year DRIP and hold.
Thanks
Cec

Q: A bit of USD cash to deploy in an unregistered account. Hit for the average with SPY, pick the safer large cap div payers with VIG or growth is the next big thing with IWO. Not a large sum so just topping up one of my 3 USA focused etfs I already hold. Which is the best buy right now, +5 year hold.

Q: Hi,

keeping in view the US Withholding tax on canadian investors.

If one has to hold US S&P 500, US mediam &small cap, US IT/technology ETF in canada.

Then which ETF would be be the best for a TFSA and cash account. ( I believe in a RRSP it does not matter ).

I currently hold SPY,VFV, IWO, VGT and QQQ in my TFSA and cash account. Do you think they are OK, or will you recommend some equivalent more efficient ETF's for exposure these sectors.

Keeping in view the difference between a TFSA and cash account, please suggest suitable ETF's for each, which would mirror SPY, VFV, VGT, IWO and QQQ.

Thanks
Harry

Q: Good morning,

Thank you as always. Looking forward to the upcoming updates.
As a follow up would you please rank in terms of where you'd allocate capital. For the next 2-5 year hold. Assuming balanced portfolio etc. Most conviction sector or fund.

QQQJ
VTWO
IWO
SMH
MTUM
CIBR
BOTZ
ARKK

Thank you very much!