Investment Q&A

Q: I’m looking for ideas on the best way to park a meaningful cash position safely while still earning a competitive yield.

My priorities are:
• capital preservation / low risk
• strong liquidity or predictable maturities
• a competitive yield relative to today’s rates
• flexibility to choose either monthly income distributions or annual interest payouts

I’d appreciate your thoughts on the best options available in Canada today.

Specifically, how would you compare the pros and cons of:
• a 10-year bond ladder
• GIC's
• a money market fund
• a monthly income ETF such as ZMI
• a high-interest savings ETF or HISA
• other safe alternatives I may be overlooking

For context, this is retirement-oriented capital, so I value certainty and reliable income, but I also want to avoid having too much cash sitting at low HISA rates if there are better low-risk choices available.

Would like to understand your thoughts wrt balancing yield, liquidity, and safety in the current rate environment.—

Q: I recently purchased the PIN Purpose Monthly Income Fund. The Purpose website shows it currently has a large weighting in high-yield corporate bonds, a fair chunk in real assets along with dividend paying equities. How would you compare this to ZMI as a small weighting for med risk retirees seeking income and inflation protection?

Portfolio Analytics is counting it as 100% equity. I also see a discrepancy for the AUM of the fund (8mm vs 40mm) on the 5i profile page. Can this be corrected?

Q: Could I get your opinion on ZMI? Thanks Ron

Q: Hi, in my rrif account, I have both, and I’m considering selling dir.un and adding to Zmi. Dir.un 5years ago was approximately $12.30 when I bought it. Today it is much the same, I think if I sold I might make $100 . Zmi seem much more diversified, safer and could actually make some capital gains. Is the .20 mer and 1.2% difference in dividend a deal breaker, or would you consider this move for a riff account.
Thanks

Q: I am building a small non-registered portfolio to provide income with modest capital appreciation. Your thought on these 4 ETFs or other suggestion.

Q: Hi 5i, I am looking for some new options for relatively conservative, monthly income funds. I would prefer no leverage and no return of capital. Over the years, you have mentioned these three funds (ZMI, XTR, FIE). Are there any new options that you would add to this list? Have the fundamentals changed on any of these three that would cause you to no longer recommend them? Thanks so much.

Q: How safe is this ETF for monthly income. Been holding for a bit.

Q: Hi, I have these two stocks in my rrif account. Thinking of selling my two losers DIR and TELUS, and putting it in ZMI.
DIR and TELUS don’t seem to be doing much, while ZMI has US holdings, is steadily increasing in price with a good dividend.
This would be for a 5+ year period.. your thoughts please.

Q: For a non -registered account what would be safer for longer hold and dividend ZMI or CT REIT ?

Q: Hi Gang
What are your 5 top Canadian income ETFs

Thanks Mike B

Q: What are your favorite monthly income ETF's? Safety, decent distributions, and possible upside are priorities.

Q: Hi 5I. I am a small time investor looking to provide income for my wife if I should pass before her. Looking for monthly income to replace Gov. pensions. Can you suggest 2 or 3 ETF's or shares with monthly income. I would appreciate your input. Love your site
Thank you

Q: Please list the above in order of preference. Would all three, equally weighted, be sufficient for a conservative portfolio? Two of three?
Thanks.

Q: For a conservative investor, how much overlap is there in a portfolio comprised of xtr, zmi, pinc, and vrif? Thanks.

Q: Hi, I currently have a BMO monthly income Mutual fund. I wish to replace it with an etf to reduce the fees. I am looking for an etf that pays monthly income, has the potential for some growth and a low mer. You have been a proponent of XTR before but would like to see if there are any others you think might be worth while. Maybe zmi. If you can suggest a canadian etf and an international etf that has some good diversification in different sectors.
Thanks

Q: Which Canadian monthly income ETF would you choose XTR or ZMI? Is there another you think may be better?

thanks,
Paul

Q: Hello 5i
This is a mixed bag inquiry. Looking for some perspectives on the above watch list. I m wanting to increase my overall US & tech sector exposure plus add to my CDN financials. All positions have yield income to weather the storm for the next few quarters
I m considering half positions (2%) in each.

Q: My wife has this mutual fund with a 2% MER, very little growth and a small dividend. Would you kindly suggest a couple of replacements (ETF or Index fund or Mutual fund) with a similar risk level and sector coverage but without the high MER.
Many thanks

Q: Could you give me your opinion on XTR as a long term hold for income in a RRSP or RRIF account? Any other favorites, Thanks Ken

Q: Two questions: One, would you consider ZMI as "fixed income" for that part of my portfolio? Or is there too much of an equity component? Second, so many ETFs have a return of capital; when the fund reports a yield, does this include the roc? If so, isn't that reported yield misleading? Is there a way to learn what the actual yield ( ie without my own capital) being included? Thanks for your excellent service.