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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: Hi, I'm thinking of gradually reducing my individual stocks and moving into etfs for an all around set it and forget it roughly $3 million portfolio for someone retiring in the next few months. Can you give me your suggested etfs and percentages to hold to accomplish this balance? A chunk of these funds are not invested yet so I'd also like to know how you would suggest deploying these funds? Would you edge in gradually over a period of time or just get the money working? I'd really appreciate any advice you could give me in this format.
Thank you as always!
Read Answer Asked by Harry on March 14, 2024
Q: My daughter is just starting out with a RRSP account. She has some VDY and we would like a suggestion of 5 or 6 non Canadian Vanguard funds
Read Answer Asked by Ken on January 24, 2024
Q: I am looking to add exposure to the US market in my TFSA. I currently own ZSP and ZNQ and would like to add an ETF listed on the Cdn exchange that would balance my exposure to the Mag 7. I have seen you recommend EQL which I am considering however is there another ETF that would broaden my exposure beyond the S&P 500. Perhaps to include some mid and small cap stocks?
Also would you expect that mid and small caps will outperform given where we are in the market cycle?
Read Answer Asked by Bruce on January 16, 2024
Q: I currently have 40% of my portfolio in Canadian banks, utilities, BN,TOI, LMN and other dividend paying stocks Mostly purchased in the last year. I'm considering legging 60% of my remaining cash in my portfolio into VTI and VUS in the next 10 months. Do have any thoughts or concerns?
My understanding is any US stocks paying a dividend should go into an RRSP account. All my investments are in RRSP's and TSFA's.

Thanks
Brian
Read Answer Asked by Brian on August 22, 2023
Q: I have US exposure through a company pension that tracks the S&P. It represents about 20% of my overall holdings. I have recently come into enough US cash to add two or three new individual holdings, or perhaps buy an ETF or two that would complement the S&P tracking pension. I would welcome your thoughts and suggestions for individual stocks or ETFs that would be suitable additions.
Read Answer Asked by David on May 09, 2023
Q: Hello Folks:
As many others I have been hanging onto our Tech stocks (Goog, Amazon and Apple) hopping improvement is in sight.

Currently in consumer stocks we own Costco and Johnson and Johnson and media advises are diversifying more into this segment (eg. Mendalez, P&G etc.) useful strategy.

Do you think thinning down Tech is good advice? Perhaps utilities such as Enbridge could also be good defensive play. We are seniors valuing dividends with which Tech world is parsimonious. Apple appears the best bet in Tech as they actually produce and sell real products. Everything changes, however we value your thoughts and suggestions of including specific equity options (including an ETF). Currently I do not own any ETF's as I have preferred individual companies.
Thank you very much
brian

Read Answer Asked by Brian on March 21, 2023
Q: I am making the switch to holding ETFs in my RRSP instead of individual stocks to make it easier to manage. Can you recommend your top ETFs for a growth oriented investor who has a 10-15 year horizon and wants a globally diversified portfolio. I would like to limit this to less than 5 ETFs.

Thanks

Greg
Read Answer Asked by Gregory on November 15, 2022
Q: Hi,

What do you think of these 3 ETFS (XME,XLB, XLI) for the next 2 years and, hopefully much longer? I'm hoping for a 7% position.
Would you invest in any of them?
Is there another ETF you like better?
Read Answer Asked by Graeme on November 04, 2022
Q: Good morning, I have some USD in my tfsa and was wondering if you could suggest a few ETFs in the states where I won’t get charged a withholding tax. Can be growth or index oriented.
Thanks
Read Answer Asked by Seamus on October 07, 2022
Q: Hi team!
I am considering a hybrid portfolio of either (A) 80% ETFs and 20% individual stocks or (B) 80% in an All-in-one ETF (VEQT/VGRO) and 20% individual stocks. I understand there may be foreign withholding tax considerations on the Vanguard All-in-one ETFs depending on the account type in which it's held and I'm wondering how significant this actually is.

Questions:

- Which accounts out of RRSP/LIRA, TFSA, RESP, and Non-Registered would US listed ETFs be a better alternative due to this foreign withholding tax drag?

- At what account value would the tax drag from these withholding taxes be material enough to warrant buying individual ETFs (ex. VT, VTI, XUU, XEF) instead of using an all in one fund (VGRO or VEQT)?

Trying to avoid losing 15% or more of any US/foreign dividends due to unrecoverable foreign taxes if possible!

Thanks for your great work!
Read Answer Asked by Davin on August 29, 2022
Q: My wife and I treat our individual accounts as a single portfolio. Based on the Portfolio Analytics we are significantly underweight on the US and rest of the world. We have on RRSP representing 12% of the portfolio that will be converted to a RRIF next year that we would like to simplify. We will maintain 40% - 50% in fixed income, but would like to invest the rest in equity ETFs with holdings outside of Canada. Could you please suggest one or two ETF for exposure to each of the US and the rest of the world. Thank you.
Read Answer Asked by Richard on May 31, 2022
Q: Hi 5i Team,

I have held a balanced Canadian Couch Potato Portfolio with the above etfs in my son's RESP which i started when he was born in 2009. The portfolio has done pretty well (in my books at least) at 8% annual return. I am now looking at a 6 year time horizon for when he will need to begin to draw from the RESP. I am thinking of starting to rotate toward more conservative holdings as the timeline for needing the funds draws closer. Under "normal" circumstances from what i have learned this would mean moving more into bonds at this point but I am having trouble believing this is appropriate in the current market. With interest rates and inflation both rising i am wondering if low debt dividend stocks might be a better bet to hold onto purchasing power in this time frame? Maybe something something like CDZ vs XBB? I know you can not suggest specific portfolio recommendations but looking for suggestions/best bets for maintaining value and keeping up with inflation over this time frame.

Thanks,
Read Answer Asked by Peter on April 01, 2022