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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: Seeking an conservative - balanced ETF portfolio of $800,000 new money in Canadian Dollars.
Could I have your opinion and thanks for your service.
Rick
Read Answer Asked by Rick on June 30, 2025
Q: if a conservative investor wanted to invest in one ETF or stock in their TFSA today was would you suggest? Although the question was one, I would like a ranking of the top 3, Canadian only. please.
Read Answer Asked by Brenda on June 09, 2025
Q: I am helping my in-laws take ownership of their investments. Presently, they have the majority of their funds managed by banks/'financial advisors' in high fee mutual funds. What is your opinion of the following funds and can you offer equivalent low-cost ETF solutions? RBF209, RBF269, RBF272, Invesco Global Select Equity Series P
Read Answer Asked by Matthew on March 22, 2024
Q: Today, on a risk scale of 1 to 10, 10 being high risk, where would you place a portfolio of 3 parts vbal and 1 part vcns for an 89 and 83 year old couple? Funds should never be required for use, other than being transfered as an inheritance. If wanting to decrease risk a bit, would a one year gic for say 25% be the best idea or?
Read Answer Asked by Charles on March 14, 2024
Q: Hello 5i
First, thank you for your excellent service and guidance! I am retired, looking for income and growth. Following are my questions.

1) What do you think of VCNS? Could you suggest an alternative. I presently have a half position in VCNS.
2) At this time would you still recommend a 4.5% position in ATZ?
3)I am down about 30% with MMM. Is there a better place for these funds?
4) I am down 11% with CLF. What has to happen( with interest etc.) to recoup this loss?

Thank you, Bill
Read Answer Asked by William on July 21, 2023
Q: Hi
I am considering the smith manoeuvre and would prefer to invest in an etf rather than individual stocks because of the benefits of diversification. I would appreciate if you can share your thoughts on a few ets that would qualify and would also be less of a hassle in reconciling the ROC and ACB during tax time. I would appreciate your insight in smith manoeuvre using and etf rather that dividend paying stocks. I am in the 50% marginal tax rate. Thanks
Read Answer Asked by Sandak on September 07, 2022
Q: For a ultra conservative retired income based investor can you please give us your 10 best portfolio building blocks starting a new portfolio?...many thanks...
Read Answer Asked by adam on June 10, 2022
Q: What ETFs do you recommend for a retired senior with a company pension age 79. I am a conservative investor. How should covid developments affect my selection?
Read Answer Asked by Donald on January 03, 2022
Q: I am looking to finally replace the following mutual funds held in a self admin RSP account, to equivalent ETFs.
FID269 - Fid Monthly Inc;
FID5973 - Fid Global Innovation;
FID207 - Fid Global Concentrated Equity;
RBC460 - Sel Bal Ptf
TDB2760 - Td Retirement Balance
TDB652 - Td Global Entertainment & communication
TDB976 - Td Health Science
TDB2580 Td Tactical Monthly Inc
My goal is to replace these mutual funds with long term, high yielding where possible, low MER, CDN or US $ equivalent ETFs. Please provide 2 or 3 suggestions for each. Please deduct as many credit s as need.
Thank you for all the invaluable investment help you provide.


Read Answer Asked by Mark on October 15, 2021
Q: Good morning. I was wondering if you could recommend an ETF that is conservative with some growth and also having a world wide focus.

Thank you for all your outstanding investment information. I couldn't invest without you.
Read Answer Asked by Mary Jean on June 04, 2021
Q: I am interested in an 'all-in-one' diversified ETF to provide regular (quarterly/monthly) income such as VCIP, that best meets the following criteria:
1) Fairly conservative
2) As tax-advantaged as possible as it will be held in a non-registered account
3) Yield that can reasonably be expected to outpace inflation over time
4) MER<0.4

The rest of the investment portfolio is well diversified across geography, market cap, and sector, achieved with a few broad market index ETFs.
Read Answer Asked by Walter on April 16, 2021
Q: Please list the above in order of preference. Would all three, equally weighted, be sufficient for a conservative portfolio? Two of three?
Thanks.
Read Answer Asked by Paul W on February 11, 2021
Q: Good Morning
In my wife,s riff she has the following etf,s VCNS VBAL VGRO all a small position. What would your opinion be to sell all 3 and buy XAW to make a more significant position and also to help increase her international exposure?

Thks
Marcel
Read Answer Asked by Marcel on February 01, 2021
Q: Only two holdings in my parents portfolio that both include a significant portion of bonds. Concerned if interest rates rise more than expected in a short period and bond prices decline. Wondering about putting a hedge in place , would a financial services etf accomplish this? Better ideas or thoughts on the bond portions of the holdings I referenced?
Read Answer Asked by Charles on January 14, 2021
Q: If one is only invested in North America, would now be a good time to buy VEE, or if you have a better idea for emerging markets? Also, if one has built a conservative portfolio for elderly parents using only VBAL and VCNS, would adding VEE be a good compliment, or would it add significant risk ?
Read Answer Asked by Charles on November 23, 2020
Q: With understanding bond prices go down as interest rates go up, with the near zero rate situation, is now a bad time to be buying bond funds when one is looking for long term safety and some capital appreciation? In regards to VCNS, being 60% bonds, when bond values go down, the yield goes up, how does rising yields effect the ETF ?
Read Answer Asked by Charles on October 23, 2020
Q: Would like to create a 2 etf portfolio in the 500k range for my elderly parents, considering VBAL for the TFSA account and VCNS for the unregistered account. They will likely never have a need to access these funds but of course are risk adverse at their age. Thoughts on this approach, better options for ETF's ?
Read Answer Asked by Charles on August 12, 2020
Q: Hi
I am slowly selling into the rallies and consolidating my portfolio.
Of the two VCIP/VCNS which is safer to hold for 1 to 2 years.
Or should I simply put the money in a Hi Savings a/c or in an ETF like PYF/PSA. I won't need the money to survive for 1 to 2 years. But will need it to "wade into the market" as per your suggestions. Is PYF bit too fancy a place to park? One of the gentleman on BNN mentioned this product recently. I wasn't even aware of this product!
Thanks in advance.
Read Answer Asked by Savalai on May 13, 2020
Q: I sold some VBAL:CA at a loss to realize some tax losses and would like to repurchase this ETF at a lower entry point. Can I purchase a comparable ETF from another company like XBAL prior to 30 days, or would that be considered a superficial loss for tax purposes? Similarly, would purchasing a different asset mix product from the same company e.g. VGRO:CA or VCNS:CA be considered a superficial loss?
Read Answer Asked by Alan on April 14, 2020
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