Investment Q&A

Q: Currently this fund makes up approximately 21% of my portfolio and is my only diversified holding. It at 7.6% yield makes up 40% of my monthly income and pension makes up balance.The mer.is 1.05% and of course a good % of yield is roc. Would you suggest any better alternative or ? Thanks Larry

Q: Hi,
I’m trying to help my friend organize her investments. She has minimal understanding of investments securities and had to move her pension to LIRA and RRSP 15 years and told Canada Life mutual funds that she was conservative profile. Fast forward 15 years her mutual funds have made her minimal money with back ended fees. The funds range in MERS from 1.6% to 2.5%. In looking at her holdings the portfolio make up is approximately
Fixed income - 22%, Balanced income %11, Cnd equity 62%, resources/specialty -2%. Retirement is still 10-15 years away. (Her husband has a pension)What ETF’s would match this asset mix to help get her started independently and move away from the high fees? I was thinking VBAL … But it is conservative. Any suggestions would be great to provide choice on where to invest her money. Please take as many credits as you want.
Thanks so much!
Kerri

Q: As an older investor, I am considering a gradual move from mostly individual stocks to a fully ETF portfolio. My thinking is to allow management simplicity for my wife in the event of my death or disability. Seeking dividends predominately but also a representation of growth. Can you please suggest an array (portfolio) of ETFs that I could begin migrating towards? As always, your advice is appreciated. thank you

Q: Which ETFs would you recommend for 40 year old with limited income
Thank you.

Q: Hi.
Looking to replace RBC 2025 retirement portfolio fund with an ETF in my RRSP. what do you suggest? I won't need the money for 8 or more years.

Thanks.

Q: Can you suggest 10 best (sleep at night) low risk, monthly/quarterly income, tax efficient, Canadian etfs. Monthly preferred but not essential. Held in non registered account.

Q: Greetings 5i
I have a couple of follow up questions to yesterday’s question regarding a US replacement for vbal. You suggested a combination of spy and a bond fund. What would be an appropriate bond etf for this strategy? I imagine you would be indifferent between spy and voo for stocks? Is there any way to calculate the tax hit in a non registered account. Currently I have non dividend paying stocks in this account to avoid withholding tax. But, i guess if you follow this strategy you have to take the tax bite as part of the package.
With appreciation

Q: Good morning 5i
I sent in a question but it must have gotten lost over te weekend. A member recently said that if he should become incapacitated he left instructions for his wife to sell all stocks and buy vbal, as she was not interested in stocks and this would be a solution.
There are probably many of us in this situation. But,i wonder if one would not be better to sell gradually while alive and capable. After all, you will bot get the big tax hit. Also, in case of the death of one partner, it maybe better to start selling earl, even though it involves capital gains. Because the tax on the one remaining spouse , without the benefit of income splitting will be very high.

One problem i have with this plan is that i have a lot in US dollars. And i want to keep them. One solution i thought woul be to put much more in berkshire. But I don’t know of any US etf that works like vbal. Would you have suggestions on this?
Thanks

Q: This question or type of question was asked in the last week, but I can't find it. Sorry. My 2 kids each have about $100,000. I manage their money, but would prefer to just manage it through ETF's. Can you please suggest a portfolio of ETF's for reasonable growth (60-70% equities), but balanced with some bonds as well. If you want to cut and paste your answer to the question from a week ago, that would be great. Thanks a lot.

Q: Peter, I am a 75 year old active and avid stock picking DIY investor and have been pretty successful thanks very much to you and the staff at 5i Research. However, my wife has no interest and no knowledge to manage our portfolios if something were to happen to me. And with a nod to Warren Buffett I believe I would like to leave clear instructions that our stocks be sold off and the funds invested in a passive 80/20 equity/bond (or what split would you recommend?) all in one ETF that would provide for my wife for the rest of her life.
What ETF would you recommend for this? And is one truly enough?

Thanks. David

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

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?

Q: Good morning,


I am not crystal clear on the most tax efficient account to hold each of the above listed ETFs and before moving any of them to another type of account, I would very much appreciate your guidance on the most tax efficient type of account to hold each of the above listed ETFs.

The above listed ETFs are all held in our family Registered (RRSP/TFSA/RESP) and Non-Registered accounts.

Thank you and I'll await your sage advice.

Q: Thanks to Peter, Ryan and the 5i Team, my portfolio has recovered from the Tech Wreck of 2022. Much of this is due to my holdings in Nvidia and SMCI. I have been trimming some along the way up, but Nvidia is now over 12% and SMCI is over 6% of my portfolio. This time around, I'd like to hold on to my gains (unlike in 2022).

My questions are: What "sleep at night" ETF or stock might you suggest to put some of my profits into (sector doesn't matter)? Also, what percentage of your holdings would you be comfortable with SMCI going to?

My pension covers my living expenses, so I am able to take a little more risk.

Thanks,

Brad

Q: Hi Folks,
I am looking suggestions for my non reg account,
I currently have 7% weighting in HHL and 7% in ZWE. I am close to retirement age.
Also is there a website that indicates whether the income from etfs/ stocks are dividends or interest.
Cheers

Cheers

Q: Hi, looking to invest 70,000 in two etf’s one Canada one U.S in a rrsp. (or two U.S. etf’s as I have no U.S holding yet)
Two suggestions that are a conservative sleep at night, and longer term hold, with a 2+% dividend.
Also would like to have if possible a balanced sector allocation. I already have lots of financial and oil- gas stocks, which is heavy in Canada.
Hope this makes sense?
Thanks

Q: Good Afternoon,

When using the 60/40 etfs (VBAL, XBAL, ZBAL) in an RRSP, what would you consider to be the most prudent way of splitting up +$100,000 for a long term hold (30-40 years)?

Ie:
100% in one etf?
50/50 split between two etfs?
3 way split between three etfs?

And in general, at what dollar value in a single 60/40 etf do YOU start to feel uncomfortable?

Thank you!

Q: If one was to anchor their RRSP portfolio with VBAL which is a 60 equity/40 fixed income split, but would like to be more 70/30. Would you add another ETF or two to achieve the desired weightings? Does this strategy make sense? What would be Five i's thoughts and suggestions.

Thank you

Q: Our 19 year old daughter has funds to maximize her first TFSA contribution, and to start contributing to a FHSA. Her profile is conservative. What advice would you give her? Which companies or other instruments do you think she should consider?

Q: Hello, I am helping my 25 year old daughter put together a sleep at night portfolio. She is not a hands on or active investor.

She has about $ 100K and of these selections which ones would you suggest? And, what else would you recommend?
in Addition to Canada, I want US exposure with ZSP, especially with the potential growth of AI.
Thanks
Carlo