Investment Q&A

Q: age 80, have large amount to invest, looking to make up low risk portfolio that doesn't require constant watching

Q: Good morning,

All four of our family TFSAs and RESP are invested in a mix of Mawer equity and balanced funds.

I'm reading a number of very favourable articles on the benefits of holding a one etf solution for a well diversified portfolio and was wondering if I should consider:
a. keeping the Mawer funds in our TFSAs and RESP but purchasing either VBAL or CBD.A for new TFSA and RESP contributions;
b. Sell all of our MAWER funds and buy either VBAL, CBD.A and perehaps some VGRO for the RESP given that our grandchildren are only 7 years old.

Your thoughts and adjustment suggestion to our TFSA and RESP holdings would be appreciated. Thank you.

Franco

Q: Good morning,
Both of our family TFSA accounts are currently invested in their entirety with a variety of Mawer Mutual funds (100% Equity). At 70 years old, I would like to reduce the risk profile of our TFSA accounts from 100% Equity to a more classic 60% (equity)/40% (fixed income) balanced portfolio.
Of the five investment options for our two family TFSA accounts which are used as an estate planning tool with the intention of never withdrawing any funds and leaving the proceeds to our grandchildren, which of the following options would you recommend, in what order and why?
Option 1: Staus Quo.
Option 2: Invest all TFSA funds in the Mawer Balanced or Mawer Global Balanced Fund.
Option 3: Invest all of the TFSA funds through a Discretionary Money Manager that currently manages our family RRSP and Non Registered accounts with total management costs of 1.30% (Money management fee, Sub Advisor fees, Custody fee, Transaction fee plus HST). The average long term target rate of return being 4.5% after fees for this balanced portfolio of which 25% of the portfolio is invested in alternative investments to supposedly further reduce volatility.
Option 4: In an effort to further simplify, reduce fees and perhaps improve long term performance of our TFSAs, invest all the TFSA funds directly in the Vanguard Balanced ETF portfolio (VBAL) through our discount brokerage account.
Option 5: Invest all the funds directly through our discount brokerage account in a combination of ETFs that covers 20% Bonds/32% Canada/32% USA/16%Global and if so what would be your preferred ETF recommendation.
I thank you in advance and look forward to hearing your response and recommendations.
Francesco

Q: Would you recommend either of these for a lazy TFSA investor? Thanks. Peter

Q: My daughter has been sold this fund (agf elements bal portfolio fe,483) by her advisor a few years ago. She seems to feel she is locked in, although I doubt that. I suggested a switch to maw 104 since she seems apprehensive about VBAL with it's shorter history. I would appreciate your wisdom. Thanks

Q: Hi 5i team,

My dad is almost retired with a +/- 5 year timeline of when he will need a majority of his savings. I feel he should move it out of a bank account that earns him 0.07% and into an ETF or into some blue chips stocks. Can you recommend some ETF's or blue chip stocks for his timeline?

Thanks.

Q: Hey Guys,
Would you buy these ETFs today?
Are there other ETFs you prefer today.
This is for a long term hold.
Thank you,
John.

Q: I'm considering investing my entire TFSA in either VGRO or VBAL.
Would you recommend one or over the other, or perhaps a different strategy?
Thank you.

Q: 5i team: would you please advise on your opinion on these ETFs. Is it a good opportunity to buy into a new etf when the initial price is about 10$ or is this a misconception on value. In contrast to say vbal & vgro at the 25$ range? Also can you coment on mpcf . If it was a core holding what could compliment it as for diversity. Do all of the above have enough canadian exposure? Tks

Q: Can you advise as to a hands off type of income fund or etf that is most likely not to return capital.should these be avoided to have a more accurate income with less year end adjustment for tax purposes? Do you think the vanguard ones as per vbal would most likely do this?I have held xtr in the past and it does need to ret.cap. to keep up with the high yield. Any reflection on this and suggestions greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Q: 5Iteam: If you look at the track record of phn balance d fund of which I have held off and on over the year's and allways ended up wondering why I sold. Could you give an opinion as to why anyone who wants a hands off approach to part of their portfolio would be any better off with say Plv or Vbal or even Pimco or other. Your comments greatly appreciated.

Q: Am I correct in assuming pmif is 100% bonds and would it be a good fit for the fixed income portion of a retirement portfolio along with a GIC ladder with vbal to pick up enough equity for the balance.other thoughts appreciated. Thanks

Q: Good morning,
Are there any studies or perhaps form your own experience, that have determined a general optimal balance between equity and fixed income allocations over time for someone who doesn't want to keep re-allocating asset mix. Is it 60:40 equity , 65:35 etc....?

Thank you

Q: I have about 7 years before i will need to withdraw and money from my RSP's. With $100K to invest how much would you recommend to put in each of the above managed ETF's. Just want to invest and not look at them until the 7 years are up. I am open to other suggestions?

Q: With a large portion of VBAL in fixed income why is the dividend only 1.03%. Is this simply due t the ratio of equity to fixed income or does this fund reinvest some
income or dividends within the fund?

Q: I want to help an 86 year old relative - with no investment experience. She has a small RIF (less than 40k) and a TFSA, plus about 250k in unregistered funds -split among two institutions. As the DSCs have run out at the 'expensive' investor company I'm thinking it might make sense to consolidate all the funds at her bank (They are less pushy, have lower generally lower MERs, and it seems like DSCs are far less prevalent). But choosing an appropriate investment for the funds (about 150k) being moved is my quandary.

Preservation of capital is important, but she does want some income. Any suggestion apart from GICs?

Thanks

Q: Recently the Globe & Mail has an article discussing the merits of using a one-Balanced ETF strategy and recommended the following three ETFs: VBAL, CBD and HRA. What would you consider to be the best one? Also, when I reviewed the information on their respective websites, I can only find Management Fee info as opposed to MER info. Is it because they are all ETFs that are composed of various ETFs. So the ultimate MER of these balanced ETFs would be the sum of the quotes Management Fee plus the MER of the underlying ETFs?
Please deduct as many credits as you see fit.

Q: Hello
My Self Direct RRSP account holds approximately 50% in the older couch potato version XIU,XBB,XSP,and XIN. The balance is primarily Canadian dividend funds found within your income and balanced portfolios.
Now that I have retired should I sell the original 4 couch potato funds and replace it with the new Vanguard fund (VBAL) plus keep a few of the better dividend stocks.
Just looking to keep it simple and not stress over re-balancing and diversification.
Thanks
Gary

Q: I currently hold 3% on VBAL should I increase to 5% or would you suggest to add another ETF VRGO. Currently ETF portfolio I hold VE, VEE, XSP, VBAL - 3% each
Do you recommend I add another VGRO ETF or just add 2% each on above ETF?

Thanks
Hector

Q: Could you please analyze this fund and would you recommend it for a long term hold in an rrsp. Do you have any other recommendations in this category,besides the Mawer funds which I can't access through RBC direct? Thanx