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Investing for Young People Part 2: The Difference Between Stocks, Bonds and Mutual Funds

How to Pick your Stocks

Now that your child is proficiently handling their chequing account, making debits and deposits responsibly, and has assessed their risk tolerance, it is time to locate an investment vehicle that will see their savings dollars grow.
While an allowance and monetary birthday/holiday gifts might line the accounts, authoress Katherine R. Bateman, in her book The Young Investor, suggests that your child make a list of the things he or she is good at, or likes doing, and from that list derive ways in which they can earn money from those activities themselves. Continue reading “Investing for Young People Part 2: The Difference Between Stocks, Bonds and Mutual Funds”

Investment Strategies for Young People

Helping Your Kids Get into Investing Early

In this Internet-dominated, economy-fearing age it may be possible that your kids will out-know you in terms of stocks and trading before they finish grade school. American author Katherine R. Bateman suggests in her book, The Young Investor: Projects and Activities for Making Your Money Grow that no age is too young to get kids making sense of their dollars.

She suggests that even in delivery babies are buying currency – that is, the effort they exert coming into the world is generally awarded with monetary gifts. Bateman says that rather than encouraging your children to begin saving in piggy banks, go one step further and have them deposit into real bank accounts as soon as they can, or open an account for them as soon as they are born. Continue reading “Investment Strategies for Young People”

What is TFSA: Why Canadians should be Investing Tax-Free

How will the Canada Tax Free Savings Account Guard your Retirement Funds?

Registered or unregistered – that seems to be the question as Canadians plan and gear their savings and investment accounts toward retirement. Most experts advise that your investments gain a return in excess of two per cent in order to beat annual inflation. In addition, there are several tax strategies you should keep in mind as you allocate your investment dollars to specific accounts.

The Canadian Tax Free Savings Account (TFSA) allows for tax-free earnings off investments with aggressive return potential, yet only half of Canadians are utilizing this account – why is that? H&R Block suggests there are several myths acting as hurdles on the path to earning tax-free investment income. Continue reading “What is TFSA: Why Canadians should be Investing Tax-Free”

Bank of Canada Holds Prime Rate in Face of Unpredictable Global Climate

Bank Steadies itself as Possible Domino Effect Threatens European Economies

What a large number of analysts have been predicting for months has proven true; the Bank of Canada has opted to keep its benchmark, overnight interest rate at 1 per cent.

The rate announcement came with a message: at present, combating inflation needs take a back seat to spurring economic growth amid the debt crises being faced in European and U.S. markets.

“The U.S. economy has grown at a slower pace than expected and continues to be restrained by the consolidation of household balance sheets and slow growth in employment,” a press release issued by the BoC stated. Continue reading “Bank of Canada Holds Prime Rate in Face of Unpredictable Global Climate”

Stampede Buzz of Activity Could Mark Economic Recovery

Local Businesses see Up-Surge of Corporate Spending

Is it the enchantment cast by the recent visit of the Duke and Duchess, which sadly ends today, or an indication that the City of Calgary is enjoying better economic times? According to yesterday’s Calgary Herald, the answer lies in the latter.

The Herald highlights the fact that this year’s food and drink haunts have seen a marked increase in business these days over the same period passed in 2010 and 2009. Continue reading “Stampede Buzz of Activity Could Mark Economic Recovery”

Improve Bad Credit in Six Easy Steps

Credit score is one of the major players in determining the amount of financing and interest rate you are eligible to receive. Credit history proves to lenders how reliable you are when granted funds. Leading up to your mortgage application, there are six, quite simple steps you can take to help improve your credit rating.

Remember that regardless of a company’s claim to possess the ability to repair your credit score for you, in Canada, this is just not possible. Don’t fall prey to a credit repair scam. Though there are actions you can take to improve your own credit rating, there is no easy way out or fee you can pay to have the slate completely cleaned. Instead, follow the following and improve your credit rating the right way. Continue reading “Improve Bad Credit in Six Easy Steps”

Drunk Driving Highest in Interior BC Towns, Not Urban Areas

According to ICBC investigation records, as accessed by Global News in an exclusive investigation, the postal code areas showing the highest rates of alcohol-related suspensions are within interior towns, not heavier populated urban areas.

The top 10 highest volumes of alcohol-related suspensions per postal code – ranging from 12-hour license suspensions to impaired driving causing death – were found in the following locations, as reported from April, 2010 to April, 2011:

Continue reading “Drunk Driving Highest in Interior BC Towns, Not Urban Areas”

How to Calculate Mortgage Penalties

There are numerous good reasons as to why mid-term you may be considering the option of breaking your mortgage. You may have found yourself in need of extra finances, have located a much better rate, are aiming to consolidate high interest debts, are interested in early renewal or are paying out the balance of your home loan early.

Before you make your decision, you will need discuss the option with your mortgage broker and weigh the mortgage penalty fee against your potential future savings.

The Mortgage Penalty Calculator is a helpful resource Canadian Mortgage Trends has supplied to Canadian mortgage holders amid these important considerations. The calculator can provide you with an estimation of what your penalty fee will look like as you determine your best financial route. Continue reading “How to Calculate Mortgage Penalties”

Building up your Retirement Emergency Fund

According to an Ipsos Reid Retirement Risk survey conducted earlier this year, roughly 72 per cent of Canadians approaching retirement are concerned over how they will maintain a comfortable standard of living through their retirement years. Most Canadians are additionally anxious that their savings will not be sufficient in covering needed health care expenses.

Sun Life Financial spoke to two experts in the finance field – Jim Yih, author of 10 Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me About Retirement and Gail Bebee, author of No Hype – The Straight Goods on Investing Your Money – who recommended the following tips on building, and maintaining, your emergency retirement fund. Continue reading “Building up your Retirement Emergency Fund”

Canada Housing Prices Predicted to Fall Up to 25%: Capital Economics

Firm Declares Property Values no longer Sustainable

The independent research firm Capital Economics has warned Canadians that housing prices are on the verge of a weighty fall, as stated in an article that appeared yesterday in the Financial Post.

The firm’s report announced that property prices have “lost touch with fundamentals”. Coupled with record household debts, Capital says Canada’s housing market is over-inflated and ready to pop.

“Relative to disposable income per capita, our calculations suggest that housing is around 25% overvalued, which is approaching the level of excess that the U.S. market reached at its peak in 2006,” the firm said. “House prices have been growing rapidly for nearly a decade now and it has reached the point where housing is so overvalued relative to incomes that a downward correction seems unavoidable.” Continue reading “Canada Housing Prices Predicted to Fall Up to 25%: Capital Economics”