All posts by Financial Independence Hub

Top 10 tips on becoming Financially Independent (or “Findependent”)

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Financial independence is something for which everyone strives. But most of us never get to a stage of financial independence by choice and we reach this stage when we are very old and can no longer work anymore. And although it is not easy to achieve financial independence (aka “Findependence,”) it can be done if you know how to manage your money effectively.

1.) Develop a budget

The first thing that you need to do when you are trying to save money is to develop a budget. To develop a budget, you need to start by figuring out how much money you need to live on each month and then giving yourself an appropriate amount of money to use over the course of the month.

2.) Get a financial planner

If you have had trouble managing your finances in the past, you should consult a financial planner so that you can get the most out of your money. He or she can help you to plan out what you need to spend, so you will be able to figure out how much money you need to save in order to get where you want to be financially.

3.) Create financial goals

Setting financial goals ensures success, because it helps you to get a sense of what you want to achieve and where you want to go on your financial journey. Giving yourself short term and long term goals is usually the most effective way to achieve financial goals, because it allows you to plan and amend your plans as you go.

4.) Pay off your debts

If you have a lot of debt looming over your head, you should make sure that you pay it off before you start actively trying to save. Start by paying off your smaller debts that have the highest interest rate first, so that you won’t have to pay so much later on when the debt has increased.

5.) Get rid of student loans

When most people think of paying off their debts, they forget about paying off their student loans because they are a different kind of debt to your standard credit card debt or loan repayment. There are a few different options when it comes to repaying your student loan, from paying a fixed amount each week, to contributing a percentage of your average income every pay-day. Continue Reading…

Life Insurance and Covid vaccines: what we know now

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LSMInsurance.ca

By Lorne Marr, CFP

Special to the Financial Independence Hub

No nation has been spared the impact of COVID-19 and Canada is no exception. With more than half a million cases and tens of thousands of deaths, the news of approved vaccines and the subsequent rollout is more than welcome. The vaccines mean a light at the end of a long, dark, scary tunnel. The vaccines will have an impact on every aspect of our (hopefully soon to be) post-COVID life, including life insurance. Here is how insurance professionals see that.Va

The impact of a COVID vaccine is still being scrutinized by the life insurance industry.

We are early in the game and new information is unfolding as we speak. Below is some initial reaction. Most of the executives we reached out to could not give a concrete answer due to all the uncertainty surrounding the vaccine. The ones who did respond said they are leaning towards “not asking a COVID-related vaccine question on applications.” The rationale likely stems from the fact that insurance companies do not currently ask if other vaccines are up-to-date or whether people are having other routine recommended health screening tests.

Other considerations include the vaccines not being available for everyone due to other health complications (currently Pfizer is not recommended for people with anaphylaxis type food and drug reactions).

Insurance companies will likely continue to review studies provided by the pharmaceutical companies that have produced the vaccine to understand what the risks will be overall after the vaccines are deployed.

Vaccine questions more likely for those over 70

Insurance carriers may be more likely to ask a COVID vaccine question to applicants over the age of 70 as they are in the highest risk category.

Norm Leblond, Vice President, Chief Underwriter and Claims Risk Officer at Sun Life Financial said, “The health and safety of our employees, clients and communities is our top priority. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been monitoring the evolving environment including the development of these new vaccines. We continue to take a long-term view of risk. It is too soon to fully understand what permanent changes the industry may need to make to our guidelines or requirements.” Continue Reading…

Lessons learned in diversification: reducing my Canadian home country bias

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By Mark Seed, myownadvisor

Special to the Financial Independence Hub
Many financial advisors, analysts and investing gurus alike argue in favour diversification.

That said, there are some experts who claim owning about 30-40 individual stocks, in various industry sectors, will provide modest diversification to mitigate portfolio risk.

You can find some of those expert opinions on how many stocks are enough in this post.

Dedicated readers of this site will know I’m a fan of portfolio diversification myself, since I adhere to some personal rules of thumb when it comes to my DIY portfolio. Here are some of those rules of thumb:

  • I strive to keep no more than 5% value in any one individual stock.
  • I’m working on increasing my weighting in low-cost ETFs over time, more specifically, owning more of the U.S. market since I’ve had a long-standing bias to Canadian dividend payers in my portfolio.

You can always review some of my current holdings on this standing page here.

Why diversification?

Portfolio diversification aims to lower the volatility of my portfolio because not all asset categories, industries, nor individual stocks will move together perfectly in sync. By owning a large number of equity investments in different industries and companies, and countries, those assets may rise and fall differently; smoothing out the returns of my portfolio as a whole.

“There is a close logical connection between the concept of a safety margin and the principle of diversification.” – Benjamin Graham

As I contemplate semi-retirement in the coming years, this is what I’m considering for cash on hand to support any bearish equity markets or to ride out unfavourable market returns.

Diversification: applying some knowledge and lessons learned

With 2020 in the rear-view mirror, and a trying investing year for many to say the least (!), I decided to make a few portfolio changes so I could embrace diversification more while simplifying my portfolio as those needs for capital preservation draw nearer.

Today’s post outlines some of those changes, by account, and why.

1.)TFSA

I’ve admittedly been wrestling a bit for what to invest in, inside this account for the current 2021 contribution year.

I know I need some more U.S. and international exposure even with the recent comeback in many of my Canadian stocks since the market calamity began in March 2020.

In looking at my sector allocation to the oil and gas industry, I decided to cut complete ties in late-2020 with Inter Pipeline (IPL) after their dividend cut of 72% earlier in the year. You can see some of that dividend news I reported in this previous dividend income update.

I will use that money, along with new TFSA contribution room in 2021 to invest in some all-world ETF XAW amongst other investments.

XAW will provide far less yield inside my TFSA going-forward, which will impact the income generation machine that is my TFSA, but more importantly I think this fund will provide some much needed total return growth from ex-Canada.

XAW iShares December 2020

2.) RRSP

In a taxable account, Canadian dividend paying stocks earn favourable tax treatment thanks to the dividend tax credit. So, I keep those stocks there and see no reason to change that approach. Continue Reading…

Fear the GIC Refugee renaissance

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By John DeGoey, CFP, CIM

Special to the Financial Independence Hub

When I started in the business in September of 1993, it was a great time for new client acquisition.  The reason is simple: there were so many new clients to be had – in the form of first-time investors.  As interest rates plummeted from their all-time highs in the early 1980s, the fulcrum began to shift.  Specifically, as the risk-free rate (anything that could be attained on a guaranteed basis) dropped, people became increasingly willing to absorb risk.

Starting around 1982, the long-term macro trend that continues to this day began.  That year marked the cyclical high in long-term interest rates (in the mid to high teens!) along with a multi-generation low in price/earnings ratios (well into the single digit range!).  For nearly 40 years, interest rates have been seeing a secular decline, while market valuations the world over have been creeping up.  The correlation is predictable.  As rates drop, people are prepared to take on increasingly large amounts of risk in their quest for financial reward.  Totally understandable.

Rates are essentially at Zero

Now that rates are essentially at zero throughout the developed world, the trend has become acute.  The question that people might now be asking themselves is: will people stay out of traditional income investments for the foreseeable future?  Continue Reading…

Ways to re-plan your Finances during Covid-19

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By Donna Johnson

Special to the Financial Independence Hub

COVID-19 certainly has made 2020 a year to forget for some, and as it wraps up with the holidays and new year, many people are assessing their financial situations and determining the next steps. The good news is it does appear a vaccine and more medicines are on the way. But still, getting these treatments out to everyone and getting the virus under control will still take time, so reopening the economy completely may not happen for several months yet. In the meantime, Americans are trying to manage holiday expenses and future budgets until the tide turns.

Covid-19 savings reallocation opportunity

While it may be no fun to miss out on going to your favorite movie theater on Friday nights, or visiting your favorite theme park during vacation, consider the upside of this. The money you may have spent on all those activities is money you can tuck away for better use. Money you don’t spend as disposable income is money you can turn into either savings or investments. There are ways to use it that can be a return on investment if you do your planning right.

Building a emergency savings fund

The worst thing that could happen to you during a pandemic is getting laid off; in which case you will need savings to get by. Unemployment during the pandemic hit a high of about 14.4% back in April. But even if you’re still employed, sudden expenses like HVAC repairs, car repairs, and doctors’ visits still happen. When they do, you’re better off not putting all of those expenses on your credit card, or borrowing money from high-interest loans to pay for them. Instead, consider setting aside about $20-50 per week or per paycheck, let that money sit in a savings account untouched, and over time you’ll see it grow to potentially hundreds if not thousands of dollars in savings. And these savings should not be used for regular expenses like gas or rent, unless you’ve lost your job. But instead, prioritize sudden emergencies like car accident expenses or pipe burst repairs for these savings.

Use the time to refinance and tackle debt

Another thing you can do with extra savings is apply them to any outstanding debt accounts you have. Now one thing to note is that some debts such as federal student loans had payments suspended and interest rates set to zero. Continue Reading…