Hub Blogs

Hub Blogs contains fresh contributions written by Financial Independence Hub staff or contributors that have not appeared elsewhere first, or have been modified or customized for the Hub by the original blogger. In contrast, Top Blogs shows links to the best external financial blogs around the world.

Prepare for big deficits but not yet time for Trump and Dump

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Character portrait of Donald Trump giving a speech on white backgroundBy Tyler Mordy, Forstrong Global Asset Management

Special to the Financial Independence Hub

Donald Trump has claimed the US presidency. While this may be another “unthinkable,” no one should be surprised. Rising populist sentiment has been a defining feature of the post-crisis world.

While a confluence of factors are driving discontent, an overriding theme is the perception that gains since 2008 have accrued to a wealthy few.  Trump successfully tapped into those views and won. Clearly, America has sent a message to the political elite: “you’re fired.”

Where to from here? Not to be denied is that market volatility is set to rise. Trump’s anti-trade rhetoric could particularly create instabilities and imperil prosperity. But in a globalized world defined by a move toward closer interconnectedness, the “biggest loser” would undoubtedly be the United States.

Trump and Dump? Not Yet

Volatility should also be viewed opportunistically. Our Investment Team has written extensively on “Trump proofing” client portfolios. The first line of defense is wide global diversification with exposures to longer-running megatrends. For example, commodities are stuck in a grinding sideways market. Politics cannot change that meaningfully.

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How a Personal Pension Plan can mimic gold-plated DB pensions

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jplaporte
Jean-Pierre Laporte

By Jean-Pierre Laporte

Special to the Financial Independence Hub

There are approximately 1.2 million Canadians capable of saving for their retirement and mimicking the ‘gold plated’ pensions of federal civil servants and teachers.  Are you among them?

It’s well-known in policy circles that traditional defined benefit (“DB”) plans are better for employees but worse for the employers that underwrite them.

Why? Because the nature of the pension promise itself builds in an assumption that there will be sufficient assets, on an actuarial basis, to replicate a certain level of income, well into retirement.  If markets do well, the promise is met.  If markets underperform, these DB plans require that the employer  dip into its corporate pockets to make up the difference through ‘special payments’.  Short of a corporate insolvency, the DB model offers a guarantee of financial security that does not exist in any other type of tax-assisted plans (such as the RRSP, DPSP, PRPP or Defined Contribution plans).

While the mention of DB Plans conjures up visions of large public sector behemoths like the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan or the Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan, they also exist at the other extreme:  small professional corporations created by a single individual to carry out a given profession.  Recently, small business owners and professionals are turning to the Personal Pension Plan (“PPP”), a type of registered pension plan that offers both DB and Defined Contribution (DC) accumulation methods under a single roof, with the freedom to select between the two each year.

The reason why the PPP works so well at the individual professional corporation (“PC”) level is that the interests of the plan member and of the shareholder are perfectly aligned. In years of market underperformance the requirement that extra tax-deductible contributions (special payments) be made, is simply a transfer of wealth from the owner’s taxable corporate pocket to his/her tax-deferred personal pension pocket.  Likewise, strong market performance can lead to a “contribution holiday” for the PC and an even safer retirement pension for the shareholder/member.

Upgrading from RRSP savings to PPP savings

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7 tips for investing in the Trump era

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Investors are inquiring how to invest their nest eggs after the U.S. election and the unexpected win by Donald Trump.” Let’s keep it very simple and explore a dose of reverse engineering. I highlight seven top tips for adoption:

USA presidential election donald trump, vector illustration, Editorial use only

1.) Ask where you want your nest egg to be in five, ten or twenty years.

2.) It’s imperative to always think and act logically, not emotionally.

3.) Accept that bond and stock market volatility is here to stay.

4.) Revisit your expectations as to goals, needs, objectives and plan of action.

5.) Implement, tweak and be patient with your long-term strategies.

6.) Cut to the chase and focus on managing your investing risks.

7.)  Keep cash available for buying opportunities during market sell-offs.

These straightforward, sensible tips can stickhandle your nest egg out of trouble most times.

AdrianAdrian Mastracci, MBA,  is president and portfolio manager for Vancouver-based KCM Wealth Management Inc., specializing in designing and stewarding retirement portfolios

Tempted to emigrate to Canada? Know the facts before renouncing US citizenship

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Plane on the background flag of the United States. Travel concept.By Brent Soucie, CPA, CA, T.E. Wealth

Special to the Financial Independence Hub

In the past three days, many unhappy American voters — including many celebrities — have been crashing web sites containing information on how to emigrate to Canada. As a cross-border tax specialist, I’ve had my share of calls about this, so am republishing the following blog that originally appeared on T.E. Wealth’s website a year ago.  The posting caters to U.S. citizens already living in Canada, to U.S. citizens considering moving here, and to U.S. citizens considering renunciation of their U.S. citizenship.

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With all of the recent attention on the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA), I thought it would be a good time to address some of the issues surrounding our friends who reside here in Canada and hold U.S. citizenship – there are an estimated one million of you! You come from all walks of life. Some of you emigrated here shortly after birth, some moved here to start or grow your career(s), and some of you have lived here your entire lives, having derived your U.S. citizenship through your parents. In any case, FATCA impacts you and you need to know how. I’m often asked about the merits and drawbacks of keeping versus renouncing U.S. citizenship. Such is a deeply personal decision with potentially serious ramifications, so you need to make it with your eyes wide open. Here are some important things to consider.

Are you a U.S. citizen?

  • If you were born in the United States, you are a U.S. citizen – no exceptions
  • If you were born in Canada to two U.S. citizen parents, you are a U.S. citizen
  • If you were born in Canada with one U.S. citizen parent, your date of birth, as well as the amount of time your U.S. parent resided in the U.S., will determine whether or not you are a U.S. citizen

Facts about U.S. citizenship

  • It is illegal for U.S. citizens to enter or leave the U.S. without a valid U.S. passport (section 53.1)
  • Carrying U.S. citizenship offers several benefits, including protection while travelling abroad, consular services, access to the U.S. domestic job market, ease of travel to and from the U.S., and the right to vote in U.S. elections

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What does the Trump Victory mean for the Markets?

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USA presidential election donald trump, vector illustration, Editorial use only
President Elect Donald Trump

By Craig Fehr, CFA, Edward Jones

Special to the Financial Independence Hub

Global stocks initially reacted negatively on Wednesday in response to Donald Trump’s U.S. presidential election victory, reflecting the fact that the outcome differed from the consensus expectation, as well as the greater degree of policy uncertainty associated with Trump.

The result does come with unknowns, but remember, the market is rarely free of political uncertainties. The broader path for investment conditions will, in our view, be driven by fundamental trends that are still reasonably favourable and unlikely to change abruptly based simply on the election. So while the markets are reacting immediately and in volatile fashion, it’s important to consider the longer-term outlook when it comes to your investments.

Initial volatility doesn’t tell whole story

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