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.

4 Retirement Planning mistakes and how to avoid them

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By Patricia Campbell, Cascades Financial Solutions

(Sponsor Content)

Retirement planning used to be less complex. People would spend their career working for a company, retire after 25-30 years, receiving a watch and a pension that would be enough to live on. With people changing jobs every 2.7-4.5 years, more individuals becoming self-employed or freelancing, retirement has gotten a lot more complicated.

Unfortunately, it’s all too easy to make mistakes when planning for retirement. Here are 4 mistakes to avoid:

1.) Expecting the government to look after you

If you’re at least 60 years old and have contributed to CPP, you’re eligible to receive the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) benefit. The payments won’t start automatically, you would need to apply to the government to start receiving it. The Old Age Security (OAS) pension amount is determined by how long you have lived in Canada after the age of 18. As of July 2022, seniors aged 75 and over will see an automatic 10% increase of their Old Age Security pension.

The Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and Old Age Security (OAS) are guaranteed incomes for life but not necessarily enough to live securely in retirement. Assuming you’re 65 today and are starting payments for both, the combined total is $1,345.32 every month.

For the CPP, the maximum amount is $1,253.59 (2022), although most individuals don’t qualify to receive the full amount. The average amount for new beneficiaries (October 2021) is $702.77.

2.) Applying for government benefits too early

You could receive 8.4% more every year when delaying your CPP payment beyond age 65. That’s a 42% increase if deferred to age 70. For OAS, you receive 7.2% more for each year of deferral beyond age 65. That’s a 36% increase if deferred to age 70.

It seems like a good idea to wait, but before you decide, consider this: If you compare 3 individuals who are the same age, where Mark takes the CPP at age 60 and Tonya takes it at age 65 and Natasha at age 70. The break-even point where Mark and Tonya will both have received the same amount of money is age 74. Natasha, on the other hand, will not catch up until age 80. At this point, Natasha will begin to outpace the others considerably. But keep in mind, she would need longevity to actually use and enjoy the money. With this being said, the later you start, the higher your monthly payments will be.

3.) Spending Too Much Money Too Soon

Do you really know how much you spend each month? Unlike working, you will have a fixed income in retirement. Therefore, it’s important to plan your retirement including any vacations or large purchases. An important part of retirement income planning is knowing how much income you can achieve based on your savings. Cascades Financial Solutions is an excellent tool to use when determining your after-tax income.

Continue Reading…

A closer look at Inflation

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By Alizay Fatema, Associate Portfolio Manager, BMO ETFs

(Sponsor Content)

While inflation was sidelined by several central banks and deemed as “transitory” for the most part during 2021, the tone shifted promptly this year as back-to-back red-hot inflation prints forced most central banks to go on an interest-rate hiking spree. This aggressive action is being taken to tame inflation otherwise known as the rate of change in prices over time, [1], as it’s persistently high and is eroding the purchasing power of households, reducing consumer spending, and the overall economic well-being.

What are the causes of inflation?

Before we discuss whether inflation will slow down or not, let’s take a step back and analyze what’s causing prices to rise globally in the first place. Most economists attribute this uptick in inflation to several different causes such as:

  • Cost-push inflation driven by supply chain crisis

The COVID-19 outbreak led to a series of lockdowns and restrictions across the globe, which caused supply chain disruptions and labour shortages and ultimately induced cost-push inflation [2], resulting in a surge of prices due to an increase in costs of producing and supplying products and services. World economies are still recovering from this effect, and some of these constraints are fading away as global transportation costs plunge and Chinese production ramps up again. However, the Russian invasion of Ukraine is clearly hampering this progress and further stoking inflation.  [3]

  • Demand-pull inflation fueled by savings, fiscal stimulus, and monetary policy

The pandemic had caused an unconventional recession, and to keep economies afloat, several central banks slashed their interest rates, increased their money supply M2 (a measure of the money supply that includes cash, checking deposits, and easily- convertible near money)., gave out government aid, relief, & stimulus payments as part of the fiscal response during 2020 & 2021. As businesses reopen this year after remaining shuttered and reducing their production and services, they could not meet the pent-up demand driven by savings accumulated during the pandemic along with the monetary & fiscal stimulus. Thus, strong consumer demand, fueled by robust growth in employment, has outstripped supply temporarily for several products & services such as air travel, hotels, cars, etc., resulting in demand-pull inflation [4].

 

A series of interest rate hikes to curb sky-high inflation

The price increases for gasoline, food, and housing caused Canada’s inflation to rise to a 39-year high of 8.1% in June 2022. The markets got some respite in August as headline inflation came down to 7% and further weakened in September to 6.9% from a year ago, as gasoline prices fell. However, the recent data was disappointing as the dramatic increase in food prices was unexpected.

On a similar note, south of the border, the U.S. inflation spiked to 9.1% in June 2022, the highest level since 1981. Although headline U.S. inflation reported for September was up by 8.2% from a year earlier (down from the peak of June 2022), the core U.S. consumer price index (ex. food & energy) rose to a 40-year high, increasing to 6.6% from a year ago, which is a cause of concern as its squeezing households by outpacing the growth in wages.

To dial down the surge in prices, the Federal Reserve engaged in a series of rate hikes not seen since the late 1980s, increasing the front-end interest rate to 3.25% in September. The Bank of Canada followed suit by raising rates through consecutive outsized hikes, bringing its target overnight rate to 3.75% in October. Given inflation is still sky-high in both countries and way above their 2% target, both Fed & Boc are expected to raise their short-term rates again. Both central banks are maintaining their hawkish tones, which means the rates will be further raised to fight against raging inflation. However, they may dial back the pace of their hikes amid recession fears.

When will we see a slowdown in inflation?

Looking at recent CPI prints, the question arises whether the U.S. and Canada have passed peak inflation. The truth is it’s hard to predict what lies ahead. Prices in some sectors, such as gas and used automobiles, have dropped, which is a good sign. However, prices for certain goods & services are “stickier” than others, such as rent, insurance, health care or dining out, meaning that they are likely to stay at their current levels or increase even further, so inflation may stick around for a while. Moreover, higher wages and inflation may continuously feed into each other, resulting in a wage-price spiral [5] which may result in further rate hikes, causing additional damage. Continue Reading…

13 common and costly Retirement Planning Mistakes

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What is one common and costly retirement planning mistake to avoid? 

To help you avoid common and costly retirement planning mistakes, we asked financial planners and business leaders this question for their best advice. From not saving early on in life to poor tax planning, there are several retirement planning mistakes that you should be careful to avoid in order to build healthy financial security for your retirement.

Here are 13 common and costly retirement planning mistakes these leaders are mindful of:

  • Not Saving Early On in Life
  • Investing in Actively-Managed Funds With High Fees
  • Not Working a 401K to Your Full Advantage
  • Not Investing Your Savings
  • Not Planning for Health Care Cost
  • Investing Too Conservatively
  • Relying Only on 401K Savings
  • Retiring Too Soon
  • Carrying Debt into Retirement
  • Underestimating the Years You Live
  • Cashing Out Your 401K When Changing Employers
  • Withdrawing Early from Your 401k is a Major No-no
  • Poor Tax Planning

Not saving early on in Life

Your first dollar saved is your most important one. And whether you save that first dollar at 20 years old or 35 makes a huge difference because of compound interest. When compound interest is working FOR you, time is your best friend. Consider that with a 5% annual return, $1,000 grows to $5,516 in 35 years. Sounds pretty good, right? Well it gets better. That same $1,000 becomes $11,467 in 50, more than doubling in those last 15 years. So not saving early on in your life is a very costly mistake. — Paw Vej, Chief Operating Officer, Financer.com

Investing in Actively-Managed Funds with High Fees

Most people have good intentions when it comes to retirement. They put money into their 401K or IRA and don’t get cute with how they invest it, sensing that the diversification of mutual funds and ETFs is better than individual stocks and risky assets. However, one thing that is often overlooked is the drag that high management fees can have on a portfolio’s performance.

Actively-managed funds, including popular target date funds, have very high management fees, especially in comparison to low-cost index funds. And while the difference in fees may seem minuscule (often less than 1%), they can really add up. For example, for a normal retirement portfolio earning 4% per year, over the course of 20 years, when a fund has a 1% management fee versus no management fee, the total portfolio can be worth $50,000 less in the end. Just based on the drag of high fees! So make sure to watch for funds with hefty expense ratios – it’s a common trap. — John Ross,  Chief Executive Officer, Test Prep Insight

Not working a 401K to your Full Advantage

It’s unfortunate that many workers who participate in 401(k) plans either don’t take full advantage of an employer’s matching contributions or don’t increase their contributions when their income increases. The reticence to increase contributions is understandable given inflation putting stress on short-term purchasing needs, and making it even more difficult to pay attention to long-term goals. But not bringing your 401(k) up to the percentage of your employer’s matching contribution means you’re missing out on free money. And instead of falling victim to lifestyle creep whenever you get a raise, allocate the increase or a portion of it to your 401(k) to better secure your future. 

There are several ways you can save on short-term purchases so you have the funds to increase your 401(k). This includes curtailing or eliminating unnecessary expenses from your budget, comparison-shopping on large outlays such as car and home insurance, and lobbying creditors for a lower interest rate. –– Karen Condor, Insurance Copywriter, ExpertInsuranceReviews.com

Not Investing your Savings

Don’t keep your money sitting in a savings account. Instead, the best way to manage your savings and plan for retirement is to invest this money in an index fund that tracks the S&P 500. You’ll earn interest on your money in the market, whereas when your money sits stagnant in a savings account, you’re actually losing out on money due to inflation. — Cesar Cruz, Co-Founder, Sebastian Cruz Couture

Withdrawing Early from your 401k

Cashing out your savings early. If you have money in a retirement plan like a 401K, taking out cash can have a major impact on your long-term savings. In addition to the penalties, taxes and fees you’ll pay for the withdrawal, you also lose out on compounding interest. Depending on how old you are, how much you withdraw and various market factors, this could end up costing you big time. Whenever possible, avoid withdrawing from your retirement savings unless you have a true need that you can’t cover in other ways.

— Vimla Black Gupta, Co-Founder & CEO, Ourself

Not Planning for Health Care Cost

There is an old saying “Disasters and diseases come without asking.” Therefore, health care costs are a huge expense that increases as you age. And it’s almost impossible to calculate, but if you want to live in peace for the rest of your life, this expense has to be saved separately. And consider it important in your retirement planning. But many people think that as healthy as they are now, they will remain the same in the future, and do not pay attention to the health care cost. With the passage of time, they realize how important it is to include health care costs in retirement planning. But at that time, they can’t do anything. Therefore, avoiding all these difficulties, including health care costs, is important in your retirement planning. — Kenny Kline, President & Financial Lead, BarBend

Investing too Conservatively

Investing too conservatively is a common retirement planning mistake. Many people are afraid of losing money, so they invest only in low-risk options, such as savings accounts or government bonds. While these investments are safe, they don’t offer the potential for high returns that you will need to reach your retirement goals. To reach your goals, you need to invest in a mixed bag of assets, including stocks, which have the potential for higher returns but also come with more risk. Working with a financial advisor can help you create an investment portfolio that meets your needs and helps you reach your goals. — Danielle Bedford, Head of Marketing, Coople

Relying only on 401K Savings

People who sign up for 401K benefits think they’re doing all they can to prepare for retirement. Don’t be too reliant on such a thing because that income stream can come to a screeching halt as a result of being laid off — or worse, as a result of nefarious business practices. It may seem like an extreme example, but ask any former Enron employee how their 401K investments turned out. You need more than what your company offers as far as retirement preparation, so seek out additional ways to save money for your future retirement. Find low-risk investments. Turn to random rewards banking. Own a rental property and set aside that income stream for your distant future. Don’t just rely on one source for retirement savings, because if it dries up or explodes on you, you’ll have nothing. — Trevor Ford, Head of Growth, Yotta

Retiring too Soon

Retiring too soon is a common and costly retirement planning mistake to avoid. Continuing to work for a few more years can increase your retirement income by up to one-third. The average retirement age for most people, according to the Social Security Administration, is between 66 and 67, but many Americans don’t wait that long. Working until your full retirement age will help you avoid the Social Security benefit reductions for early filing. You can continue to make contributions to your retirement savings plan at the same time, creating additional balances that can be used to make market investments. 

Retirement entails leaving a full-time job or career that a person has held for a long time. There are numerous options, such as working part-time in your current job or career; beginning a new job or career, part-time or full-time; working as a bridge job for a few years until full-time retirement; working for yourself or owning a business; or volunteering for a cause you care about. — Raviraj Hegde, Head of Growth, Donorbox

Continue Reading…

Retired Money: Are Balanced Funds really dead or destined to rise again?

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Is the classic 60/40 balanced fund destined to rise again, like the phoenix?

My latest MoneySense Retired Money column addresses the unique phenomenon investors have faced in 2022: for the first times in decades, both the Stock and Bond sides of the classic balanced fund or ETF are down.

Click on the highlighted headline to access the full column: The 60/40 portfolio: A phoenix or a dud for retirees? 

While the column focuses on the Classic 60/40 Balanced Fund or ETF, the insights apply equally to more aggressive mixes of 80% stocks to 20% bonds, or more conservative mixes of 40% bonds to 60% stocks or even 80% bonds to 20% stocks. Most of the major makers of Asset Allocation ETFs provide all these alternatives. Younger investors may gravitate to the 100% stocks option: indeed with most US stocks down 20% or more year to date, it’s an opportune time to load up on equities if you have a long time horizon.

However, we retirees may find the notion of 100% equity ETFs to be far too stressful in environments like these, even if the Bonds complement has thus far let down the tea. As Vanguard says in a backgrounder referenced in the column, the classic 60/40 may yet rise phoenix-like from the ashes of the 2022 doldrums.

“We’ve been here before.”

On July 7th, indexing giant Vanguard released a paper bearing the reassuring headline “Like the phoenix, the 60/40 portfolio will rise again.”  “We’ve been here before,” the paper asserts, “Based on history, balanced portfolios are apt to prove the naysayers wrong, again.” It goes on to say that “brief, simultaneous declines in stocks and bonds are not unusual … Viewed monthly since early 1976, the nominal total returns of both U.S. stocks and investment-grade bonds have been negative nearly 15% of the time. That’s a month of joint declines every seven months or so, on average. Extend the time horizon, however, and joint declines have struck less frequently. Over the last 46 years, investors never encountered a three-year span of losses in both asset classes.”

Vanguard also urges investors to remember that the goal of the 60/40 portfolio is to achieve long-term returns of roughly 7%. “This is meant to be achieved over time and on average, not each and every year. The annualized return of 60% U.S. stock and 40% U.S. bond portfolio from January 1, 1926, through December 31, 2021, was 8.8%. Going forward, the Vanguard Capital Markets Model (VCMM) projects the long-term average return to be around 7% for the 60/40 portfolio.”

It also points out that similar principles apply to balanced funds with different mixes of stocks and bonds: its own VRIF, for example, is a 50/50 mix and its Asset Allocation ETFs vary from 100% stocks to just 20%, with the rest in bonds.

Tweaking the Classic 60/40 portfolio

While very patient investors may choose to wait for the classic 60/40 Fund to rise again, others may choose to tweak around the edges. The column mentions how TriDelta Financial’s Matthew Ardrey started to shift many client bond allocations to shorter-term bonds, thereby lessening the damage inflicted to portfolios by bond funds heavily concentrated in longer-duration bonds. Continue Reading…

Harvest launches 5 new ETFs designed for higher income

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The new ETFs invest directly in established equity income ETFs but generate higher income through a specific strategy

By Michael Kovacs, President & CEO of Harvest ETFs

(Sponsor Blog)

Canadian investors — in large numbers — are seeking income from their investments. Some investors are seeking high monthl income to offset the rising cost of living. Others are incorporating the income paid by their investments in total return. Whatever the reason, many of those investors are finding the income they seek in equity income ETFs.

Equity Income ETFs have seen strong inflows in 2022, in a period when traditional equities have struggled. These ETFs — which generate income from a portfolio of stocks and a covered call strategy — offer yields higher than the rate of inflation and higher than most fixed income.

Harvest ETFs has seen over $1 billion in assets flow into its equity income ETFs so far in 2022, as investors seek high income from portfolios of leading equities from a reputable provider. Now, Harvest is launching 5 new ETFs to build on that reputation and demand for higher income.

The appetite for equity income among Canadian investors has grown and grown. We’re pleased to be launching these new enhanced equity income ETFs to help meet that demand and provide Canadians with the high income yields they’re seeking in today’s market.

The ETF strategies getting enhanced

Harvest has launched the following new enhanced equity income ETFs, with initial target yields higher than their underlying ETFs.

Name Ticker Initial Target Yield
Harvest Healthcare Leaders Enhanced Income ETF HHLE 11.0%
Harvest Tech Achievers Enhanced Income ETF HTAE 12.8%
Harvest Brand Leaders Enhanced Income ETF HBFE 9.70%
Harvest Equal Weight Global Utilities Enhanced Income ETF HUTE 10.20%
Harvest Canadian Equity Enhanced Income Leaders ETF HLFE 9.60%

We selected 5 established equity income ETFs to underpin our new enhanced equity income ETFs. They reflect our core investment philosophy, owning the leading businesses in a specific growth industry and generating income with covered calls.

Each enhanced equity income ETF has specific tailwinds from its underlying ETF. HHLE captures the superior good status of the healthcare sector by owning the Harvest Healthcare Leaders Income ETF (HHL:TSX). HTAE accesses a portfolio of established tech leaders in the Harvest Tech Achievers Growth & Income ETF (HTA:TSX). HBFE provides exposure to some of the world’s top brands through the Harvest Brand Leaders Plus Income ETF (HBF:TSX). HUTE captures a defensive global portfolio of utilities providers through the Harvest Equal Weight Global Utilities Income ETF (HUTL:TSX) and HLFE offers access to some of Canada’s leading companies by owning the Harvest Canadian Equity Income Leaders ETF (HLIF:TSX).

How the Enhanced Equity Income ETFs will deliver a higher yield

These new enhanced equity income ETFs use leverage to deliver high income. They apply a leverage component of approximately 25% to an existing Harvest equity income ETF. That leverage raises the annualized yield of the ETF while elevating the risk-return profile and the market growth prospects of the ETF.

The graphic and example below shows how a hypothetical enhanced ETF investment can work: Continue Reading…