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LIFESTYLE
Light Read – Useful and Relevant

Lifestyle

11 Things That Make Back to School More Fun for Teenagers

"Let's talk teenagers and university-aged students. We often concentrate on the younger kids heading back to school this time we thought it might be interesting for you to learn about what might get the older kids in your life excited to head back to school."

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Amber Mazurkiewicz Marketing Manager The McClelland Financial Group of Assante Capital Management Ltd.

FINANCE
Light Read – Useful and Relevant

Finance

Maximizing Returns and Minimizing Taxes: Tax-Efficient Investment Strategies

Investing wisely is not just about maximizing returns, but also about optimizing the after-tax returns. In Canada, taxes can significantly impact your investment outcomes. Fortunately, there are several strategies that can help you reduce your tax burden and enhance your overall investment success.

One of the foundational principles of tax-efficient investing is utilizing tax-deferred accounts such as Registered Retirement Savings Plans (RRSPs) and Tax-Free Savings Accounts (TFSAs). Contributions to RRSPs are tax-deductible, which can reduce your taxable income for the year. TFSAs, on the other hand, allow your investments to grow tax-free, and withdrawals are not subject to taxation. Depending on your financial goals and current situation, we can strategically allocate your investments between these accounts to maximize their benefits.

Where you hold your investments can also impact your tax liability. Tax-inefficient investments, like bonds and fixed income, are better suited for tax-deferred accounts, while growth-oriented investments, such as equities, can be held in taxable accounts. This approach takes advantage of the lower tax rates on capital gains and dividends, thus minimizing your overall tax burden.

Investing in tax-efficient mutual funds or exchange-traded funds (ETFs) can further enhance your tax strategy. These funds are designed to minimize capital gains distributions, which can trigger taxes. By focusing on funds with low turnover and a long-term approach, you can reduce the immediate tax impact on your investments.

Market fluctuations are inevitable, but they can be turned to your advantage through a strategy called tax loss harvesting. This involves strategically selling investments that have experienced losses to offset capital gains and reduce your tax liability. Be sure to consult with your advisor before implementing this strategy to ensure it aligns with your overall investment plan.

Tax-efficient investing doesn't end with your lifetime. Gifting strategies and estate planning can help you transfer wealth to your beneficiaries while minimizing the tax impact. Consider gifting appreciated assets to family members, and establishing trusts to protect your assets for future generations.

As Financial Advisors, we understand that tax-efficient investment strategies play a crucial role in helping Canadians achieve their financial aspirations. By leveraging tax-deferred accounts, optimizing asset location, investing in tax-efficient funds, utilizing tax loss harvesting, and incorporating effective estate planning, you can make the most of your investments and retire worry-free.

If you have any questions or would like to explore these strategies further, please don't hesitate to reach out. Your financial success is our top priority, and we're here to guide you every step of the way.

Reid Landsberg Financial Advisor The McClelland Financial Group of Assante Capital Management Ltd.

FINANCE
Light Read – Useful and Relevant

Finance

Why Your Investments Aren’t Doing as Well as You Hoped

When investing your money, most people’s primary goal is to grow their investments over time. However, they become discouraged when their assets are not doing as well as they hoped. Is it the stock market? Have I invested the wrong way? Did I get in at a bad time?

When it comes to investing, hindsight is 20/20. It is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to predict the right time to enter the market. The best way to start investing is to get your money invested for as long as possible.

So, you’ve invested in the market but are not getting the returns you want. Now what?

Before jumping to the conclusion that you may have invested the wrong way, consider a few things.

If your Advisor has recommended the portfolio for you, then it is unlikely that the cause of low returns for you is a mismatched portfolio allocation. Sure, it happens, but many other reasons can cause poor returns (other than a poor year in the market).

Here we will discuss some of the most significant explanations for lower-than-expected portfolio returns.

1. Pausing Contributions

Dollar-cost Averaging is a term you may have heard of when it comes to investing. It is an investment approach where money is invested into the market regularly and consistently. This way, you hit the market at all different points: high, low, and everywhere in between. The goal of Dollar-cost Averaging aims to reduce the possibility that you are only buying at moments of high prices in the stock market.

Another benefit of consistent contributions is that this helps your money grow and adds more to your portfolio. If you’ve set up a Pre-Authorized Contribution, you can invest on Autopilot without thinking about the investments.

One of the primary mistakes people make is pausing or stopping contributions to their accounts when the market is down. When contributions are halted, your money will not be able to grow as fast with fewer funds. In addition, when prices are low, this is the best time to put money into the market. Think of it like buying something on sale, at a discounted price.

When stopping your contributions, future returns on the portfolio will be affected.

2. Pulling money out of the Stock Market

Similar to pausing contributions, pulling money out of the portfolio due to fear can have an adverse effect on your returns. Taking money out can not only realize capital losses, but now less money is working for you in the stock market.

When the market is down, it is best to wait it out. If you do not need the funds in the short term, leaving them invested will help your portfolio return. Historically, the stock market tends to recover from these dips in a few years.

Taking funds out when prices are low, and re-contributing when prices are high again, can lower your portfolio returns.

3. Not Rebalancing

The last main point regarding why returns may be lower than expected is not rebalancing your portfolio.

When investing, you and your Financial Advisor will find a balance of stocks and bonds that is right for you based on many factors, including your tolerance to risk. When the percentage of stocks and bonds in your portfolio does not match your chosen asset allocation, rebalancing helps to put you back on target.

Rebalancing helps to sell high and buy low, one of the best strategies for investing. If you are not rebalancing your portfolio, you may be off your target asset mix and not taking advantage of this fundamental investment strategy.

Rebalancing is an integral part of investing. Refraining from rebalancing your portfolio may hurt your returns.

How does all this information help?

Understanding why your portfolio may be underperforming can help you make the best decisions for your portfolio to ensure the highest possible returns for your asset allocation. Although the stock market can be volatile, with many ups and downs, following the proper investment techniques can help you invest better, which may lead to better returns for you in the future.

Ingrid Kucera BAH, Economics Associate Financial Advisor The McClelland Financial Group of Assante Capital Management Ltd.

FINANCE
Light Read – Useful and Relevant

Finance

A Shifting Landscape: The Evolution of Interest Rates Over Time

Interest rates, the cost of borrowing or the return on savings, have undergone remarkable changes throughout history, influencing economies, financial decisions, and investment landscapes. From the distant past to the modern era, these fluctuations tell a story of economic shifts, policy interventions, and global events that have shaped the world of finance.

In the early years, interest rates were primarily determined by local supply and demand dynamics. However, it was during the 20th century that central banks and governments began to play a more prominent role in shaping interest rate policies to manage economies. After World War II, many economies experienced a period of stability, often characterized by relatively low and controlled interest rates, fostering growth and recovery.

The 1970s marked a turning point as inflation surged, forcing central banks to raise interest rates to combat rising prices. This era of high interest rates continued into the early 1980s, impacting everything from mortgage rates to business investments. It wasn't until the 1990s that rates began a downward trend as inflation was tamed.

The early 21st century saw unprecedented events like the 2008 financial crisis, which prompted central banks worldwide to drastically lower interest rates in efforts to stimulate economic recovery. This period of near-zero rates persisted for years, fostering debates about the effectiveness of these measures and their potential long-term consequences.

In recent years, interest rates have been influenced by unique factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Central banks swiftly slashed rates to support economies reeling from the pandemic's impact, resulting in record-low levels across the globe. Since then, they have rapidly increased, once again causing concern throughout the economy.

The evolution of interest rates is a testament to the intricacies of economics, policy, and global events. Today, interest rates remain a critical tool for governments and central banks to manage economic growth, control inflation, and stabilize financial markets. As economies continue to evolve, so too will the dynamics that shape the ebb and flow of interest rates, leaving an indelible mark on the world of finance.

Tyler Robertson Associate Financial Advisor The McClelland Financial Group of Assante Capital Management Ltd.

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THINK SMART
Podcast – Listen to Mike and Rob and their latest thoughts and industry insights

Think Smart

All the Financial Mistakes We Have Made Over the Years

You might be surprised to hear it, but we make mistakes too. Today on ThinkSmart, Senior Financial Advisors Rob McClelland and Mike Connon discuss some of the mistakes they have made in their personal and professional finances and the big lessons they have learned as a result.

Key Points from this Episode:
(01:36): Rob’s investment mistakes
(06:28): Mike’s financial mistakes
(08:12): Business mistakes

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The Pitfalls of GICs

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Assante Capital Management Ltd. is a Member of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund and Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada. This material is provided for general information and is subject to change without notice. Every effort has been made to compile this material from reliable sources however no warranty can be made as to its accuracy or completeness. Before acting on any of the above, please make sure to see me for individual financial advice based on your personal circumstances. Insurance products and services are provided through Assante Estate and Insurance Services Inc.

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