Search found 1828 matches

by ockham
18 Oct 2023 07:57
Forum: Retirement, Pensions and Peace of Mind
Topic: willful [online Will and POA service]
Replies: 58
Views: 3380

Re: willful [online Will and POA service]

As a DIY investor, you can learn from your mistakes. And who among us hasn't made more than a few. A DIY will and POA aren't like that. There's no opportunity to learn from your mistakes. You don't get second and third chances. Please, folks, don't do this.
by ockham
24 Sep 2023 08:39
Forum: Retirement, Pensions and Peace of Mind
Topic: Death planning as POA
Replies: 21
Views: 1553

Re: Death planning as POA

I manage my 96 yr old MIL's investments. Her health is beginning to decline. My spouse is POA and executor. Spouse and her brother are the equal (and only) beneficiaries. There are no tensions/issues between the beneficiaries. I will not hesitate to recommend total liquidation before death.
by ockham
23 Sep 2023 16:44
Forum: Retirement, Pensions and Peace of Mind
Topic: Death planning as POA
Replies: 21
Views: 1553

Re: Death planning as POA

Who are the (likely) beneficiaries of the estate?? Who is the (likely) executor?? I'd favour liquidating but only after discussing with the other beneficiaries and the executor. It'd be a terrible feeling as executor to helplessly watch a market slide while you wait for probate or negotiate with the brokerage. Earning 5%, give or take, in a HISA, instead, looks pretty darn good.

Beneficiaries want to know what they can expect to receive and when. Leaving assets at market risk complicates meeting those expectations.
by ockham
20 Sep 2023 17:02
Forum: Stocks, Bonds, ETFs, Funds, REITS and More
Topic: Asset Allocation ETF's Are Not Just For Beginners
Replies: 5
Views: 720

Re: Asset Allocation ETF's Are Not Just For Beginners

ElMagnifico wrote: 20 Sep 2023 10:20 Why do so many investing articles and people giving advice refer to AA ETF's (XGRO, VBAL, etc.) as being for beginners?
My theory is those articles are written by people whose livelihoods are threatened by the power and simplicity of the AA ETFs. Their livelihoods depend on convincing the likes of you and me that real investing, investing for anyone past the diaper stage, is shrouded in deep complications and complexities.
by ockham
11 Sep 2023 17:34
Forum: Stocks, Bonds, ETFs, Funds, REITS and More
Topic: BMO Investorline
Replies: 1278
Views: 198079

Re: BMO Investorline

snowback96 wrote: 11 Sep 2023 17:10 I have never done a NG transaction, but can imagine a situation where I might need to.

So just to confirm...
Snowback, your description is exactly how NG works at RBCDI (which is where I am), and is exactly how it used to work at BMOIL. There've been major changes over at IL recently, and I wasn't sure of the impact on doing a NG. Apparently, no impact!
by ockham
11 Sep 2023 14:37
Forum: Stocks, Bonds, ETFs, Funds, REITS and More
Topic: BMO Investorline
Replies: 1278
Views: 198079

Re: BMO Investorline

All right, then, if N himself says NG works at BMOIL just as before, I'll certainly give it a try. It's around $40K US that needs converting to C$$, so certainly worth doing a NG. Thx again.
by ockham
11 Sep 2023 10:23
Forum: Stocks, Bonds, ETFs, Funds, REITS and More
Topic: BMO Investorline
Replies: 1278
Views: 198079

Re: BMO Investorline

Ok, so I sell the interlisted stock in Canada first, then buy it in US, to end up with C$$?? Any need to phone in?? Thx again.
by ockham
11 Sep 2023 00:00
Forum: Stocks, Bonds, ETFs, Funds, REITS and More
Topic: BMO Investorline
Replies: 1278
Views: 198079

Re: BMO Investorline

Help, please. My MIL has her investment account at BMOIL and needs to convert US$$ to C$$. Doing a NG at IL used to be simple, but I have no idea how it's done on its new platform. (I'm at RBCDI). Could someone please advise how it's done now, or direct me?? Thx.
by ockham
09 Sep 2023 12:45
Forum: Property: Owning, Renting, Managing, Investing and Mortgaging
Topic: Question about liability during a closing
Replies: 8
Views: 960

Re: Question about liability during a closing

The vendor's surely not at fault. The vendor's "character" is relevant to the story only when there's a glitch. How willing is the vendor in that case to accommodate any potential fixes?? E.g., a few months ago I'm the vendor on a sale closing at noon on a Sunday (a dumb time, but that's what the purchaser wanted). This meant all documents had to be in place and $XX had to be in my lawyer's hands by 1700 hours on Friday. At 1600 hours my lawyer called to say that he had no money, purchasers lawyer had no money, but purchasers lawyer had been assured by the financing lender that all monies had been approved and would be paid on Monday, with a day's interest. Explanation for the delay was blah blah blah. What do I do?? As I said, sh...
by ockham
09 Sep 2023 09:43
Forum: Property: Owning, Renting, Managing, Investing and Mortgaging
Topic: Question about liability during a closing
Replies: 8
Views: 960

Re: Question about liability during a closing

Negotiating a closing for 1800 on a Friday going into a long weekend is not a good idea. Shit happens. Fixing shit takes a bit of time. At 1800 hours on a Friday there's no time left for fixing. That's my take.

The vendor is described as "a nasty piece of work". Based on the story as told, rather than being villains, the purchaser's lawyers may well have done some good after-hours work to save the transaction. For which they're to be rewarded with a complaint to the law society?? As the saying goes, no good deed goes unpunished.
by ockham
02 Sep 2023 14:43
Forum: Stocks, Bonds, ETFs, Funds, REITS and More
Topic: National Bank Direct Brokerage
Replies: 45
Views: 21743

Re: National Bank Direct Brokerage

FWIW, at RBCDI, divs are posted on the div pay day (sometimes before, when, for example, a div pay day falls on the weekend), but with a settlement date of pay day +1. But if you want, this frees you to do a buy on the div pay day, since anything you buy has a settlement date of not less than buy day +1.
by ockham
27 Aug 2023 12:21
Forum: Community Centre
Topic: RIP 2023
Replies: 99
Views: 10541

Re: RIP 2023

AltaRed wrote: 27 Aug 2023 11:09 Nor should there be. Abuse of any kind is intolerable and inexcusable.
+1. Thank you.
by ockham
25 Aug 2023 11:47
Forum: Financial Planning and Building Portfolios
Topic: Comparing VEQT to an Individual Equity Stock Portfolio?
Replies: 29
Views: 1876

Re: Comparing VEQT to an Individual Equity Stock Portfolio?

Back to: what's the question?? We sold our PR earlier this year, in favour of renting. All sale proceeds went into VEQT. No fancy charts, graphs, spreadsheets needed. No hand wringing and agonizing. A self-curated stock portfolio may do better, but the odds are it wouldn't and won't, and its management would be way beyond the reach of the loved ones we'll be leaving behind. We all know this and it's been discussed many times. What's the issue?? I agree. Well, we haven’t sold our PR, but we also are now just throwing any excess cash into VEQT. It will never be “VEQT Everywhere” (we have dividend ETFs for income plus various legacy and other things), but it is VEQT now pretty much for most cash that arises, both excess income and asset sales...
by ockham
24 Aug 2023 18:47
Forum: Financial Planning and Building Portfolios
Topic: Comparing VEQT to an Individual Equity Stock Portfolio?
Replies: 29
Views: 1876

Re: Comparing VEQT to an Individual Equity Stock Portfolio?

Back to: what's the question?? We sold our PR earlier this year, in favour of renting. All sale proceeds went into VEQT. No fancy charts, graphs, spreadsheets needed. No hand wringing and agonizing. A self-curated stock portfolio may do better, but the odds are it wouldn't and won't, and its management would be way beyond the reach of the loved ones we'll be leaving behind. We all know this and it's been discussed many times. What's the issue??
by ockham
22 Aug 2023 12:38
Forum: Community Centre
Topic: Electric Cars
Replies: 601
Views: 39602

Re: Electric Cars

Marcus Aurelius wrote: 22 Aug 2023 12:04 The RAV4 is also made of unobtanium.
Learned a new word today! (says a very satisfied, now 55,000 Km, 2021 RAV4 Prime owner).
by ockham
22 Aug 2023 12:31
Forum: Under the Mattress: Protecting Your Money
Topic: USD credit card
Replies: 62
Views: 11012

Re: USD credit card

Bylo Selhi wrote: 22 Aug 2023 12:11
ockham wrote: 22 Aug 2023 11:20What gives??
I've never been able to understand how a country with the most advanced education, medicine, technology, wealth, etc. can be so backward in other respects like poverty, guns, crime, metrification, CCs, etc.
First couple of times it creeped me out, handing a CC, a card I can tap to do a $200 purchase, over to a complete stranger in a restaurant who then walks away with it, topped off by the manual tip entry on the merchant's copy of the receipt. Why don't/can't the CC companies simply forbid this?? It's an open invitation to fraud, istm.
by ockham
22 Aug 2023 11:20
Forum: Under the Mattress: Protecting Your Money
Topic: USD credit card
Replies: 62
Views: 11012

Re: USD credit card

OT, but related to quaint CC practices....... I traveled in the US recently for the first time since Covid. At all restaurants, server presented me with the bill, I handed over my US$$ CC (RBCbank), server left with my card, and then returned later with my card and a printed receipt for me to physically sign and manually enter a tip amount. No PIN, no tap. Weird. Haven't seen that in Canada in years, maybe decades. What gives??
by ockham
16 Aug 2023 23:41
Forum: Stocks, Bonds, ETFs, Funds, REITS and More
Topic: HISA ETFs / Cash ETFs
Replies: 64
Views: 7574

Re: HISA ETFs / Cash ETFs

DanH wrote: 16 Aug 2023 17:57 CMR looks like a good option but its MER is a bit steep at 0.27% per year
Effective January 12, 2023, the management fee for CMR was reduced to .12 from .25. Its MER is still showing as .27 but in fact it's likely closer to half that.
by ockham
25 Jul 2023 12:49
Forum: Stocks, Bonds, ETFs, Funds, REITS and More
Topic: Is Vanguard still the best option?
Replies: 45
Views: 5028

Re: Is Vanguard still the best option?

It's only five years ago that Vanguard introduced its asset allocation ETFs, four years ago that it added VEQT. These products simplified DIY investing enormously. Because of them, I now have friends/family who can and do comfortably DIY.

Competitors didn't have these ideas, but quickly copycatted them.

I'm staying with Vanguard, thanks.
by ockham
03 Jul 2023 09:49
Forum: Stocks, Bonds, ETFs, Funds, REITS and More
Topic: Thomson Reuters (Symbol-TRI)
Replies: 150
Views: 12635

Re: Thomson Reuters (Symbol-TRI)

snowback96 wrote: 03 Jul 2023 07:46 Just checked BMOIL's online reporting of TRI's ACB and the new ROC is not accurately reflected at this point. I suspect this will get fixed in time. For now I will leave it highlighted on my spreadsheet as a reminder to double-check in the future. Can anyone else report whether their brokers have properly captured this ROC?
I can report that RBC DI has adjusted its online ACB to reflect this payment.
by ockham
29 Jun 2023 08:38
Forum: Stocks, Bonds, ETFs, Funds, REITS and More
Topic: Thomson Reuters (Symbol-TRI)
Replies: 150
Views: 12635

Re: Thomson Reuters (Symbol-TRI)

Also now at RBC DI.
by ockham
13 Jun 2023 23:03
Forum: Community Centre
Topic: A Final Financial Thread [from Shakespeare]
Replies: 70
Views: 6639

Re: A Final Financial Thread [from Shakespeare]

Marcus Aurelius wrote: 13 Jun 2023 22:53
Shante wrote: 13 Jun 2023 19:11 I salute you.
Hear hear. Time comes for us all. I very much admire your clear-eyed attitude through the final chapter.
+1. When words aren't enough, I turn to music. Here's a link to a performance of Morten Lauridsen's "Sure on this shining night".

by ockham
01 Jun 2023 16:15
Forum: Community Centre
Topic: Electric Cars
Replies: 601
Views: 39602

Re: Electric Cars

Moderator, last dozen posts or so, while interesting in their own right, have nothing to do with EVs. Perhaps a new thread??
by ockham
28 May 2023 12:22
Forum: Financial Planning and Building Portfolios
Topic: VBAL Everywhere
Replies: 412
Views: 100991

Re: VBAL Everywhere

Recently sold our PR and decided to rent. Where did proceeds of sale go?? All into VEQT. Why?? Persuaded by Sharpe's arithmetic and the empirical evidence that, come what may, we'll do better than the average invested dollar. Avoided altogether the anxiety and hubris of stock-picking.
Elegant and simple, suitable both for me (seasoned investor) and for spouse (disinterested investor).
by ockham
04 May 2023 21:12
Forum: Financial Planning and Building Portfolios
Topic: Finding MER for employer DC pension options
Replies: 47
Views: 3109

Re: Finding MER for employer DC pension options

My daughter was for some five years a member of a DC plan managed by Manulife (federally regulated). The MERs were readily available. In her case, the MERs were better than the MERs would be for a retail investor for a similar fund product outside the DC plan EXCEPT for the index funds. For example, the MER on BlackRock's S&P500 index fund was 1.12, on BlackRock's Canadian total market index fund was 1.00. Terrible.