Question:

Are my Money Market funds safe in turbulent markets?

Answer:

We have received numerous inquiries about the safety and security of money market products available from Canadian fund companies.

Our view is that Canadian money market funds are safe and secure. Because most non-government issued paper in these products is from Canadian banks or highly rated corporations, there is an implicit guarantee that losses will not occur, however, an explicit guarantee does not exist.

For more information on this topic, please read this Private Client Research Article.

Question:

What are the effects of the exchange rate on my foreign investments?

Answer:

For Canadian investors holding foreign investments, currency movements can cause an element of uncertainty. The declining dollar in the 1990s resulted in added returns to mutual funds invested in foreign markets. Now that the Canadian dollar has risen, the returns on foreign investments, particularily U.S. Equity Funds, have been impacted.

Please read this Exchange Rate Impact document to learn more about how exchange rates affect your investments and what must be done to protect your portfolios.

Question:

Is it better to pay down my mortgage or pay down my RRSP?

Answer:

We get this question a lot and the answer may be different for different people. For some tips on making the right choice for your specific circumstances, please read this Wealth Planning Guide.

Also, you can compare various scenarios of paying down your mortgage vs. contributing to your RRSP and vice versa using the calculator found at http://www.insurecan.com/mortgage-vs-rrsp.

Question:

What are the effects of the exchange rate on my foreign investments?

Answer:

For Canadian investors holding foreign investments, currency movements can cause an element of uncertainty. The declining dollar in the 1990s resulted in added returns to mutual funds invested in foreign markets. Now that the Canadian dollar has risen, the returns on foreign investments, particularily U.S. Equity Funds, have been impacted.

Please read this Exchange Rate Impact document to learn more about how exchange rates affect your investments and what must be done to protect your portfolios.

Question:

How do I teach smart money habits to my kids?

Answer:

It is never too early to teach your children about the concepts of savings and investing. In fact, the sooner they begin to adopt these habits, the quicker they will learn to balance today's desires against tomorrow's needs. Use this Parent-teen discussion guide as a starting point.