Financial Planning Archives

Play It Again, Steve – Timeless Financial Tip #8: 6 Enduring Insights for Fixed Income Investing

Post published:September 7, 2023

When’s the last time someone tried to talk you into chasing a “hot” Treasury bond run — NOW, before it’s too late! Probably never, right? Most of us recognize that’s not what fixed income investing is for. Bonds create stability; stocks and alternatives are where the excitement is at. And yet, I often see people forgetting this timeless truth, or at least investing as if they have. Plus, to further complicate things, not all bonds are created equal. This can trick you into thinking you’re playing it safe … Following are 6 best practices for fixed income investing across all kinds of markets, whether rates are rising, falling, or in a holding pattern.

Play It Again, Steve – Timeless Financial Tip #7: 6 Steps to Retiring as Planned

Post published:August 4, 2023

Retirement isn’t the only reason to set aside current income for future spending. But since it’s usually the elephant in the financial planning room, it’s worth a Timeless Tip of its own. Following are 6 ways to leverage lifelong financial planning, so you can retire on your own terms and on your own timeline.

Play It Again, Steve – Timeless Financial Tips #6: Aligning Your Investments with Your Investment Time Horizon

Post published:July 10, 2023

I’ve spent my entire career railing against the dangers of market-timing—i.e., dodging in and out of markets based on current conditions. But there is a time when “timing” of a different sort matters. I’m talking about your investment time horizons. Today, let’s look at how to use your personal time horizons to successfully separate today’s spending from tomorrow’s future wealth.

Play It Again, Steve – Timeless Financial Tips #5: Trust the Evidence

Post published:May 24, 2023

If I could, I would grant amazing investment returns to every investor across every market. Unfortunately, that’s just not how it works. In real life, we must aim toward our financial ideals, knowing we won’t hit the bullseye every time. That’s why I recommend evidence-based investing—or investing according to our best understanding of how markets have actually delivered available returns over time, versus how we wish they would. Our “best understanding” may still be imperfect, but it sure beats ignoring reality entirely. Let’s look at why evidence-based investing based luck-based investing…

Play It Again, Steve – Timeless Financial Tips #4: How To Manage Your Financial Behavioural Biases

Post published:May 1, 2023

There are countless external forces influencing your investment outcomes: taxes, market mood swings, breaking news, etc., etc. Today, let’s look inward, to an equally important influence: your own financial behavioural biases. When we make snap financial decisions that “feel” right but are rationally wrong, we tend to sabotage our own best interests. By recognizing these reactions as they occur, you’re more likely to stop them from ruining your financial resolve, which in turn improves your odds for better outcomes. Let’s explore some behavioural finance examples that you’ll want to prepare for…

Play It Again, Steve – Timeless Financial Tips #3: Tax-Planning as a Lifetime Pursuit

Post published:April 10, 2023

I would be remiss if I didn’t dedicate at least one post in my “Play It Again, Steve” series to everyone’s least favourite, but still significant topic: taxes. It’s a good thing there’s no tax on writing about tax planning; if there were, I would surely owe a lot. Here are six timeless techniques for reducing your lifetime tax load.

Play It Again, Steve – Timeless Financial Tips #2: Rising Above the Noisy News

Post published:March 2, 2023

In investing and life, information overload, aka “noisy news,” has long been a thing. In fact, before the Internet came along, I used to publish a hardcopy newsletter called “Rising Above the Noise.” Because even then, investors seemed awash in TMI (too much information). If media noise was a problem back then, imagine the implications today. Which brings me to today’s Play It Again, Steve – Timeless Financial Tip #2. To be a successful investor, it’s as important as ever to dial down all the noisy news you invite into your head.

Play It Again, Steve – Timeless Financial Tips #1: Repeat After Me: “It’s Already Priced In”

Post published:February 3, 2023

Whenever you try to buy low or sell high, who is the force on the other side of the trading table? It’s the market. The market includes millions of individuals, institutions, banks, and brokerages trading hundreds of billions of dollars every moment of every day. It includes highly paid analysts continuously watching every move the markets make. It includes AI-driven engines seeking to get their trades in nanoseconds ahead of everyone else. And you think you can beat that? We believe it’s far more reasonable to assume, by the time you’ve heard the news, the collective market has too, and has already priced it in.

2023 New Year Insights from an Independent Financial Advisor

Post published:January 18, 2023

After years of focused financial planning, 2022 (and the previous few years) may feel like it’s upended your financial future. Although 2022 gave us unwelcome results, weathering these market storms does take some dedicated resolve to stay on course to meet your long-term financial goals. So, with this new year upon us, let’s round up some of the best blogs from 2022 to help support your 2023 financial planning decisions.

Think Smart Podcast – Advisor Series with Financial Advisor Steve Lowrie

Post published:December 5, 2022

Recently, I sat down with Rob McClelland to join an episode of the Think Smart with TMFG podcast. Rob is with McClelland Financial Group of Assante Capital Management. We had a great conversation and I had the opportunity to describe my core business values and strategies on investing including... click through to find out.