Index Fund Investor

@MarkMcGrathCFP Super, Average, Below Average, Can’t watch, and don’t even think about looking?

New ETF tier rankings just dropped

@MarkMcGrathCFP That lifetime TFSA contribution is 🔥

Brokerage giveaway competition is heating up. From Questrade:

@MarkMcGrathCFP You don’t get rich without taking on an incredible amount of risk Mark. If all my money wasn’t down 90% in options I would be buying this 😂

Oh good, exactly what the market needs

@MarkMcGrathCFP I didn’t even open up this thread, but I know it will be related to options in some way lol.

It's the worst strategy, except for all the others.

@MarcNixon24 I’m a hardcore conservative and I’m willing to give the guy a chance. Innocent until proven guilty.

Mark Carney just held his first press conference. Says he’s ready to “work with all provinces” — even the ones he plans to bankrupt. Then drops this gem: “We’re building a completely new economy.” Translation? Buckle up, peasants.

And we're off

This is what true wealth looks like, it's not measured by material things, but by health, love, and time with those who matter most. The financial industry is losing one of the good ones, but for all the right reasons. Best of luck in your new adventure @MarkMcGrathCFP

@MarkMcGrathCFP You can always be a full time advisor again once your kids are teenagers and don’t like you for a couple years lol.

@sheldon6600 Hey thanks! Totally get the time flying by aspect. Happens so fast

Financial planning is about more than spreadsheets, retirement projections, and optimal portfolios. At its core, it's about helping people find and fund a good life. And a "good life" means different things to each of us. So today, I resigned from PWL. Over the past 18 months, my wife Denise and I have had many honest, reflective conversations about what that means for our family, and we came to a few conclusions: 1. We want to prioritize time over money 2. We want more slow mornings, unstructured time with our kids, and shared experiences 3. We want full agency over our calendars to say "yes" when it matters and "no" when it doesn't Through these conversations, we arrived at a crossroads. To live our good life, I would need to resign from my role at PWL and semi-retire. And so, effective April 30th, I am resigning and entering the world of semi-retirement. This was not a decision made lightly, quickly, or easily. I love this work and have loved being part of PWL. I joined the firm because I shared its values, mission, philosophy, and unwavering goal of improving the lives of its clients. That hasn't changed. In my 15 years in the industry, I've seen the good, the bad, and the ugly. I've met hundreds of advisors working across dozens of firms. I've seen the incredible positive impact of sound, unbiased financial advice on people's well-being. Unfortunately, I've also seen how destructive it can be when our industry doesn't put people's needs first. PWL represents the best of the industry. The fact that so much talent exists in one place is no accident. Every week, I talk to advisors around the country who want to learn more about PWL's story so they can emulate it. This is a testament to the vision and execution of the people here and their success in building not just a company but a community. I will continue to wholeheartedly recommend PWL to those needing full-service financial planning and investment advice. My mom will remain a client, and I've told Denise that if anything ever happens to me, her first call (after family, of course) should be to PWL. This decision was entirely personal and was not influenced by PWL's recent sale to OneDigital. Our family's conversations about finding and funding a good life began long before OneDigital and PWL started their discussions. I know how deeply PWL cares about their mission and values, and I am excited to watch, from the sidelines, how PWL and OneDigital continue to evolve and exceed the expectations of their clients and the industry. My friend @benjaminfelix's paper, Finding and Funding a Good Life, was a key factor in this journey. It is a life-planning framework that integrates influential research on happiness and well-being. Here are a few of my most important takeaways: 1. Experiences > Things: We quickly adapt to material goods, but meaningful experiences stay with us regardless of their cost. 2. Time > Money: Prioritizing time over money leads to greater happiness, better relationships, and more profound life satisfaction. 3. Regret: The most enduring regrets in life are about inaction, especially regarding health, relationships, and alternative choices we might have made. 4. Connection: Close relationships are among the strongest predictors of well-being over a lifetime. I encourage you to read it and consider your own definition of a "good life." pwlcapital.com/finding-and-fu… This decision was also prompted by my own experiences that reminded me just how fleeting and fragile life can be: - My father passing away just 18 months into his retirement - News of a high school friend who passed away unexpectedly in his 30s - A young, healthy, and fit friend going through a health challenge - A visualization my friend @LooniesAndSense built, showing how little free time we truly have left with our children: life.looniesandsense.com Life is short and precious, and we never know how many healthy days we have left.

@MarkMcGrathCFP Thankfully someone finally said this. The amount of people thinking they should be doing something other than adding money is out of control.

A long-term portfolio shouldn't be tinkered with in response to news and economic data. It’s the portfolio you can sit on despite the news and economic data.

For most investors: 99% of good investing is doing nothing, the other 1% is how you behave when the world is going crazy.

@MarkMcGrathCFP She gone

I'll just take a quick peek at the markets, can't be as bad as yesterday

@MarkMcGrathCFP It’s not wrong lol. A little aggressive but very accurate.

Very reasonable and unbiased questionnaire

@David_Moscrop I could do it and we have a single income of less than $100,000 a year. I sacrificed when I was younger though and work hard.

Follow up question, who has an extra $5000 to invest anywhere right now?

@MarkMcGrathCFP More could afford it if they practiced a little self restraint lol. We are a single income family and I work two jobs just so we can max out our TFSA’s every year.

Roughly 9% of TFSA holders contributed the max amount in 2022. The number that have fully maxed out their lifetime contributions is likely lower. And the amount that can afford an additional $5k is even lower still.

@FP_Collective_ @MarkMcGrathCFP This information is amazing! I will need it in only 10 years from now lol. Hopefully they don’t change the rules.

Guide: How to draw down a $100,000 RESP over a 4 year university program. by Aaron Hector fpcollective.ca/guide-how-to-d…

@MarkMcGrathCFP Great post! There are probably more, but they will be saying the same thing in a different way.

People love to invoke quotes from Buffett, Lynch, and other famous investors to defend their own style of investing. I agree, you should take their advice: A low-cost index fund is the most sensible equity investment for most investors. -Warren Buffett The public would be better off in an index fund. -Peter Lynch Experience conclusively shows that index-fund buyers will likely obtain results exceeding those of the typical fund manager. -Burton Malkiel Most of the mutual fund investments I have are index funds, approximately 75%. - Charles Schwab, Invest in low-turnover, passively managed index funds... The mutual fund industry is a colossal failure... resulting from its systematic exploitation of individual investors. - David F. Swensen Did I miss any?

@MarkMcGrathCFP I currently invest solely in fully diversified ETFs, but I wanted to take a moment to acknowledge ZLB. It has delivered impressive returns, and my only concern is the higher MER of 0.39%. Overall, it's been a great option for those seeking more Canadian exposure.

@LooniesAndSense That you’re even thinking about it is to much adjusting.

@wealthy_barber Any online Will sites you recommend in Canada?

Not much to add here… just get a will.