A lot has transpired in the investing and personal finance spheres this past week. If you didn’t get a moment to read through all the tips, how-tos and commentary published around the blogosphere, rest assured, we’ve rounded up our favorites and created a short and sweet list for some awesome weekend enjoyment.
Personal Finance
1. Why you should avoid 5 year fixed mortgages - While marketed as being safe and a good protection against a sharp rise in interest rates, truth is that 5-year fixed mortgages are nearly always a huge waste money, they limit your flexibility and result in losing your negotiating power for 5 long years.
2. The 253rd edition of the Carnival of Personal Finance - The Carnival of Personal Finance is a list of the best personal finance and investing articles from around the blogosphere.
3. Low Interest Rates: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly - While many assume that low interest rates are great for the economy, potential problems can arise if rates are kept too low for too long.
4. Tips on improving your financial health - Drawing parallels between our personal and financial health.
5. How To Minimize Your Estate Distribution Costs - Most people are unaware of what can be done to minimize taxes and fees payable at death. This article reviews some of the actions that can be taken to reduce income taxes at death.
Investing
1. Short Term Canadian Natural Gas Pricing And Deliverability Outlook - An interview with Paul Mortensen of the National Energy Board (NEB) in Canada with regards to the outlook for Natural Gas in Canada between 2010 & 2012.
2. The benefits of investing in dividend paying stocks - Most investors seem to focus exclusively on speculative gains (the appreciation), going so far as ignoring dividend payments when reporting stock market results over long periods of time. However, the benefits of dividend paying equities shouldnt be overlooked.
3. Cutting through the noise about China - China is going to grow rapidly. It will become an ever increasing force in the world economy. That we can assume. But we have to be less definitive about the path the country will take to get there and how much of that success is factored into asset prices around the world.
4. Buying U.S. securities: currency fees - Now that the loonie has gained a great deal of purchasing power against the U.S. dollar, many Canadians are looking to invest in U.S. securities. But most Canadian brokerages don’t allow U.S. cash to be held in a self-administered RRSP — so every time a U.S. security is bought or sold in an RRSP, a currency conversion is required.
5. 4 Questions To Consider When Choosing Your Investment Advisor - It is of great importance to trust your investment professional. Having utmost trust in this person allows you the freedom to focus your attention on other things, especially since we often forget to do a detailed analysis of our portfolio and the markets each day! And even though choosing an investment strategy isn’t rocket science there are too many investment products, firms and professionals with specific expertise to blindly select the first person you believe is trustworthy. This article highlights some tips when qualifying the investment professional and strategy that is right for you.
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