Featured Post

My latest crack at a "Retirement Portfolio"

Sunday, December 27, 2020

Why so much financial advice leaves me shaking my head.

 Read the following story. It was published as part of a Canadian bank's presentation explaining investing to newbies.

 

Meet Lisa… - she is 64 and wants to retire next year. She recently inherited 80 thousand dollars, She has average knowledge of investing and she also has 50 thousand dollars saved in her RSP Lisa runs through these questions before she sets out to create her portfolio… 

How much money does she need? And how often does she need it? After going through her budget, she estimates that she needs an extra 500 dollars a month on top of her pension. How long does she need this income? She thinks her lifestyle and budget won't change over the next ten years. How much does she have to invest right now? She will invest the inheritance of 80 thousand dollars, plus the 50 thousand dollars in her RSP. 

How much risk can she tolerate? Lisa needs this income because she is retired but she also wants to minimize losses to what she has now. Because of this her risk tolerance is low. What are the implications to her income taxes? Lisa is also in a low-income tax bracket. She decides that the amount of money she receives from her investments is more important than how the income is taxed. 

Since her risk tolerance is low, she rules out investing in stocks for dividends. She decides that she will focus on different bond and cash products instead. This income investment strategy may be ideal for Lisa . . . 

 

Did you read the bank-posted story and say, "Whoa!" This lady needs $500 a month or $6000 a year. She has some $130,000 in cash. She could divide her investment among six stocks and keep $10,000 in cash to get her past the rough spots. 

She could easily make 5.0% in dividends or $6000 in cash. This just gets her by. Bonds and GICs are clearly out. Stock ownership is the only way for Lisa to go. The bank must explain this to Lisa, hold her hand during the rough spots and nurse her along. An acceptance of low risk tolerance will not pay the bills.

BCE (Bell) yields 6.08% today.

ENB (Enbridge) yields 8.10% today.

CM (CIBC) yields 5.29% today.

EMA (Emera) yields 4.73% today.

T (Telus) yields 4.87% today.

ALA (AltaGas) 5.34% today.

The above portfolio should give Lisa 5.72% yield on her stock holdings or $6864 annual income or $572 per month. Her $10,000 can be put in a cash account yielding about .75% and her extra cash income from her dividends can be saved, as well. Her cash reserves will grow by about $939 or 9.4% on her $10,000 in cash savings. (Some of this will disappear to pay some income tax fees. The exact amount to be determined by Lisa's tax bracket.)

 

 


No comments:

Post a Comment