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The Globe and Mail's Smart Money section is dedicated to giving you what you need to manage your personal finances successfully and appears every Saturday in The Globe and Mail and on globeinvestor.com
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The hot and not of 2003
By Rob Carrick
Do you want the good news first, or the bad news?The hot personal finance and investing trends of 2003 have a little of both in them. The major stock indexes surged, but some of the most widely held mutual funds couldn't keep up. The big banks started getting serious about mortgage discounting, but they also got greedy with bank machine fees.
Is the party over for income trusts?
By Rob Carrick
Gains from trusts next year will come mainly from their distributions. Forget about big price increases, ROB CARRICK writes
Putting Santa on a budget
By CAROLYN LEITCH
Are you looking for ways to spend less and enjoy the holiday season more? Some experts provide advice on how to stop the insanity, CAROLYN LEITCH writes
12 tax tips to munch on
By TIM CESTNICK
Why do we call money dough? Everyone knows that dough tends to stick to your fingers, while money tends to slip through them. Good tax tips, on the other hand, can be a lot like doughnuts. If you try one, it could make life a lot sweeter. TIM CESTNICK serves up a dozen tasty year-end tax-planning ideas that could keep investors' wallets a little fatter and a little happier in 2004
Conquering that mountain of debt starts with a pencil
By SUZANNE WINTROB
After 18 years of carrying loans, Laura Lawton can't believe she's finally debt-free. That's because the Whitby, Ont., resident has struggled for years to get her financial life in order yet always managed to be in debt because ''I like to live on the edge.''
Is taking a letter worth it?
By ROB CARRICK
Some of the country's top investing minds want to tell you exactly which stocks and mutual funds to buy.Just subscribe to their newsletters and away you go.There are 15 or so mainstream investing and financial newsletters for the Canadian market, most costing somewhere between $50 and $300 a year. Which are worth the money? Read on for five suggestions.
Budgeting for success
By CAROLYN LEITCH
A budget is the key to making financial dreams come true for people in any income bracket, CAROLYN LEITCH writes
Hidden fund gems
By ROB CARRICK
Some overlooked offerings are part of big fund firms, but most come from small players. ROB CARRICK takes a look at seven good performers that you may not know about
A weekly scorecard of some of the lowest and highest rates and yields across Canada. The survey of mortgages, GICs and car loans - taken from a sample of companies by Cannex Financial Exchanges - covers posted rates only, so consumers may be able to haggle for a better deal at some financial institutions.
Time to chuck commissions?
By ROB CARRICK
A growing trend toward fee-based financial advice has both benefits and pitfalls for investors, ROB CARRICK writes
Income trusts are not created equal when it comes to tax breaks
By GAIL EL BAROUDI
Ask any investment dealer -- income trusts have been the only game in town in the past couple of years. That's not surprising, given their generous distributions, the steady price appreciation in the group as a whole and some pretty impressive tax breaks to boot.
Don't blow your luck
By SHOWWEI CHU
Most people are not really prepared to win the lottery, writes SHOWWEI CHU
Is your fund firm earning its keep?
By ROB CARRICK
Some managers hustle to deliver more bang for your investment buck. Others seem to be asleep on the job. ROB CARRICK provides a comparison of management expenses to five-year returns
Japanese market
By JOHN HEINZL
The land of the rising sun has suddenly become the land of rising stocks. But after more than a decade of economic turmoil, is it safe to jump into Japan again?
How safe is your identity?
By ROB CARRICK
This summer identity thieves did a number on a Toronto man we'll call Joe, in a devious and brazen fraud that ultimately cost about $20,000.They signed Joe up for new credit cards that he never applied for, then scammed their way into his on-line bank account to divert money to themselves. At one point, they intercepted a credit card mailed to Joe and used it to go on a shopping spree.
The great call of China
By JOHN HEINZL
Last spring, billionaire Warren Buffett made a bet that sent ripples through the investment world. After declaring that U.S. stocks were too pricey, the Oracle of Omaha cast his eyes toward China and began scooping up shares of the nation's biggest oil producer, PetroChina Co.
BMO still top of class
By ROB CARRICK
This is a time of sweet vindication for the on-line brokers who defied the epic bear market of the past few years by building a better product.With the stock market in revival mode, these brokers are ready to welcome a new crop of on-line investors and retain the business of old clients who are starting to trade more actively again.
Grade expectations
By SHOWWEI CHU
Student debt is a fact of life for those at third-level education. Planning now can ease the pain, writes SHOWWEI CHU
Untangling the Web
By ROB CARRICK
A Darwinian culling of the weak and the shoddy has left the world of investing Web sites in excellent shape for the stock market's recent revival.Only the fittest sites have survived, often in better shape than they were in during the late-1990s heyday of the last bull market. Many sites have added new content and features, and they've made themselves easier to use as well.
Bonds' thrills and spills
By ROB CARRICK
The recent plunge in bond prices shows there are risks in the sector that investors need to be aware of, ROB CARRICK writes
It's all in the way you pick them
By ANGELA BARNES
The market rally that's perking up your portfolio statement could also make this summer the ideal time to get back into mutual funds. CAROLYN LEITCH asks four fund analysts - optimistic and bearish - for their recommendations.
Stepping back into funds
By CAROLYN LEITCH
The market rally that's perking up your portfolio statement could also make this summer the ideal time to get back into mutual funds. CAROLYN LEITCH asks four fund analysts - optimistic and bearish - for their recommendations.
Stampede in stocks and bonds
By ANDREW ALLENTUCK
These two assets classes have both been on a bullish run lately. That's not supposed to happen, and is unlikely to continue, ANDREW ALLENTUCK finds
High rollers gamble on risky areas
By CAROLYN LEITCH
Investors now are looking to catch the fastest, steepest ride, CAROLYN LEITCH finds
How to ride the tech rally
By ROB CARRICK
Is it the beginning of a bull market? ROB CARRICK shows some of the many ways to play the volatile sector
Is the economy a toothless tiger?
By RICHARD BLOOM
It's being hit hard by a myriad of headwinds, and that could bode ill for stocks. Experts still expect growth, but not at the same rate as in previous quarters, RICHARD BLOOM writes?
Mutual funds for grownups
By ROB CARRICK
The trouble with mutual funds is that they're so square.What if you're a small investor and you want to play hedge funds, or the Asian fixed-income market? Or what if you're disgusted by low interest rates and yearn for high yields that won't get whacked by the taxman?
Income investing delivers the cash
By ROB CARRICK
Now is not the time, ROB CARRICK writes, to be sitting around waiting for your stocks to climb out of the basement, especially since you can reap immediate rewards through an assortment of income investments
Forget ties...look for buys
By RICHARD BLOOM
Shopping for dad is usually pretty easy: a loud tie, barbecue tools, maybe a golf towel. But for the financially astute father, the perfect gift may be harder to find. RICHARD BLOOM asked a mix of money managers, economists and market observers what they would recommend for dad on his special day.
Don't let estate spark family feud
By CAROLYN LEITCH
Avoid the pitfalls of a poorly planned will if you want to avoid family strife after you are gone, CAROLYN LEITCH writes.
Collectibles buyers beware
By ANDREW ALLENTUCK
Speculative collecting is thriving again, but such investments are still a risky way to make money
It pays to inspect annual reports
By ROB CARRICK
Balance sheet, earnings statement and cash flow are worth looking into, ROB CARRICK writes
It pays to inspect annual reports
By ROB CARRICK
Balance sheet, earnings statement and cash flow are worth looking into, ROB CARRICK writes
Latin America rewarding the brave
By CAROLYN LEITCH
Markets in the region have staged an impressive recovery and many of the economies are looking better than they have in a long time, CAROLYN LEITCH writes
Income trusts: Some options for a strong portfolio
By ROB CARRICK
The vehicles are tricky to evaluate, maybe even more so than stocks. Investors would be wise to get some help making their selections, ROB CARRICK write
New Brunswick couple wants retirement plan in place
By ANDREW ALLENTUCK
New Brunswickers Bill and Monique Williams (not their real names) are trying to balance the needs of their children, ages 11 and six, with their own plans to retire from their work as chemical engineers.
Nurture your portfolio with dividends
By ROB CARRICK
If you plan to hold a stock for a long period of time, you'll find that a middling yield and a solid growth rate can offer higher returns, ROB CARRICK writes
Tax planning can be a family affair
By TIM CESTNICK
Those who fail to think about taxes in a household context are very likely paying more than necessary, TIM CESTNICK writes
How to avoid the fees squeeze
By ROB CARRICK
Banks continue to ratchet up their charges, but if you're willing to shop around and adjust your day-to-day habits, fee-free banking is possible, ROB CARRICK writes
Is your tax return a red flag?
By RANDY RAY
It's wise to know what sets off alarm bells for the taxman and how to keep those bells from ringing. RANDY RAY points out some things that Canada Revenue will be watching for this tax-filing season.
Bulletproof investments must pass bear market test
By ROB CARRICK
There's no such thing as an equity fund that is impervious to turmoil, ROB CARRICK writes, but the ones that have proved resilientare your best bets to ride out the war
Asia looks for market saviour
By CAROLYN LEITCH
China's appetite for oil, steel and equipment makes it the continent's largest importer, and helps offset the damage caused to the region when the U.S. economy weakens, CAROLYN LEITCH writes
Ethical funds change with the times
By RICHARD BLOOM
Socially responsible investing, once considered part of the 'left-wing, left-coast' political agenda, is moving toward the investing mainstream, RICHARD BLOOM writes
Last-minute RRSP options
By ROB CARRICK
Feeling the pressure? If you're uncomfortable with committing to the market right now, there are a number of ways to safely park your pension contribution, ROB CARRICK writes
RRSPs not always your best route
By ROB CARRICK
The great Canadian retirement savings vehicle is fine for the masses, ROB CARRICK writes, but it may not be the best strategy
Putting labour funds to work
By ROB CARRICK
They're risky, their fees are high and their tax benefits are often exaggerated. Still, there can be a place for labour-sponsored investment funds in your RRSP, ROB CARRICK says
BMO InvestorLine top pick among on-line RRSP brokers
By ROB CARRICK
Bank of Montreal's unit is the best all-round choice for holding registered retirement savings plans this season as it was last year, ROB CARRICK finds in his annual ranking of on-line brokers
Is your portfolio battle-ready?
By OLIVER BERTIN
With the chance of an Iraqi war rising every day, many Canadian investors are taking a nervous look at their portfolios.Should they flee the markets and convert their stocks to the safe havens of cash, bonds or even gold?
Europe sees upside for 2003
By CAROLYN LEITCH
Most analysts believe that after the rough ride for markets last year, good times are bound to be ahead for the region, CAROLYN LEITCH writes
Entrepreneur ponders return to market
By Tony Martin
This week TONY MARTIN profiles a Toronto businessman who missed the meltdown when he poured money into his marketing and graphic design business
In search of this year's Midas touch
By Rob Carrick
Precious metals funds were golden in 2002, producing big returns in an otherwise lacklustre year for mutual funds. The category might not shine so brightly in '03, ROB CARRICK writes, but there could be treasures in other sectors
My One and Only stock contest: A Barbie doll enters the fray
By David Pyette
Choices, choices.Madeleine Northfield was never in doubt about which toy she'd use to make her stock pick -- a Barbie doll. The only question was: When you have a veritable army of the things, which one do you choose?
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GlobeinvestorGOLD
Wednesday, March 01 at 04:54 AMMoves above 88 cents (U.S.) for the first time since December, 1991; welcome news for Canadian travellers on the eve of March break
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