Good reads from around the web. I suspect many investors enjoyed excellent returns in 2016. Well-diversified passive portfolios in the UK often topped the 20% mark. Our own model portfolio rose roughly 25% last year. It’s tempting to feel particularly clever after such a year, but avoid the hubris. Don’t rush to change your lifestyle … Read more

What caught my eye this week. I’ve been part of a small circle of friends who have debated COVID-19 almost since the beginning of the year. Before that, many of us argued about the future of cash. My view is straightforward: cash use in the West looks set to shrink dramatically, and probably quickly. Most … Read more

A year ago I published the article below, highlighting two obscure, illiquid securities that could perform well if and when interest rates rise. One is a Nationwide PIB1, and the other is a preference share issued by Investec’s UK arm. In the 12 months since that post, the Nationwide issue has risen about 10% and … Read more

Ready for a bun fight? Commercial property remains one of the most debated asset classes among investors, especially those who prefer passive strategies. We’re not comparing it to the fierce camps formed around gold or cryptocurrencies, but even an out-of-town office park with convenient motorway access seems to stir heated opinions. Proponents argue commercial property … Read more

My stepfather left a will and a trust with my mom and brother as trustees. My stepfather raised me since I was five. Before he died, he told me he had a policy with my name on it, but my mom and brother won’t tell me. What could I do? Do I have rights?—Ladana The … Read more

When I’m doing my slightly mischievous work of active investing, I look for gaps between how real-world markets are behaving and how the stock market is pricing companies that represent those markets. For example, gold mining stocks weakened well before the gold price slid. Likewise, UK housebuilders began to falter before the wider housing market … Read more

OK — you’ve probably heard that MoneySense is fully embracing the digital era. That means our print magazine will conclude publication at the end of the year. It’s a significant moment, and while I’ll miss the ritual of holding the glossy issue (and the kids drawing a Dali mustache and rabbit ears on my photo … Read more

Home insurance in Canada protects your house and the people who live in it from loss or damage. It typically covers your personal belongings, injuries to guests, and accidental damage you cause to someone else’s property. Having the right home insurance policy ensures you are both legally and financially protected when the unexpected happens. To … Read more

The online broker InvestEngine provides a straightforward way to invest in ETFs, offering both a DIY platform and a managed robo-advice service. The platform is designed to be approachable for beginners while remaining useful for experienced investors with larger portfolios. Its main selling point is low cost: the DIY option carries no platform fee or … Read more

Financial enabling describes a pattern where short-term monetary help becomes a long-term problem. Well-meaning parents or relatives provide repeated cash infusions, paying bills, or covering lifestyle expenses so adult children remain dependent instead of becoming self-sufficient. While the initial impulse is often compassionate—protecting loved ones from hardship—the result can be counterproductive: dependency, stalled personal growth, … Read more