TheColumbia Valley - Columbia Valley Pioneer

14 • The Columbia Valley Pioneer July 6, 2007
Brendan Donahue
Investment Advisor
Phone: 342-2112 YOUR MONEY
GIC Rates as of July 3 rd
cashable 4.25%
90 days 4.50%
1 yr 4.75%
2 yrs 4.90%
3 yrs 5.00%
4 yrs 5.00%
5 yrs 5.05%
New High Interest Savings Accounts
No minimum balances 3.85%
No fees
Interest calculated daily, paid monthly
Redeemable at any time
RRSP and RRIF eligible
Investments
GICs, Stocks, Bonds, Preferred Shares,
Income Trusts, Mutual Funds,
High Interest Savings, RRSPs
Rates subject to change without notice.
Subject to availability.
Brendan Donahue, BCOMM, CIM, FMA
Investment Advisor, Berkshire Securities Inc.
342-2112
Jason Elford, CFP
Investment Advisor, Berkshire Investment Group Inc.
342-5052
The Columbia Valley’s
Premiere Wealth
Management Firm
Planning
Estate Planning, Retirement Planning,
Retirement Projections,
Income Splitting,
Registered Educational Savings Plans
Services
RSP Loans, Mortgage Referrals,
Pension Transfers, Group RRSPs.
Ask us about our free
consultations and
no fee accounts.
Test your investment knowledge
How much do you know about investing? Use
this quiz to fi nd out! With each of the following trueor-false
questions, there is also an explanation of the
answer to help you understand more about managing
your money.
Stocks, bonds and cash — most investors need
all three.
• True. Th e vast majority of Canadian investors
should have at least a portion of their wealth in each of
these basic asset classes for diversifi cation. How much
of each depends largely on your personal circumstances
— your age, your tolerance for risk, your personal
fi nancial goals, etc.
You don’t need to be aggressive to make money
in the stock market.
• True. In fact, taking on too much risk is probably
the most serious error most investors make. Instead
of thinking about risk after your investment has
dropped 25% in value, think about risk fi rst, and determine
whether the investment you’re considering fi ts
with your personal risk tolerance. Always remember:
your goal should be to protect your wealth as much as
build your wealth.
I’m retired — stocks are simply too risky for my
portfolio.
• False. Speculative, “hot stocks” and other risky
investments probably don’t belong in a retirement
portfolio. But GICs and other “safe” investments
probably won’t return much after taxes and infl ation,
putting you at serious risk of outliving your portfolio.
If you’re looking to stay ahead of taxes and infl ation
— and you should be — you’ll need to invest at least
a portion of your portfolio in equities. Over the long
run, a well-diversifi ed, conservatively managed portfolio
of stocks, bonds and cash will give you the best
chance of sustaining your portfolio.
Market Action
As of June 25th, 2007 Weekly Gain/Loss YTD
S&P/TSX Composite Index 13,906 65.57 7.74%
Dow Jones Industrial Average 13,526 174.27 8.53%
Nikkei 18,145 58.40 4.77%
Oil (New York) $71.09 1.91 16.45%
Gold (New York) $659.20 4.50 3.00%
Canadian Dollar (in US dollars) $0.9386 0.0045 12.17%
Most people review their Investment portfolio regularly!
When was the last time you reviewed your Life Insurance Portfolio?
In our ever changing world it is
important that your
insurance is reviewed
constantly to ensure that it
is the best and most
appropriate coverage
available.
As one of the valley’s only
truly independent Life
Insurance brokers, I have
access to most of the major
carriers and can help you to
ensure that you have the best
products to suit your needs.
For a complimentary review
and to see if we can lower your
cost or improve the quality of
your existing coverage call me at
342-5052 or just stop in to the
Berkshire offi ce and ask to see
Jason.
Jason Elford has been a wealth management specialist in Calgary for more than 9 years. Now a full time resident of Invermere,
Jason recently joined the Berkshire offi ce with Brendan Donahue and Bruce McLaughlin.
You don’t have to be a fi nancial genius to be a
successful investor.
• True. What you need is discipline. Th e smartest
investment ideas aren’t worth much if you don’t
have the discipline to stick with them when volatility
strikes. Don’t let your emotions derail your long-term
fi nancial future. Understand your limit for risk, select
quality investments, and determine solid buy and sell
criteria that you can stick to no matter what the market
is doing.
ABC company has hit a bit of a rough patch.
Eventually it will come back.
• Maybe. Maybe not. Sometimes even quality
companies can get caught up in a market downturn.
But sometimes there’s a good reason why a given stock
is suff ering. Th e fact is, you don’t know until you do
some research and fi nd out for yourself. Don’t let your
emotional attachment to an investment prevent you
from doing what’s right for your portfolio. If you realize
you’ve made a mistake, far better to realize your
error and sell rather than riding a loser all the way to
bankruptcy.
Professional advice is key.
• It’s true. Even the most successful investors
recognize the value of professional advice. By working
with a professional fi nancial advisor, you can keep
your portfolio strong and healthy, in all kinds of market
conditions.
Th is content is for information purposes only and is
not intended as specifi c investment advice. We strongly
recommend that you consult your investment professional
for a comprehensive review of your personal fi nancial
situation. Information is subject to change without notice
and Fidelity Investments Canada Limited will not
be held liable for any inaccuracies.
Jason Elford
Certifi ed Financial Planner
Insurance Advisor
712 - 10th Street, Invermere
Phone: 342-5052