The most common CPP question I am asked is: “Is it smart to take my CPP early?” The answer to this question is different for investors than non-investors, especially growth-focused investors like most of our clients. In my latest podcast episode you’ll learn: Why should you ignore “CPP breakeven” calculations? Why are life expectancy stats understated? What is the best way to estimate your life expectancy? What happens if you are still working? How does your tax bracket each year affect your CPP...
Jul 17, 2025•20 min•Season 3Ep. 21
What do you call a financial planner that does not plan finances? I know that sounds funny. But it is an important topic to understand. Most people assume that when they hire a financial planner, they're getting a personalized roadmap for their financial life. Yet surprisingly, that’s often not the case, and it can have a huge impact on your future. In my latest podcast episode you’ll learn: Why don’t most financial planners plan finances? What does Ed’s team see with the public? What is a finan...
Jun 26, 2025•11 min•Season 3Ep. 20
You want to retire soon. What is the best way to set up your retirement income to give you the maximum cash flow that will reliably last the rest of your life? Many financial planners use the “4% Rule”, which says that you can, for example, withdraw $40,000/year rising by inflation for life from a $1 million portfolio. Is that safe? I studied 146 years of investment history. The conclusions are surprising: 1. Most of the advice seniors are given is not supported by history. 2. I found what reall...
Jun 19, 2025•31 min•Season 3Ep. 19
How can you tell whether financial advice you receive is real financial advice or financial quackery? Much of what happens in the financial industry is financial quackery, but because the common methods are familiar to most of us, they appear normal. You can’t really see how inadequate and funny many financial procedures are until you compare them to other fields. “Quackery” is a fun word that normally refers to medicine. It is a type of health fraud that promotes products and services that have...
Jun 12, 2025•18 min•Season 3Ep. 18
This is a personal post and my first post with a request. My wife, life partner and business partner, Ann Hetram, passed away unexpectedly from cancer 2 months ago. She received excellent care at Princess Margaret Hospital, which is the best cancer hospital in Canada. In her honour, I am co-captain of a team in the Journey to Conquer Cancer walk to support research at Princess Margaret Hospital. My team is the Harbour Square Team for my condo building. The walk is on Sunday, June 15 at 9 AM. It ...
Jun 05, 2025•4 min•Season 3Ep. 17
How can your life really be different if you focus on maximum wealth-building principles? It’s not about the money. It’s about your life. This story is an extreme version of the life of an ordinary person managing his money exceptionally. The concepts are in my last post, “Rempel Maximum – 5 Steps to Becoming a Multi-Millionaire”. We often hear that building wealth is just about numbers. But here’s the truth: the numbers are just the tools. What really matters is what those numbers do for your l...
May 29, 2025•10 min•Season 3Ep. 16
Remember the show “Who wants to be a millionaire?” Are you the kind of person that wants to build some serious wealth? Live an exceptional life? Be financially free? I don’t mean just a comfortable amount. I mean a lot – like being a multi-millionaire. The truth is, average people can become very wealthy just by managing their money for maximum growth. I’m not talking about a “get rich quick scheme”. I’m talking about a solid, reliable way to become wealthy over time. The Rempel Maximum is the m...
May 22, 2025•21 min•Season 3Ep. 15
The Smith Manoeuvre is an efficient strategy to use equity in your home to invest for your future without using your cash flow. It converts your mortgage over time into a tax deductible investment credit line. Most Canadians are searching for a feeling of financial security, but all the bills & life expenses mean they never build up enough of a nest egg to be secure. The Smith Manoeuvre is a strategy that can help you build your nest egg and help you achieve the retirement you want without u...
May 08, 2025•36 min•Season 3Ep. 14
Are you one of those investors for whom things just seem to always work out well? Getting superior long term returns seems to take little effort. Whatever strategy you use seems to eventually work. You don’t spend much time or effort, yet most of the time you are feeling quite confident about your investments. Or are you the type of investor who always seems to struggle? It seems everything you buy goes down right after you buy. When you finally sell, they take off. And the investments you hold ...
May 01, 2025•15 min•Season 3Ep. 13
When can I retire with the lifestyle I want? That’s the #1 priority for our clients—based on my experience creating thousands of financial plans over the last 25+ years. They want financial freedom. It’s what we all really want. But you need a retirement plan to get there. It won’t happen on its own. Creating your retirement plan is fun. It’s not about the money. It’s all about your life. Your retirement plan is the GPS for your life. It makes you wealthier, because it gets you to your goal the ...
Apr 24, 2025•18 min•Season 3Ep. 13
Have you ever wondered how much your donation really helps the poor? Or how much it really helps find cures? Which charities help the poor the most for each dollar donated? You can now donate to the most cost-effective charities in the world with Ed & Ann’s charitable foundation “Best Things First”. In my latest podcast episode you’ll learn: How did Ed & Ann get started looking for cost-effective charities? Why is a cost-effective charity important? How did they learn about GiveWell? Why...
Apr 17, 2025•12 min•Season 3Ep. 11
I am heartbroken. My wife, life partner & business partner Ann Hetram passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, March 30. Ann was truly one of a kind — wise, intuitive, endlessly generous, and the heart of everything we built together. We shared our life, our work, our friends, and our dreams. We were together 35 years, and many years together 24/7, and I wouldn't have wanted it any other way. I’ve created this tribute — a YouTube video, podcast episode, and blog post to honour Ann’s incredible li...
Apr 09, 2025•13 min•Season 3Ep. 10
Which is true? 1.The stock market is a gamble. Decent investment, but it may or may not make money for you. 2.The stock market is a reliable long-term investment. It should be the core of your long-term investments. To invest effectively for your future, it is vital to be confident in your investments. Here is the historical data to give you a clear picture of what long-term investors can expect. By the end, you’ll have a clearer answer to the big question: Is the stock market the best way to bu...
Mar 21, 2025•25 min•Season 3Ep. 9
Last year, I did a video on How to Donate Effectively, where we explored the idea that one of the ultimate status symbols is creating your own charitable foundation—and how to make a real impact with your giving. In my latest video I interview John Bromley, the Founder and CEO of Charitable Impact, the platform we personally use to make giving easier and more effective. John has dedicated his career to helping Canadians maximize their impact through strategic giving. His company has proudly faci...
Mar 13, 2025•53 min•Season 3Ep. 8
Every year, tax rules change. For 2025 there are six main tax changes that you’ll want to know about. And there’s good news: two major uncertainties are finally gone! No more reporting requirements for "bare trusts"—saving many Canadians unnecessary paperwork and fees. The proposed capital gains tax hike? Likely off the table. In my latest podcast episode you’ll learn What are the 2 big uncertainties that are gone now? What are the 6 main tax changes for 2025? What is the new picture for saving ...
Mar 06, 2025•15 min•Season 3Ep. 7
I often talk with people who realize—almost by surprise—that they’ve become wealthy. They never really thought of themselves as wealthy, but after years of saving and investing effectively, it hits them: I’m actually wealthy. And let me tell you—being wealthy feels different In my latest podcast episode, I talk about: How do you become wealthy slowly? How do you know if you are financially independent? How do you know if you are “wealthy”? How does the mind shift feel? What mind shifts usually h...
Feb 27, 2025•22 min•Season 3Ep. 6
Bloggers and advisors constantly warn about the “Sequence of Returns Risk”—the fear that retiring right before or during a market crash will drain your savings too quickly. This fear often leads retirees to make poor investment choices, resulting in: 🚨 Inferior portfolios 📉 Lower returns ❌ A less reliable retirement But how real is this risk? And do the conventional solutions—like investing in bonds or following the 4% Rule—actually work? Is it true that “sequence of returns risk” has been deb...
Feb 20, 2025•24 min•Season 3Ep. 5
Recently, I posted a video “New Study Supports 100% Equity Investing for Life” that went semi-viral with 14,000 YouTube views & 1,000 podcast downloads. There is an interesting active debate mainly on YouTube, and a bit on my blog with a lot of comments and questions. Let’s look at them and join the debate. The evidence from the study to invest 100% in equities for life is certainly unconventional, so the comments revealed interesting insights. This is an important topic. I have many posts o...
Feb 13, 2025•30 min•Season 3Ep. 4
Why do so many Canadians struggle to achieve financial freedom, even with a solid financial plan? Why do they retire with less than they hoped for, despite diligently saving and investing? The answer often boils down to two things: suboptimal investments and a misguided focus on risk. In my latest podcast episode, we’ll uncover why good investment performance is essential for your financial success and show you how to take control of your portfolio. We’ll also address common misconceptions about...
Jan 23, 2025•38 min•Season 3Ep. 3
With its quirky name, the Smith Manoeuvre might sound unconventional, but it’s a strategy that truly works—when done by the right people, in the right way, over the long term. From crafting over 1,000 professional Financial Plans, I’ve seen firsthand how the Smith Manoeuvre can transform your finances, helping Canadians use their home equity to invest for their future without impacting their cash flow. When included as part of a comprehensive financial plan, this strategy can empower you to achi...
Jan 16, 2025•32 min•Season 3Ep. 2
For years, conventional wisdom has preached the benefits of diversifying between stocks & bonds and gradually shifting to safer investments as we age. But what if these widely accepted strategies are fundamentally flawed? A newly published, high-quality study is flipping the script on traditional investment advice, making a compelling case for a 100% equity strategy throughout life. This research, backed by robust data from 39 developed countries and spanning long-term investment horizons, c...
Jan 02, 2025•16 min•Season 3Ep. 1
I talk with people all the time who have an ETF or mutual fund that pays a fixed monthly amount. In most cases, they misunderstand it. Most think they are receiving regular income—but chances are, it’s usually a brain fart. Many investors misunderstand how these monthly pay investments work. From covered call ETFs and dividend funds to monthly income funds, mortgage funds, T8/T6 mutual funds, and REITs, the mechanics can be confusing—and the implications even more so. In my latest podcast episod...
Dec 19, 2024•20 min•Season 2Ep. 51
Ever wondered how you can get the money out of your RRSP with a minimum of tax? RRSP/RRIF Meltdown Strategies can allow you to withdraw from your RRSP or RRIF and have very little income show on your tax return. However, there are some tricky complications, and these strategies are not for everyone. In my latest podcast episode you’ll learn: How does the RRSP/RRIF meltdown strategy help you withdraw from your RRSP with minimum tax? Why should it be called the RRIF Meltdown Strategy, not the RRSP...
Dec 05, 2024•26 min•Season 2Ep. 50
In a recent podcast episode, I talked about who the poor & wealthy are and how did they get there. Today, I’m diving deeper into one crucial aspect: how the wealthy became wealthy. Can their strategies work for you? Over the years, I’ve seen the full financial picture of thousands of Canadians and read countless studies on wealth building. While my clients are generally higher-income, growth-focused individuals who work with a financial plan, I’ve also spoken to countless others—through this...
Nov 28, 2024•21 min•Season 2Ep. 49
I often get asked about Lifecycle Investing and how to implement it. If you're under 40 and saving to achieve financial independence, this might be the most powerful strategy you’ll ever learn. Lifecycle Investing has proven itself consistently over the last 150 years, increasing portfolios at retirement by an average of 63%. It has worked 100% of the time, and its success lies in addressing one of your biggest financial risks: “Last Decade Risk.” However, it’s not for everyone. This strategy of...
Nov 21, 2024•27 min•Season 2Ep. 48
As a financial planner, I’ve had a unique view into the full financial picture of thousands of Canadians and have read countless studies. My experience spans clients of varying financial backgrounds, as well as countless conversations with readers of my blog, friends, and acquaintances. Although our clients may not represent the entire population—they tend to have higher incomes, are growth-focused, and always work with a clear plan—my broad exposure has helped me form a solid understanding of w...
Nov 07, 2024•29 min•Season 2Ep. 47
The online Canadian Financial Summit is coming up the week of October 25-27. It’s the #1 personal finance event of the year. As a reader of the Unconventional Wisdom blog, here are your FREE passes for a limited time. With these FREE passes, you can watch all the talks for 48 hours. I’ll be one of the speakers again this year with three talks (see below), and I’ll be joined by over 35 other Canadian personal finance and investing experts such as Rob Carrick from the Globe & Mail and Ellen Ro...
Oct 17, 2024•5 min•Season 2Ep. 46
Tax brackets for parents and seniors are way different than you think. This might be a real eye opener for some people because I think a lot of people that do some basic tax planning are doing it all wrong. In my latest podcast episode I'm going to give you a tax planning made easy using tax brackets. I'm going to show you how, some basics of tax brackets, and briefly how tax planning is done, so you can get the concept. Then we're going to talk about why tax brackets for parents and seniors are...
Oct 10, 2024•19 min•Season 2Ep. 45
When planning for retirement, many Canadians rely on a government pension like OMERS (Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System) as their foundation. Do you need savings in addition to your government pension to maintain the lifestyle you want? A buddy called me from his car and said, “I’m driving. Will I get to my destination on time?” I asked, “Where are you going and where are you now?” It’s the same with the question of whether retiring with just your pension is enough. Well it depends o...
Oct 03, 2024•27 min•Season 2Ep. 44
In the vast landscape of personal finance, dividend investing has carved out a significant niche. Whether you're browsing through countless blogs or hearing investment advisors champion its benefits, it’s clear that dividend investing is a popular choice, especially with the FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) community. However, a closer look reveals that almost all the advantages claimed for dividend investing are not actually true. In this YouTube video with Barry Choi, we’ll fact-che...
Sep 26, 2024•46 min•Season 2Ep. 43
