The Bright Side in a Negative World - What's On Your Mind - Second Edition April 2020

The Bright Side in a Negative World

So maybe there's some good to be had from all this Social Distancing.  We feel that not enough is being said about some of the positives the world is experiencing from our forced time out as the media just focuses on the negative to draw in viewers.

On top of potentially slowing Covid-19 social distancing should also lead to significant declines in:

·                 Crime

·                 The Flu

·                 The common cold (also a corona virus)

·                 h1n1

·                 MERs

·                 SARS

·                 Ebola

·                 Norovirus

·                 Lice in schools 

·                 Pollution and carbon emissions

The planet is literally getting a breather.  Pictures of the canals in Venice and the sky over parts of China show huge declines in pollution levels.  We don't see how it couldn't.

We're probably all going to wash our hands a lot more and possibly eat out a little less.  Some of us have rediscovered past times such as reading, exercising, baking or just plain old chilling with a beverage.

Other positives that we hope come from this period of panic is how interconnected we all are.  Whether through contagion or economically.  When my neighbour loses his job, my pay will be cut. It's really that simple.  I would hope we use this time to focus on what is the most important to us in our journey through life.  Friends, family and health trump assets (and liabilities).  You can't take it with you!

Stay healthy and Take Care 

Linda J. Levesque, CFP^®, FMA, FCSI®

Sr. Investment Advisor

Director, Private Client Group
HollisWealth®, a division of Industrial Alliance Securities Inc.

Levesque Wealth Planning is a personal trade name of Linda J. Levesque
Insurance Advisor

Hollis Insurance

One Corporate Plaza, 2075 Kennedy Road, 5^th Floor, Toronto, ON M1T 3V3
Tel: 416-412-8018 / 1-800-322-4030
Fax: 416-332-6772
linda@levesquewealthplanning.com                                                         

Daniel Fearon, MBA, CFA, CPA(CA)

Sr. Investment Advisor

Director, Private Client Group
HollisWealth®, a division of Industrial Alliance Securities Inc.

Levesque Wealth Planning is a personal trade name of Linda J. Levesque

One Corporate Plaza, 2075 Kennedy Road, 5^th Floor, Toronto, ON M1T 3V3
Tel: 416-412-8018 / 1-800-322-4030
Fax: 416-332-6772
daniel@levesquewealthplanning.com                                                                                          

‘Saving Today for a Richer Tomorrow’®

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR WEB SITE?

You can, as long as you include this complete statement with it: Linda J. Levesque and Daniel Fearon, are Senior Investment Advisors and Directors, Private Client Group of HollisWealth®   Linda J. Levesque is an author of The 5 Minute Wealth Plan, Saving Today for a Richer Tomorrow®, in The Road to Success with Jack Canfield and in The Authorities, Powerful Wisdom from Leaders in the Field.  If you're ready to jump-start your life, have more fun and joy in all that you do, get a FREE consultation from Linda J. Levesque and Daniel Fearon. 

This information has been prepared by Linda J. Levesque & Daniel Fearon who are Investment Advisors for HollisWealth® and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of HollisWealth. The information contained in this newsletter comes from sources we believe reliable, but we cannot guarantee its accuracy or reliability. The opinions expressed are based on an analysis and interpretation dating from the date of publication and are subject to change without notice. Furthermore, they do not constitute an offer or solicitation to buy or sell any of the securities mentioned. The information contained herein may not apply to all types of investors. The Investment Advisors can open accounts only in the provinces in which they are registered. HollisWealth® is a division of Industrial Alliance Securities Inc., a member of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund and the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada.

Insurance products provided through Hollis Insurance.

Today, Tomorrow, the Future: Here's What we Think - What's On Your Mind - April 2020

We have been listening to many conference calls on the markets as of late.  Many of these market calls focus on what has already transpired.  Volatility, the COVID-19 pandemic, the oil price war, the shutdown of global economies and massive corresponding bailouts.  This helps paint a picture of where we are and how we got here but doesn't really help us with what happens next.  The truth here is that no one knows.  Especially the media channels going on and on. 

We firmly believe that in due course things will improve.  

Here are some themes that we think could begin to emerge over the next year or so.  

We feel that Canada might lag behind some of our peers in any economic recovery.  Why?  Canadian oil producers are shutting production down.  We think Alberta will be very repressed economically and this will hurt Canada and the Canadian dollar.  In addition a lot of Canadians were very indebted heading into this pandemic.   This is why we diversify our portfolios geographically.

Also, it is not uncommon to get additional market pullbacks as the economic picture becomes clearer.  That is, we could see more negative days in the stock markets of the world.  We do believe that by the second half of this year (2020) we will get double digit economic growth and then a long and arduous rebuilding of lost economic output.  We think we are 18 months to two years, at least, to get back to where we were in January of this year (2020) based on corrections throughout history. 

We could get a 2nd and possibly 3rd wave of this virus as is common with most viruses.  COVID-19 is beginning to take hold in the US and they have delayed taking precautions (or haven't taken the threat seriously enough).  We think the USA could get an Italy type disaster situation.  Parts of the USA are beginning to build temporary morgues.  We are not trying to scare anyone.  These are the likely scenarios that could unfold. 

There is a big economic mess to clear in the way of renters, landlords, small businesses and the like.  The bailouts will not be uniform and will likely favour big business with lobbying power.

While we don’t try to time the market or predict the future, we are trying to be pragmatic and realistic. We do think we will see significant recovery in account values by Christmas.  Most of the markdowns in the portfolios are temporary.  Fixed income markets in particular have been hit with liquidity issues and have suppressed fund prices (NAVs).  

We think that staying calm and staying invested is the best course of action.  This has proven to be the case through economic catastrophes in history.  Be patient and focused on the future, because the sun will come out tomorrow.  

As always, feel free to call us anytime if you have questions or concerns.  If you think someone would benefit from our articles you can forward them on or have the person contact us to go on our email list.

Linda J. Levesque, CFP^®, FMA, FCSI®

Sr. Investment Advisor

Director, Private Client Group
HollisWealth®, a division of Industrial Alliance Securities Inc.

Levesque Wealth Planning is a personal trade name of Linda J. Levesque
Insurance Advisor

Hollis Insurance

One Corporate Plaza, 2075 Kennedy Road, 5^th Floor, Toronto, ON M1T 3V3
Tel: 416-412-8018 / 1-800-322-4030
Fax: 416-332-6772
linda@levesquewealthplanning.com                                                          

Daniel Fearon, MBA, CFA, CPA(CA)

Sr. Investment Advisor

Director, Private Client Group
HollisWealth®, a division of Industrial Alliance Securities Inc.

Levesque Wealth Planning is a personal trade name of Linda J. Levesque

One Corporate Plaza, 2075 Kennedy Road, 5^th Floor, Toronto, ON M1T 3V3
Tel: 416-412-8018 / 1-800-322-4030
Fax: 416-332-6772
daniel@levesquewealthplanning.com                                                                                          

‘Saving Today for a Richer Tomorrow’®

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR WEB SITE?

You can, as long as you include this complete statement with it: Linda J. Levesque and Daniel Fearon, are Senior Investment Advisors and Directors, Private Client Group of HollisWealth®   Linda J. Levesque is an author of The 5 Minute Wealth Plan, Saving Today for a Richer Tomorrow®, in The Road to Success with Jack Canfield and in The Authorities, Powerful Wisdom from Leaders in the Field.  If you're ready to jump-start your life, have more fun and joy in all that you do, get a FREE consultation from Linda J. Levesque and Daniel Fearon. 

This information has been prepared by Linda J. Levesque & Daniel Fearon who are Investment Advisors for HollisWealth® and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of HollisWealth. The information contained in this newsletter comes from sources we believe reliable, but we cannot guarantee its accuracy or reliability. The opinions expressed are based on an analysis and interpretation dating from the date of publication and are subject to change without notice. Furthermore, they do not constitute an offer or solicitation to buy or sell any of the securities mentioned. The information contained herein may not apply to all types of investors. The Investment Advisors can open accounts only in the provinces in which they are registered. HollisWealth® is a division of Industrial Alliance Securities Inc., a member of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund and the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada.

Insurance products provided through Hollis Insurance.

A Time for Change, the Good, the Bad and the Ugly - What's On Your Mind - March 30th, 2020

By now I expect a lot of you realize that our monthly article has turned into a weekly one. During this time of COVID-19 we want to make sure that we keep our communication lines open.

Let’s start with some good news. The federal government has reduced all RIF minimums by 25%. At this time if any of you are receiving RIF payments or know of people receiving money from their registered plans but not really needing this money to live on, you may want to consider stopping or reducing the payment you receive during this time of market volatility. When markets normalize you can make the decision to restart or hold off as long as you take the minimum annually. The federal government will be monitoring to see whether or not they need to make more concessions towards retirees and their registered money.

Those of you that normally make annual contributions to your RSP may want to consider setting up a pre-authorized contribution and start to dollar average in on a weekly or monthly basis. We don’t know how long the sale will last but we believe that we are getting a good long term discount right now.

As a reminder we view investing as having a long term outlook.  In fact this is our preference.  We are often asked how long is long term. Long can generally be defined as greater than 7 years.  But since we don’t know how long we’re going to live, we believe we should invest as if we will live to 100.  Saving is more of a short term goal usually with a definite purpose (vacation, car etc).  Any money that is needed within 2 to 3 years should be saved in shorter term vehicles such as daily interest savings, GICs, bonds and bond funds.

With so many people having to work from home the time that you save from commuting is a great time to devote that extra time to your family and your long-term goals. This year since I will be in self quarantine for a couple of weeks and working remotely, I plan on using some of my extra time doing some of the projects I’ve been putting off around the house. Between dusting off my home gym (I plan on using it) and cleaning out some of my cupboards, I may actually get back in shape. Getting older and sitting at a desk has made me quite lazy. Having some extra time for myself may be a good thing in the long run. I do try to look at the positive side of everything because if you look hard enough you realize there is always some upside.  We would like to suggest that we also use this time to reflect on what's important to us.  Many of us are caught up in our busy, often frenetic, lives.  Maybe slowing down isn't such a bad thing.  

Until next week. Stay positive.

Linda J. Levesque, CFP^®, FMA, FCSI®

Sr. Investment Advisor

Director, Private Client Group
HollisWealth®, a division of Industrial Alliance Securities Inc.

Levesque Wealth Planning is a personal trade name of Linda J. Levesque
Insurance Advisor

Hollis Insurance

One Corporate Plaza, 2075 Kennedy Road, 5^th Floor, Toronto, ON M1T 3V3
Tel: 416-412-8018 / 1-800-322-4030
Fax: 416-332-6772
linda@levesquewealthplanning.com                                                         

Daniel Fearon, MBA, CFA, CPA(CA)

Sr. Investment Advisor

Director, Private Client Group
HollisWealth®, a division of Industrial Alliance Securities Inc.

Levesque Wealth Planning is a personal trade name of Linda J. Levesque

One Corporate Plaza, 2075 Kennedy Road, 5^th Floor, Toronto, ON M1T 3V3
Tel: 416-412-8018 / 1-800-322-4030
Fax: 416-332-6772
daniel@levesquewealthplanning.com                                                                                           

‘Saving Today for a Richer Tomorrow’®

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR WEB SITE?

You can, as long as you include this complete statement with it: Linda J. Levesque and Daniel Fearon, are Senior Investment Advisors and Directors, Private Client Group of HollisWealth®   Linda J. Levesque is an author of The 5 Minute Wealth Plan, Saving Today for a Richer Tomorrow®, in The Road to Success with Jack Canfield and in The Authorities, Powerful Wisdom from Leaders in the Field.  If you're ready to jump-start your life, have more fun and joy in all that you do, get a FREE consultation from Linda J. Levesque and Daniel Fearon. 

This information has been prepared by Linda J. Levesque & Daniel Fearon who are Investment Advisors for HollisWealth® and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of HollisWealth. The information contained in this newsletter comes from sources we believe reliable, but we cannot guarantee its accuracy or reliability. The opinions expressed are based on an analysis and interpretation dating from the date of publication and are subject to change without notice. Furthermore, they do not constitute an offer or solicitation to buy or sell any of the securities mentioned. The information contained herein may not apply to all types of investors. The Investment Advisors can open accounts only in the provinces in which they are registered. HollisWealth® is a division of Industrial Alliance Securities Inc., a member of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund and the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada.

Insurance products provided through Hollis Insurance.

The Mysterious Saga of COVID-19, Driving You Crazy or Keeping the Faith - What's On Your Mind - Third Edition March 2020

It’s easy to lose focus on your long-term goals when it feels like the world around us has gone a little crazy. Given the recent market volatility due to the unknown outcome of COVID-19 (coronavirus) we want you to know what is happening in our world. Our offices have closed for any in person meetings until further notice. Currently we are all working remotely. Those of you who have been with me for quite a while know that I have been conducting business remotely for the past 10 years while I spend part of the winter in Florida. We are equipped and can continue conducting business as usual through telephone, emails, and video conferencing.

Over the next several weeks, our Administrative Assistant Lynette Gonsalves, will continue to book appointments using one of the above options. At any time you can contact us through email or telephone and we will promptly get back to you within our normal hours of business.

In all likelihood, once the markets start to rebound, Canada will probably be headed towards a recession. Given that we don’t have a crystal ball, we won’t know how deep or how long the recession will last until we look backwards at some point in the future.

So what can you do to help yourself and your family get through this period of uncertainty with minimal pain? If you haven’t already you may want to reduce your expenses where possible. Cash will become king. The question you should ask yourself before making large purchases, is this something you need or something you want? Even though the malls are quite empty during this time of social distance, online sales appears to have increased. People are finding more time to shop since they are working from home.

This is the time to keep saving and focus on the future. Remember investors look into the future with faith. We are asking you to keep the faith as we walk the same line into the future with you. As always if you have any questions or concerns we are here to serve you.

Linda J. Levesque, CFP^®, FMA, FCSI®

Sr. Investment Advisor

Director, Private Client Group
HollisWealth®, a division of Industrial Alliance Securities Inc.

Levesque Wealth Planning is a personal trade name of Linda J. Levesque
Insurance Advisor

Hollis Insurance

One Corporate Plaza, 2075 Kennedy Road, 5^th Floor, Toronto, ON M1T 3V3
Tel: 416-412-8018 / 1-800-322-4030
Fax: 416-332-6772
linda@levesquewealthplanning.com                                                         

Daniel Fearon, MBA, CFA, CPA(CA)

Sr. Investment Advisor

Director, Private Client Group
HollisWealth®, a division of Industrial Alliance Securities Inc.

Levesque Wealth Planning is a personal trade name of Linda J. Levesque

One Corporate Plaza, 2075 Kennedy Road, 5^th Floor, Toronto, ON M1T 3V3
Tel: 416-412-8018 / 1-800-322-4030
Fax: 416-332-6772
daniel@levesquewealthplanning.com                                                                                          

‘Saving Today for a Richer Tomorrow’®

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR WEB SITE?

You can, as long as you include this complete statement with it: Linda J. Levesque and Daniel Fearon, are Senior Investment Advisors and Directors, Private Client Group of HollisWealth®   Linda J. Levesque is an author of The 5 Minute Wealth Plan, Saving Today for a Richer Tomorrow®, in The Road to Success with Jack Canfield and in The Authorities, Powerful Wisdom from Leaders in the Field.  If you're ready to jump-start your life, have more fun and joy in all that you do, get a FREE consultation from Linda J. Levesque and Daniel Fearon. 

This information has been prepared by Linda J. Levesque & Daniel Fearon who are Investment Advisors for HollisWealth® and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of HollisWealth. The information contained in this newsletter comes from sources we believe reliable, but we cannot guarantee its accuracy or reliability. The opinions expressed are based on an analysis and interpretation dating from the date of publication and are subject to change without notice. Furthermore, they do not constitute an offer or solicitation to buy or sell any of the securities mentioned. The information contained herein may not apply to all types of investors. The Investment Advisors can open accounts only in the provinces in which they are registered. HollisWealth® is a division of Industrial Alliance Securities Inc., a member of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund and the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada.

Insurance products provided through Hollis Insurance.

“This too shall pass” - What’s on Your Mind? Interim – March 2020

“This too shall Pass”.  I remember reading this quote during the dark days of my divorce and it often comes to mind during troubling times.  It is a Persian adage that has been translated throughout the ages to reflect the transitory nature of most things (problems, pandemics, market selloffs, political discourse, famine and strife).

Can anyone tell us what happened to SARS?  Seriously….what happened to SARS?  There was no vaccine.  There was no cure.  Where did it go?  The hazmat suits were on the front page of every newspaper around the planet.  Well now we are with a new Pandemic called the Corona virus (COVID-19).  Only it turns out that it’s not that new and most of us will get it in some form over our lifetime.  This too shall pass.

Media hype, crowd mentality and fear mongering has led to a selloff in global stock markets.  People around the world have ravaged stores shelves of canned goods, bottled water and toilet paper.  Costco has been cleaned out of tissues, wipes and the like.  My partner, Trish, has been there three times trying to pick some up.  Surely this isn’t rational behaviour.  This too shall pass.

The market selloff was one of the steepest and quickest in market history.  Far quicker than I recall when I was sitting at a trading desk in 2008.  Computers, algorithms and servers with automated trading code sitting at the stock market (FYI this is called co-location) now account for a significant (60% to 80%) off all trading activity on any given day.  Market makers who used to step in with bids and support markets during selloffs have been relegated to the bleachers.  Market movements have become instantaneous with corresponding moves in volatility (market gyrations).  Volatility went on a wild ride on Monday March 3^rd reaching levels not seen since 2008.  Account values are down and the psychological discomfort is real.  This too shall pass.

How can we compete with all these machines that seem determined to rock the markets.  We can beat them through diversification, intelligent asset allocation and most importantly time.  We know it’s hard in times like this not to be nervous, anxious or scared.   The physiological manifestations are real….but…. This too shall pass.

Daniel Fearon, MBA, CFA, CPA(CA)

Sr. Investment Advisor

Director, Private Client Group
HollisWealth®, a division of Industrial Alliance Securities Inc.

Levesque Wealth Planning is a personal trade name of Linda J. Levesque

One Corporate Plaza, 2075 Kennedy Road, 5^th Floor, Toronto, ON M1T 3V3
Tel: 416-412-8018 / 1-800-322-4030
Fax: 416-332-6772
daniel@levesquewealthplanning.com                   

Linda J. Levesque, CFP^®, FMA, FCSI®

Sr. Investment Advisor

Director, Private Client Group
HollisWealth®, a division of Industrial Alliance Securities Inc.

Levesque Wealth Planning is a personal trade name of Linda J. Levesque
Insurance Advisor

Hollis Insurance

One Corporate Plaza, 2075 Kennedy Road, 5^th Floor, Toronto, ON M1T 3V3
Tel: 416-412-8018 / 1-800-322-4030
Fax: 416-332-6772
linda@levesquewealthplanning.com                                                         

‘Saving Today for a Richer Tomorrow’®

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR WEB SITE?

You can, as long as you include this complete statement with it: Linda J. Levesque and Daniel Fearon, are Senior Investment Advisors and Directors, Private Client Group of HollisWealth®   Linda J. Levesque is an author of The 5 Minute Wealth Plan, Saving Today for a Richer Tomorrow®, in The Road to Success with Jack Canfield and in The Authorities, Powerful Wisdom from Leaders in the Field.  If you're ready to jump-start your life, have more fun and joy in all that you do, get a FREE consultation from Linda J. Levesque and Daniel Fearon. 

This information has been prepared by Linda J. Levesque & Daniel Fearon who are Investment Advisors for HollisWealth® and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of HollisWealth. The information contained in this newsletter comes from sources we believe reliable, but we cannot guarantee its accuracy or reliability. The opinions expressed are based on an analysis and interpretation dating from the date of publication and are subject to change without notice. Furthermore, they do not constitute an offer or solicitation to buy or sell any of the securities mentioned. The information contained herein may not apply to all types of investors. The Investment Advisors can open accounts only in the provinces in which they are registered. HollisWealth® is a division of Industrial Alliance Securities Inc., a member of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund and the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada.

Insurance products provided through Hollis Insurance.                                                                       

Retirement; is it even possible for you? - What's On Your Mind - July 2019 Edition

Well summer has finally arrived along with the nice weather. You may be planning what to do on the family vacation. It seems like Canadians spend more time planning their vacations than their retirement. It has been reported that household debt levels are higher here in Canada than in any other country, according to a report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. If this is true then you would think that the priority would be to spend the time planning your retirement so you can do all the things you couldn’t do while working full time.

Although I believe in the balance of living today, I still think you need to plan for tomorrow. Canadians are also living much longer today than our parents and grandparents did. If this is true then you would also think that maybe you would need a lot more money to live those extra years that our ancestors didn’t have to plan for. On the other hand, our ancestors for the most part was a society of savers. Today with the overabundance of available credit we can live like kings today and paupers tomorrow.

We may be looking at the government for guidance and get our approval that it is okay to borrow for today, somebody else can pay tomorrow. From the top down it is all about how much debt we can carry. Somewhere along the line this must stop if we want to live a balanced and enriched life in retirement. After all retirement could be 40 years or more.

This summer instead of planning the family vacation, maybe the family can start planning and setting goals for when you are done work and real living begins. This all starts with putting yourself and your family in a good financial situation. You can start the process by asking for a free cash flow analysis, from your current advisor, to see where all the money is currently going. Cash flow is king when you want choices in life. In Canada we have the opportunity to make a change in our financial life that takes us out of the statistics of carrying too much debt to the small percentage of Canadians that are savers. It is a habit to spend, as much as a habit to save. Why not change the habit to one of a saver and know that you can afford to retire and in the lifestyle of your choosing.

Linda J. Levesque, CFP®, FMA, FCSI®
Sr. Investment Advisor
Director, Private Client Group HollisWealth®, a division of Industrial Alliance Securities Inc.
Levesque Wealth Planning is a personal trade name of Linda J. Levesque
Insurance Advisor
Hollis Insurance
One Corporate Plaza
2075 Kennedy Road, 5th Floor, Toronto, ON M1T 3V3
Tel: 416-412-8018 / 1-800-322-4030
Fax: 416-332-6772
linda@levesquewealthplanning.com
‘Saving Today for a Richer Tomorrow’®

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete statement with it: Linda J. Levesque, Senior Investment Advisor and Director, Private Client Group of HollisWealth® is an author of The 5 Minute Wealth Plan, Saving Today for a Richer Tomorrow, in The Road to Success with Jack Canfield and in The Authorities, Powerful Wisdom from Leaders in the Field. If you're ready to jump-start your life, have more fun and joy in all that you do, get a FREE consultation from Linda J. Levesque

This information has been prepared by Linda J. Levesque who is an Investment Advisor for HollisWealth® and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of HollisWealth. The information contained in this newsletter comes from sources we believe reliable, but we cannot guarantee its accuracy or reliability. The opinions expressed are based on an analysis and interpretation dating from the date of publication and are subject to change without notice. Furthermore, they do not constitute an offer or solicitation to buy or sell any of the securities mentioned. The information contained herein may not apply to all types of investors. The Investment Advisor can open accounts only in the provinces in which they are registered. HollisWealth® is a division of Industrial Alliance Securities Inc., a member of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund and the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada. Insurance products provided through Hollis Insurance.

Market Volatility: Is this time different? - What's On Your Mind? - November 2018 Edition

Doesn’t everyone love a sale?  It seems that we all love to get a discount except when it comes to the stock market.  The Bay has a big sale every fall and people come from all over to get their bargains.  Why should it be any different when it comes to the stock market? 

Is the selloff in the markets really any different than all the other previous ones we have gone through?  During the 2008-09 selloff we saw an exceptional downturn in the markets.  Looking back wouldn’t it have been nice to get some extra money in some of your favourite companies at rock bottom prices before the last decade of increases?

Isn’t saving money what everyone wants?  If this is the case then why do we get so depressed or upset when the market periodically gives us opportunity to purchase stocks at better pricing?

I believe what may be happening is with technology comes the ability to look at our investment statements on a daily basis and any high water mark our investments have been valued at we believe is ours.  Anything below that amount we feel we are suffering a loss.

There will always be up markets just as there will be down markets.  In between those two is the up and down we are experiencing right now.  This is not different.  It will never be different.  What needs to change is our obsession with looking at our accounts on a daily basis and getting emotional.  Trust me this won’t be easy but it will be worth trying to break a habit that have us stressed on a daily basis. 

If you are a trader this advice is not for you.  Traders do need to pay attention practically minute by minute.  Most of us are investing in quality investments for the long term.  We get the break of not needing to check the markets daily unless we are trying to buy more bargains.

Since we know that it is impossible to time the markets on a regular basis we need to just stay the course for the long term and let the markets do what they need to do.  Any short term goal, cash should be on hand so you are not selling into the down market.  Any extra cash you have should be used to take advantage of discounted pricing. 

Remember what you see on your statement or online is not your valuation.  You will not know the true value of your investments until sometime in the future when you sell.  At that point we hope that it is higher than what you see today.  You understand it is not different this time.

Linda J. Levesque, CFP^®, FMA, FCSI®

Sr. Investment Advisor

Director, Private Client Group
HollisWealth®, a division of Industrial Alliance Securities Inc.

Levesque Wealth Planning is a personal trade name of Linda J. Levesque

Insurance Advisor

Hollis Insurance Inc.

One Corporate Plaza, 2075 Kennedy Road, 5^th Floor, Toronto, ON M1T 3V3
Tel: 416-412-8018 / 1-800-322-4030
Fax: 416-332-6772
linda@levesquewealthplanning.com                                                                                          

‘Saving Today for a Richer Tomorrow’®

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR WEB SITE?

You can, as long as you include this complete statement with it: Linda J. Levesque, Senior Investment Advisor and Director, Private Client Group of HollisWealth® is an author of The 5 Minute Wealth Plan, Saving Today for a Richer Tomorrow, in The Road to Success with Jack Canfield and in The Authorities, Powerful Wisdom from Leaders in the Field.  If you're ready to jump-start your life, have more fun and joy in all that you do, get a FREE consultation from Linda J. Levesque 

This information has been prepared by Linda J. Levesque who is an Investment Advisor for HollisWealth® and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of HollisWealth. The information contained in this newsletter comes from sources we believe reliable, but we cannot guarantee its accuracy or reliability. The opinions expressed are based on an analysis and interpretation dating from the date of publication and are subject to change without notice. Furthermore, they do not constitute an offer or solicitation to buy or sell any of the securities mentioned. The information contained herein may not apply to all types of investors. The Investment Advisor can open accounts only in the provinces in which they are registered. HollisWealth® is a division of Industrial Alliance Securities Inc., a member of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund and the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada. Insurance products provided through Hollis Insurance Inc.