Mutual funds or ETFs for children.

I would definately confirm if an RESP (joint) is an option. If so plunk in the $2,500 max per year per child and get the 20% max. education grant back from the Gvt. You cannot beat that instant return. However I would only do that until you have reached that max. grant allowed (over $7,000 per child). Then back off the RESP contributions.

Mine are at TDW and I am pleased thus far.

What to buy in the account would require more research (your original question) but I strongly recommend the RESP route first.

Cheers

I think you need to claify the flight path of the cash. If your kids are the named beneficiaries then the money should not be flowing through you personally. It should be flowing to their name.

Their accounts must be labelled "YOU in trust for THEM" because they are too young to 'contract'. All the financial institutions have setups for 'informal trusts' to be used in these situations. I believe they can be used within the TFSA system, so I presume also with the RESP. Within the account you manage the money just like you manage your own.

The money flows from the family trust directly to the kids accounts for clean paper trail with respect to taxes.

I think an RESP is out as their grandparents started RESPs in their name and max those out each year. Yes, these guys will be quite fortunate when it comes time to go to school.

I should stop being lazy and make an appointment at TD to see if I can get this money into some e-series funds.

TD will probably try to get you into regular mutual funds, because the branch doesn't have much to gain from e-Series which are only transacted online. You can simply open a regular mutual funds account in-branch (makes the paperwork much easier) and once it's open, send in the form to convert it to an e-Series account. Not very difficult. I use the e-Series for my kids' RESP and my fun money account, and it works very well.