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zinfit

2K views 5 replies 4 participants last post by  zinfit 
#1 ·
I am 75 and have been retired since 2008. For the past 13 years I have done my own stock picking and my annual return has been over 20%. AS stock analysis demands time and surveillance I decided to radically change my approach. Almost all of my investments are with VTI, VUN or individualCanadian dividend stocks. I have a defined benefit plan that pays me 45k per year. Me and my wife have about 900k in RRIFs and TFSAs.I am surprised how well we have done through these years. I look forward to a positive experience with this forum. We live in the Calgary area and winter in the US sunbelt.
 
#3 ·
I'm pretty much projecting to be much where you are now in 20 more years, but without the DB, so bond holdings will likely (maybe) be in place.

I hope you find enough like minds here to convince you that being your own investment advisor can be a good path if you have what my grandpa would have called 'the guts' to stick with it.
 
#4 ·
I basically focused on US stocks in my stock selection. I looked for stocks with 20% plus and higher ROE and ROC. They had to have low debt , strong growth, a strong balance sheet, strong profit margins and lots of cash. This of coarse let me to big tech companies , retailers like Costco and Home Depot , Lowe's and medical device companies like Stryker. I was spending 2 or 3 hours a day on stock hunting and analysis . It was very rewarding and much more rewarding then letting someone else handle my investments and charging 2%per year for doing it. Now that I am 75 I wanted to simply my portfolio for estate planning so I moved from my US stocks to the Vanguard TotalMarket ETFs. One stop shopping. I know I will get a lower return but I like the simplicity at this stage. Our TFSAs are basically Canadian dividend stocks. I just fell that it is the best asset for those accounts. I do maintain about 250K in corporate bonds laddered over 7 years. Fixed income investments are a concern with the interest rate environment. With rising rates I have went with some reset preferred shares and that has worked well so far. So that is me in a nutshell.
 
#6 ·
I have had my discussions with the indexers. I think for most people it is the best choice. I do believe you can do very well with your stock selection if you are prepared to do the work and spend the time. With the discount brokers the costs of buying stocks is very small. Most active managed money under perform because the fund takes 2 or 2 1/2 % off the top every year. Anyways as stated I have moved into the ETF thing.
 
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