# First time investor



## condor (Jun 15, 2014)

I have always held the highest regard for the individuals on this forum as it relates to money...taxes and investing.

I have decided to venture into this new avenue with no experience at all. My present Retirement Manager alows me to choose either Fidelity...or...Blackrock to move my monies around. Took a look at both and there appears to be so many choices.

Trying to figure out what to buy and how much? Have to start someplace so...here i go..any ideas??


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## Just a Guy (Mar 27, 2012)

Start doing research. You need to understand what you're investing in otherwise you're just throwing money around hoping it'll come back with more. Don't trust other people's opinion, they won't care about your money more than you should.


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## Jimmy (May 19, 2017)

Generally your age is ~ the % in fixed income ( bonds etc). ie You are 40, 40% in FI. Get a few index ETFs or emutual funds depending on how much you are investing each month. For small amts , $1000/mo, emutuals are better as less tx costs. This couch potato article/ strategy is pretty good. Blackrock has the most ETF selection ,BMO is good too.

http://canadiancouchpotato.com/recommended-funds/


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## GreatLaker (Mar 23, 2014)

> Trying to figure out what to buy and how much? Have to start someplace so...here i go..any ideas??


Finiki, the Canadian Financial Wiki is a great learning site:

http://www.finiki.org/wiki/Main_Page
http://www.finiki.org/wiki/Getting_started
http://www.finiki.org/wiki/Portfolio_design_and_construction


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## indexxx (Oct 31, 2011)

I always recommend that people start by reading The Wealthy Barber Returns by David Chilton- I've seen many on here recommend it also as one of the best, most informative starting places for Canadian investors. Easy read and pretty funny too. Of course there are many books and many theories, but TWBR might help to shed some light on those various paths and what to watch out for. Well worth the $15-20, or else the library should have it. Make sure to get that better, updated version as opposed to the original Wealthy Barber which is now more than 25 years old.


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## Eclectic12 (Oct 20, 2010)

If some of the money going to be in a non-registered account?
If so, learning the bookkeeping as well as taxes so that one sets up a system on can live with saves a lot of headache and possibly expensive mistakes. 

For example, missing that a Canadian domiciled ETF has re-invested CG (aka phantom distributions) means one is under reporting the cost base for the ETF. The end result is paying more CG tax than one owes the gov't.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/glo...by-phantom-etf-distributions/article18225076/
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/glo...n-with-phantom-distributions/article18409698/


Cheers


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## Oldroe (Sep 18, 2009)

Age,income,pensions, inheritance , mortgage, spouses info all factor's.


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