Build Wealth Canada Podcast Top Investing Mistakes: Common Analytical Errors Canadian DIY Investors Make
Jan 13, 2026
Danielle Nuzzel, an ETF educator at BMO ETFs, shares her expertise on common mistakes made by Canadian DIY investors. She cautions against relying on a single performance metric when analyzing ETFs. The discussion includes linking investments to personal goals and risk profiles, understanding fees, and uncovering hidden costs. Danielle highlights essential steps for comparing funds and the importance of examining underlying index track records. She also advises on how to avoid emotional biases in investing and stresses the need for thorough due diligence.
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Fees Can Destroy Long-Term Returns
- High fees compound into massive lifetime losses for investors and can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars over decades.
- Kornel warns that paying over ~1% MER is a portfolio emergency compared with low-cost index ETFs like ZEQT at ~0.2% MER.
Don't Rely On One Metric
- Avoid focusing on a single metric like one-year returns or yield when evaluating an ETF.
- Danielle instructs investors to review multiple metrics and longer track records to get the full picture.
Match Investments To Goals And Risk
- Link every investment to your goals and risk profile before buying it.
- Danielle advises that strategies like covered call ETFs trade growth for income and may not match growth objectives.