The Rational Reminder Podcast

Welcome to Episode 34 of the Rational Reminder Podcast. Today we are discussing how our new ETF model portfolios will be employed to better accommodate our non-client listeners to whom Dimensional Fund Advisors are not as relevant. We talk about how BlackRock and Vanguard are dominating the market, why the US is leading in passive investment and why traditional financial planning needs to be re-evaluated. In addressing our main topic—safe savings rates—we explore the need for moving away from a focus exclusively on wealth accumulation to an approach more concerned with a safe savings strategy. We ask the all-important question, “How much will I need a month when I stop working?” and provide helpful guidelines on how focusing on the process rather than on the number that can help you to achieve your financial goals. Join us today to find out how you can adopt a safe savings approach!    Key Points From This Episode: How we will accommodate non-client listeners using ETF model portfolios. [0:03:34.0] The issue of accessibility with Dimensional Fund Advisors. [0:04:51.0] How the world is exploding with asset allocation ETFs. [0:05:26.0] The dominance of BlackRock and Vanguard in the market. [0:09:33.0] How the US is leading in passive management. [0:10:06.0] What the Vanguard-effect does [0:10:27.0] Investing in factor funds versus portfolios of factor funds. [0:11:17.0] The benefit of having a one-decision portfolio that has a variety of different factors. [0:13:28.0] Factor returns versus smart beta returns. [0:15:33.0] Why low beta looks good on the factor side, but bad on the implementation side. [0:16:19.0] More about the 4% rule. [0:17:35.0] The four steps of traditional financial planning. [0:18:06.0] Pfau’s suggestion for a better alternative to traditional financial planning [0:20:27.0] What your savings rate should be [0:24:00.0]. The benefit of having a safe savings approach rather than focusing on wealth accumulation. [0:25:09.0] The challenge of knowing how much you need when you stop working. [0:25:49.0] Why you need to focus on the habit rather than on the target. [0:27:10.0] And much more!

Today on the show we are joined by Rick Ferri. Anyone who follows or is interested in index investing will probably have read something of Rick’s. He’s written seven books, working on the eighth, and he’s written a ton online as well. Rick opened Portfolio Solutions, the first low fee index fund based wealth management shop and built it up to over a billion dollar company. Rick created the model of low cost fiduciary advice, using index funds and putting the client first, so today we’re chatting to him all about it. Inside this episode Rick shares why he is so passionate about low cost index investing, the four levels of an index investor, and the requirements for being a good index investor in the long term. We also talk about his relationship with John Bogle, who recently passed away. It was a pretty meaningful conversation! For this and more, be sure to join us on today’s episode! Key Points From This Episode: Rick’s passion for low cost index investing. [0:02:24.0] The four levels of an index investor. [0:05:0] Dimensional funds: active management that uses factor based investing principles.[0:10:29.0] None market risk factors fitting into a portfolio. [0:11:54.0] Rick’s thoughts on the price and the value around behavioral coaching. [0:13:44.0] The future of robo-advisers. [0:18:14.0] Three things required for a person to be a good index investor in the long term. [0:18:54.0] Not indexing yet? - You need repetition, repetition, repetition. [0:20:28.5] Having more assets than they’ll ever need in term of their equity exposure. [0:22:40.0] John Bogle as a person and how he changed the financial services industry. [0:24:33.5] How Rick defines success. [0:29:05.0] And much more!

We have a special, short bonus episode for you today! We are very glad to welcome the mayor of Ottawa, Jim Watson, to the podcast and although we are not strictly talking about investing and our usual topics, we do think it is a great and insightful conversation that you will enjoy, no matter where you are from. Mayor Watson tells us about his vision for the city, how he characterizes it, and the importance of the tech scene to its growth and success. We also talk about talent attraction and retention, social media in politics, budgeting, and his greater mission while in office. Be sure to tune and hear it all, here on the Rational Reminder Podcast! Key Points From This Episode: The mayor’s description of Ottawa. [0:02:24.7] Ottawa’s tech scene and the impact of companies like Shopify. [0:03:16.2] Attracting and retaining talent in the city. [0:05:48.8] Implementing a vision through daily work. [0:07:38.4] The role of social media in the job of the mayor. [0:08:53.7] Mayor Watson’s greater mission in politics. [0:11:06.6] Budgeting and balancing expectations around this. [0:12:55.1] And much more!

Welcome back to another episode of the Rational Reminder Podcast. Our goal this year is to find our podcasting rhythm, creating a schedule that alternates between guests and these conversational episodes where it’s just us. On today’s episode we want to pull the focus of the podcast back to answering a handful of client questions that have come up in the past little while. So on today’s episode we are jumping right in to answer those listener questions, getting back on the factor train, and trying to get to the root of the desire for face-to-face investment advice. We also talk about a few articles as well, including some of the biggest headlines in investment news, and why it it critical to not only save for but also make plans to fulfill the vision of your retirement. So for another insightful episode answering all of your questions, stay tuned! Key Points From This Episode: • Discussing recent stand-out investment articles. [0:03:12.0] • Unpacking the debate between active and passive investment management. [0:07:11.0] • Why using factors is not another flavor of active management. [0:10:43.0] • Understanding market caps surrounding factors. [0:14:41.0] • Evaluating the worth of a stock that has not dividends or profit sharing. [0:16:46.0] • Planning for retirement, or not retiring at all: the retirement trends of today. [0:19:53.0] • Wealthsimple’s premium advice option: the value of dealing face-to-face [0:23:44.0] • The lost Bitcoin wallets crisis; understanding centralized versus decentralized [0:30:44.0] • And much more!

Today on the show we are joined by Steven Leong who is the Head of Canada iShares Product at BlackRock. Steven is here to talk about single decision ETFs, the new XGROs and XBALs from BlackRock and whole lot more. We start off the episode with a bit of an introduction on BlackRock and iShares before Steven informs us on the new relationship between BlackRock and RBC Global Asset Management. From there we get into the meat of the episode looking at the portfolios in question and Canada’s current positioning in the global trends. We talk about some of the great advantages that these funds offer investors and Steven shares his ideas on the current role of the financial advisor with regards to the rise of passive investing. We are lucky enough to have Steven offer his perspective on a slew of related topics before ending off with two great pieces of advice for our listeners. For this and more, be sure to join us! Key Points From This Episode: A quick overview of BlackRock’s scope and size [0:02:44.0] BlackRock’s relationship with RBC Global Asset Management. [0:04:35.8] A little about the XGRO, the XBAL portfolios. [0:06:32.3] Overweighting in Canada in common model portfolios.. [0:08:52.1] The advantage of automatic rebalancing for the investor. [0:11:06.3] The evolving role of the trusted financial advisor. [0:12:27.4] Sharp downturns in fund fees and the results of this trend. [0:15:01.8] Canada’s relatively slow uptake in index funds and iShares’ factor products. [0:19:46.9] The future of active versus passive investing. [0:25:21.2] Two pieces of investment advice from Steven! [0:27:14.7] And much more!

Today we are joined by a friend, hero, and a legend in the field fact based investing. Larry Swedroe is here to discuss his latest book, some of the timeless concepts he has been espousing for many years, and to give out a few golden nuggets of advice for your finances and retirement. Larry is so generous with his time and wisdom and we chat about a ton of chapters from his book, Your Complete Guide to a Successful and Secure Retirement, and he picks out a few ideas to focus on here in this quick discussion. Larry shares the biggest mistake he has noticed in retirement planning, lifestyle considerations moving into the final stages of life, estate transfer, underperforming stocks, and more! We draw on Larry’s wealth of experience to get some perspective on more current trends in the industry such as the fixation on costs of advisors and we finish off hearing from Larry about how he defines success as he nears the end of his professional career. For all this and more, be sure to join us for an extra special episode!   Key Points From This Episode:   The four horsemen of the retirement apocalypse. [0:03:03.4] Larry’s pick for the biggest mistake made in retirement planning. [0:06:32.9] Non-financial considerations for those heading into retirement. [0:09:22.7] Day to day preparations for finding meaning in the retirement years. [0:13:04.5] Why it is important to expose yourself to independent risk factors. [0:15:34.6] Understanding the reasons for never actually avoiding factors. [0:26:53.9] How to avoid losing assets during the transfer of an estate. [0:29:16.4] Taking underperformance into account when considering your investments. [0:32:58.3] Looking at the financial industry’s shift in focus towards costs. [0:37:06.1] Larry’s own definition of success moving into the end of his career and retirement. [0:41:55.1] And much more! For more information or to contact Cameron and Ben, visit pwlcapital.com

Welcome back to The Rational Reminder Podcast! Today we are riding solo with no guests and just going over some recent developments, in-house news, and gearing up for some more great shows in the pipeline. We have had so many amazing guests recently, talking on a number of specific topics, so we thought we would take this opportunity to clean the mailbox, as it were, and set the table for the next few weeks. During the episode we cover the new partnership between RBC and iShares and what this means going forward and we also look at the state of ETFs and how much they have grown in the last few years. We talk about the impetus to go to cash that many investors and advisors seem to be considering and also discuss global diversification and how this is the truest representation of a belief in capitalism. We talk data, advertising, tax and the supposed market monopolies that the biggest companies in the world have right now. For all this and more, be sure to join us!   Key Points From This Episode: We are hiring! [0:01:40.0] The new alliance between RBC and iShares. [0:02:23.3] The growth for ETF in comparison with mutual funds. [0:05:31.9] Does it make sense for long term investors to go to cash? [0:06:14.7] Globally diversified investments in international markets. [0:08:30.2] Are we living in a winner takes all market right now? [0:14:36.4] How data has overtaken oil as the most valuable resource. [0:20:54.2] CPPIB’s controversial advertising strategies. [0:23:50.6] A few quick tax updates. [0:26:30.6] And much more! For more information or to contact Cameron and Ben, visit pwlcapital.com

Today on the podcast we are very excited to welcome Brad Steiman who is the Canadian Head of Financial Advisor Services for Dimensional! This is an episode we literally cannot wait to share with our listeners as it is jam packed with really useful information, history, and inside scoops on Dimensional and what has helped them get to where they are today. As huge fans and associates of DFA this is the type of conversation we have been hoping to have for quite some time and hope you are as excited as we are. In our discussion, we cover Brad’s early career and how he became involved and employed by Dimensional. From there, Brad gives us some great insight into the important early events that shaped his and the companies trajectories as well as laying out the vital characters in DFA’s story. We also get into some of the ideas and the ethos that underpins the work done at the company, particularly around research, findings and implementation. For all of this and host of other interesting subjects be sure to join us for this episode!   Key Points From This Episode:   Brad’s initial attraction to working at Dimensional. [0:01:45.5] The college years and the following epiphanies. [0:02:37.9] Why Brad did not look at his early paychecks at Dimensional. [0:06:29.3] How David Booth preempted the evidence-based approach. [0:08:53.1] Dimensional’s continual approach to new research and data mining. [0:14:55.5] The criteria Dimensional apply when assessing findings. [0:17:26.9] Brad and Dimensional’s philosophy when it comes to stock momentum. [0:20:41.1] The implementation strategy at Dimensional. [0:25:51.1] ETFs versus mutual funds and Dimensional’s decision in this battle. [0:28:05.1] Dimensional’s unique approach to working with the advisor community. [0:30:51.5] Three of Brad’s favorite stories from his time at the company. [0:32:49.6] Brad’s science based approach to happiness! [0:37:34.1] And much more!   For more information or to contact Cameron and Ben, visit pwlcapital.com

In this episode of the Rational Reminder Podcast we welcome Robin Powell. Robin is a journalist and content creator who has dedicated the more recent part of his career to helping spread the word on research backed investing and turning the tide on the history of investment advice. For Robin, this all came about from an assignment he was working on and the feeling of shock he experienced when he discovered the wealth of information that is available to investors but how it is shielded by the majority of investment advisors. Robin explains these experiences and why we still see this in today’s marketplace. He chats to us about the films he has produced on the subject and the great characters and thought leaders with whom he has met. Robin is kind enough to open up about his thoughts on the future of investing, regulation and his hopes for the spread of this information. For all this and more, be sure to join us!   Key Points From This Episode:  Some of Robin’s background and previous work experience. [0:01:40.6] Why Robin started spreading the evidence based investment message . [0:02:38.9] The experience of speaking with industry leaders to make a documentary film. [0:04:07.7] The impact of this and the subsequent films Robin has produced. [0:05:44.0] Robin’s perspective on the Canadian financial industry. [0:06:57.8] The impact of the change of rules for financial advisors in the UK. [0:09:21.6] The effect of RDR and claims about reduced access to advice. [0:12:24.2] Difficulties in sharing information and changing people’s minds. [0:15:06.0] The role of the press in this dynamic and whether it can change [0:16:52.2] Robin’s favorite interviews and encounters over the years. [0:18:07.4] Looking to the future of the financial industry. [0:19:53.5] Considering the role of the human financial advisor with the rise of robo-advisors. [0:21:40.1] Robin’s own measure of success in his work [0:22:59.9] Regulation in the pursuit of changing the approach of advisors. [0:24:28.9] And much more! For more information or to contact Cameron and Ben, visit pwlcapital.com

Welcome to this holiday edition of the Rational Reminder Podcast. Today on the show we have a special treat for you. A little while back, Cameron made an incredible connection with our guest, David Goetsch. David is a writer and the Co-Executive Producer of the Big Bang Theory. David himself subscribes to our investment philosophy and he is passionate enough about it that he speaks about it at conferences every now and then. He is truly a fascinating guy and the impact that this investment philosophy had on him is unreal. Inside this episode David shares with us how he used to a be a self-described worrier who worried about every little thing in his life. But once he had his eyes opened up to this philosophy, it changed him forever. He now embraces uncertainty, he embraces risk, he is not worried about his portfolio at all, and it has given him a great amount of peace in his life. For an incredible conversation with an absolutely changed man, stay tuned to hear it all! Key Points From This Episode:   How David’s financial advisor changed his entire life. [0:02:46.3] What it means to become a transformed investor. [0:08:32.1] The greatest impact that David’s philosophy had on his life. [0:10:19.7] David’s relationship with his financial advisor; meetings, and guidance. [0:14:03.6] How to think about the fees you pay your financial advisor. [0:16:11.1] David’s miscalculation of risk in his life; moving to Hollywood. [0:22:36.0] The journey of David’s career as writer in Hollywood. [0:27:17.3] Schedule and writing process of the Big Bang Theory. [0:34:23.1] How David defines success and happiness in his own life. [0:37:43.0] The story of when David got check 1 of 104 from Big Bang Theory. [0:39:51.8] And much more! For more information or to contact Cameron and Ben, visit pwlcapital.com