How much cash should you keep in your portfolio?

Cash is rarely going to remain steady within your accounts, but you may want to have a target for it, just the same as you would for stocks and bonds. How much depends on several factors and can be a percentage or a dollar amount.AccumulatingIf you are in the accumulation phase, new deposits should result in new cash to be invested on a regular basis. This is also an opportunity to scoop up any cash that has accumulated from dividends, interest, and other distributions to invest as well. Wh

More than 25 years into his job as a business administrator, Simon Hardcastle felt there was nothing left for him to learn. He didn’t hate his job, but it wasn’t thrilling either, Hardcastle recalled. Then, one day at work, he signed up to drive a skid steer to plow snow, and he knew it was time for a shakeup. “I moved snow, and about two hours later I thought, ‘Wow, this is really good fun! What else can I do?” the 49-year-old Ancaster, Ont., resident said. &l

Here’s a round-up of news for Canadian investors this week.
Couche-TardLululemonBRPFeatured RRSP Accountsfeatured EQ Bank Build your retirement savings with 1.50% interest, tax-deferred contributions and zero fees. go to site featured Registered GIC rate Earn a guaranteed 2.75% in your RRSP when you lock in for 1 year. go to siteBest RRSP rates See our ranking of the best RRSP accounts and rates available in Canada. read now
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MoneySense is an award-winning magazine, helping Ca

The expiry of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Trade Agreement and the collapse of bilateral talks for a new deal in late August are more than abstractions for people employed in trade-exposed industries. In sectors like auto manufacturing, but also in niches like flower growing and electronic components, it could result in layoffs or reduced hours. Even people working in industries subject to Canadian counter-tariffs, such as wine importing and retailing, could be adversely affected.This news comes at a

September marks Life Insurance Awareness Month, so it’s fitting to dive into PolicyMe’s second annual life insurance report. The 2026 Life Insurance Gap Report, produced in partnership with Angus Reid, looked at the responses of over 1,500 adults asked about life insurance coverage and barriers to access.The report shows some positives compared to the previous year’s analysis, but there are some concerning details, mainly regarding affordability and consumer confidence.More Can

To steal your identity, criminals have to get their hands on a lot of your private information: name, birthdate, address, Social Insurance Number (SIN), and more. That’s not easy to do, even when the target takes few precautions or has a habit of oversharing.But an increasingly common form of digital fraud can be perpetrated with just a few snippets of personal information. And even if cyber criminals are not impersonating you specifically, there’s a danger in having even a small com

A registered education savings plan (RESP) might seem like a set-it-and-forget-it account since it’s so easy to open and there’s a clear end in sight, but you’ll want to optimize your investments as your child grows. Accounts for younger children can handle more risk, while accounts that are close to the withdrawal date should be more conservative.Here’s a quick look at how your RESP investing strategy should change over time:Young child under 10Child to age 15Older child

Food and household goods companies in Canada say they’re seeing a surge in demand as Canadians prioritize shopping local amid the ongoing trade war, but they say some retailers are slow to give more shelf space to products from this country. Despite the strain of higher prices at the grocery store, many shoppers are going out of their way to buy Canadian-made products, food, and household goods, companies told The Canadian Press. However, they say some retailers are slow to react

The Bank of Canada has made its much awaited September 2 announcement.At 9:45 a.m. ET, the Bank shared that it will maintaining its overnight rate at 2.25%, with the Bank Rate at 2.5% and the deposit rate at 2.20%.The key policy interest rate has remained unchanged since October 2025, when it came down from 2.50%.In its commentary, the Bank shared that the “continuing conflict” in the Middle East is keeping energy prices high.“As well, new U.S tariffs and Canadian counter-measu

I was in my twenties when I signed a financial client so big that its logo is practically burned into the collective consciousness of global commerce. It was a big deal. I had started my first business, a digital marketing agency, on a whim, and the first few years were hard. Then, slowly, a cascade of big clients came onto the roster, mostly in automotive because that was the industry I knew best. But this client was different. Landing it almost validated everything.So, I bought myself an expen

My first RRIF withdrawal pushed up my taxes more than I expected and I’ve now been hit with quarterly instalment payments from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). I’m still working past age 71, like a lot of people these days, either by choice or necessity, on top of the mandatory withdrawal. I am not sure most people are aware of all of the unintended consequences of mandatory RRIF withdrawals.  —JohnHi John. You are right to raise this because registered retirement inc

TD Bank Group is planning to grow its presence in the United States as it moves forward with measures to combat money laundering risks in response to penalties issued by U.S. regulators.The bank announced Thursday it would open 100 new branches south of the border by the end of 2028, subject to regulatory approvals, and is working to “identify additional opportunities” for expansion through 2030.Leo Salom, president and CEO of TD Bank U.S., said customers will be able to visit some o

It can be one of the most expensive items on a student’s back-to-school supplies list — and it just got pricier. The cost of laptops has been on the rise as tech companies around the world rush to build the data centres that power artificial intelligence, pushing up the price of memory chips and other components that go into many devices, like computers. For parents and students navigating this price hike on a tight budget, experts say a little bit of time and research can

Here’s a round-up of news for Canadian investors this week.
ScotiabankBMOEQ BankNational BankRBCTDFeatured RRSP Accountsfeatured EQ Bank Build your retirement savings with 1.50% interest, tax-deferred contributions and zero fees. go to site featured Registered GIC rate Earn a guaranteed 2.75% in your RRSP when you lock in for 1 year. go to siteBest RRSP rates See our ranking of the best RRSP accounts and rates available in Canada. read now
Why trust us
MoneySense is an award-winning magaz

If Canada ever wants to allow entertainment and sports prediction market trading, the country’s securities regulators are signalling someone else should police it. The Canadian Securities Administrators said Thursday that prediction market contracts based on sports and entertainment events should not be regulated within securities and derivatives legislation.Prediction markets currently let customers make wagers of $1 or less on the outcome of real-world events, like what will happen at th

You’ve driven through a flurry of embers to safety. You’ve found high ground as floodwaters rushed in. You’ve dodged the immediate danger to life and limb, and then the financial reality hits. For those forced from their homes due to fire or flood—in many cases with little more than the clothes on their backs—there are few things more daunting than having to

Whether you’re a newer investor or more experienced, there are undoubted benefits to letting out units as a duplex, triplex, or fourplex. Generally speaking, more units means higher returns—assuming the building is large enough to accommodate such a renovation. For homeowners, adding a secondary suite can also help offset mortgage and other housing costs, making a property more affordable to own.Some properties are readymade with multiple units, while others require work to convert t

Does it seem like more people are renting these days? You’re not imagining it. According to the Government of Canada census data from 2001 to 2021, the number of roommate households increased by 54%. Renting can make a lot of financial sense, especially if you’re going to school, trying to pay down debt, or building your savings. But many roommates make the jump to shared living without having critical discussions about how money will be handled. To help roommates get off o

Canada has become one of the top destinations for American physicians looking for a different kind of practice. A more supportive clinical environment. A better quality of life. A healthcare system built around patient care, not prior authorizations.The clinical transition is often the easy part; the financial one is not. For a US physician, moving to Canada isn’t just a change of address—it’s a major cross-border tax event. And the mistakes made in year one can follow you for

The Bank of Canada is gearing up to make an announcement about its overnight rate on September 2, 2026.The last announcement came in July, when the rate was held at 2.25%. It has remained unchanged since October 2025, when it came down from 2.50%.MoneySense spoke to Ratehub’s VP of Mortgage, Jamie David, about what Canadians can expect in September and how they should adapt. What to expect from the Bank of Canada interest rate update:“The Bank of Canada is widely expected to kee

Three types of payments are going out soon, and eligible Canadians should keep an eye on their bank account this week.
Payments under the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and Old Age Security (OAS), including the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS), both go out on the same day: Thursday, August 27. The CPP is followed by the Veteran Disability Pension payment on Friday, August 28.Here’s what you should know about your eligibility and expected amount per the Government of Canada.What is the Canada

Canada’s big banks are expected to deliver another strong performance when they report third-quarter earnings this week, but money managers and analysts are wary that any missteps could mean volatility for their high-flying shares.   Canada’s major lenders have navigated a shifting tariff landscape, weak economic growth, and a sluggish recovery in the housing market so far this year, seemingly with ease. Their resilience has driven their shares higher, upping the ante to im

Most of us haven’t set foot in a bank vault, but many of us still have the instinct: important documents and prized possessions belong somewhere locked away. Yet a safe-deposit box only holds real value if our financial lives are organized enough that someone else could easily step in if something happened to us. David Boldovitch, financial adviser and group benefits broker at Bold Financial, has watched this problem play out with real families, not because they made a bad decision, b

Budgeting for back-to-school shopping can be a daunting task, as parents balance school supply lists with all the other costs of raising children. But financial experts say it can also offer a chance to involve your children in the process and have them see how budgeting can work.Amanda Martin calls back to school the perfect real-world teaching moment for helping your kids make choices about money where they can see how it affects them. “It allows kids to really see the costs, you know, d

Year to date, I’ve watched the Canadian dollar fall as low as roughly US$0.70 in mid-June. It has recovered somewhat as of August, but over the past year, there has still been weakness in the loonie. Part of that can be attributed to the tariff threats coming from the U.S. against Canada, which have created uncertainty around trade and the Canadian economy. But the Canadian dollar’s weakness is not necessarily a reflection of deteriorating domestic fundamentals. Part of the move