Explore Investment Solutions for Your Goals and Financial Plan
Understand how mutual funds, segregated funds, managed portfolios, corporate investments, income portfolios and responsible investing approaches may fit within a coordinated investment strategy.
Choosing an Investment Solution
Find the Right Investment Solution for Your Needs
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Mutual Funds
Professionally managed pooled investments across a variety of asset classes and mandates.
Segregated Funds
Insurance-based investment contracts offering specialized guarantees and estate-planning features.
Managed Portfolios
Coordinated portfolio solutions structured around defined objectives and risk profiles.
Corporate Investing
Investment planning for retained corporate earnings and long-term business-owner objectives.
Income Portfolios
Portfolios designed to support recurring distributions and retirement-income needs.
ESG & Responsible Investing
Investment approaches that consider environmental, social and governance factors alongside financial objectives.
Access Professionally Managed and Diversified Portfolios
A mutual fund pools money from many investors and invests it according to a defined objective. The fund may hold equities, fixed income, cash or a combination of different investments.
Mutual funds may be used within registered and non-registered accounts and can provide access to investment markets that may otherwise be difficult to assemble independently.
- Professional management: investment decisions are handled by a portfolio-management team.
- Diversification: one fund may hold numerous securities.
- Accessibility: many funds permit regular contributions and withdrawals.
- Choice: available mandates include income, balanced, growth, sector and global strategies.
- Account flexibility: funds may be held in RRSPs, TFSAs, RESPs, FHSAs and non-registered accounts.
Common Mutual Fund Categories
Combine Investment Growth Potential with Insurance-Based Features
Segregated fund contracts are investment products issued by life insurance companies. They invest in underlying portfolios while providing insurance-related features that are not generally available with conventional mutual funds.
- Maturity guarantees may protect a percentage of deposits at a specified maturity date.
- Death-benefit guarantees may provide protection when the annuitant dies.
- Beneficiary designations may facilitate direct payment of proceeds.
- Potential estate efficiency may help avoid probate where permitted.
- Potential creditor protection may apply in certain circumstances.
- Reset features may allow guarantees to be adjusted after investment growth.
Guarantees are subject to contract terms, holding periods, withdrawals, fees and insurer conditions.
Mutual Funds and Segregated Funds
Coordinate Multiple Investments Within One Portfolio Strategy
Managed portfolios combine investments within a pre-structured or customized allocation. The portfolio may be designed for conservative, balanced, growth, income or other objectives.
Rather than selecting investments independently, portfolio management considers how the components work together.
- Strategic allocation across equities, fixed income and cash.
- Professional investment selection and ongoing oversight.
- Regular rebalancing to maintain the intended risk profile.
- Potential access to multiple managers and investment styles.
- Consolidated reporting and coordinated portfolio monitoring.
A Managed Portfolio Process
Invest Retained Corporate Earnings with Purpose and Coordination
Incorporated professionals and business owners may accumulate funds that are not immediately required for operating expenses. These retained earnings may be invested within the corporation as part of a broader business-owner financial plan.
- Maintain sufficient operating cash and emergency reserves.
- Clarify short-term business commitments before investing.
- Coordinate corporate investments with personal savings.
- Consider taxation of interest, dividends and capital gains.
- Review passive-investment income and small-business-deduction implications.
- Integrate shareholder retirement, succession and estate objectives.
Corporate investment planning should be coordinated with the corporation's accountant and legal professionals where appropriate.
Corporate Investment Planning Flow
Coordinate Investment Income with Spending and Retirement Needs
Income portfolios are designed to support recurring cash-flow needs while seeking to preserve an appropriate balance between stability, income and long-term growth.
The portfolio may draw income from several sources rather than depending exclusively on one investment or distribution type.
- Interest from bonds and other fixed-income investments.
- Dividends from Canadian and international equities.
- Fund or portfolio distributions.
- Systematic withdrawals from invested capital.
- Cash reserves for near-term spending requirements.
- Growth assets intended to help address inflation and longevity.
Potential Components of an Income Strategy
Consider Environmental, Social and Governance Factors
Responsible investing refers to approaches that incorporate environmental, social and governance considerations into investment analysis and portfolio construction.
Different funds may use very different responsible-investing methods, even when their labels appear similar.
- Exclusionary screening: avoiding certain industries or activities.
- Positive screening: emphasizing companies with stronger ESG characteristics.
- ESG integration: incorporating ESG factors into financial analysis.
- Active ownership: engaging with companies and exercising voting rights.
- Impact investing: seeking measurable environmental or social outcomes.
Responsible-investment preferences should be considered together with diversification, risk, return expectations, fees and portfolio suitability.
The Three ESG Pillars
Six Questions to Ask Before Selecting a Solution
A product should be selected because it supports the financial plan—not simply because it is currently popular or recently performed well.
What Is the Goal?
Identify what the money is intended to accomplish and when it may be needed.
How Much Risk Is Appropriate?
Consider emotional tolerance, financial capacity and required return.
How Important Is Liquidity?
Confirm how quickly and predictably the money may need to be accessed.
What Are the Costs?
Understand management fees, insurance costs, trading expenses and advice fees.
How Will It Be Taxed?
Coordinate the product with registered, personal and corporate account structures.
How Will It Be Reviewed?
Establish an ongoing process for monitoring suitability and progress.
Explore Related Investment Resources
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Investment Fundamentals
Review risk, diversification, asset allocation, dollar-cost averaging and long-term investment principles.
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Explore Planning Tools →Investment Strategy Centre
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Visit the Strategy Centre →Which Investment Solution Is Appropriate for You?
The appropriate solution depends on your goals, time horizon, risk profile, account structure, tax considerations, income needs and broader financial plan.