Investing
Investing is the art of using your money to make more money. The concepts and practices are simple, if you know about them. Here are the most important things to know.
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Popular online banks in Canada
3 min read
There are unique advantages to using online-only banks. Here are some of the most popular online banks in Canada, as well as their advantages.
Popular Banks in Canada in 2024
13 min read
We’ve rounded up some of Canada’s popular banks, including online-only banks and alternative financial institutions for a comprehensive guide.
Guaranteed Income Supplement Explained
7 min read
If you live in Canada and are nearing retirement age, you may be eligible for the Guaranteed Income Supplement. Here’s what you need to know.
What's Tax Loss Harvesting?
1 min read
Tax-loss harvesting is a strategy to help reduce the amount you may have to pay in taxes. Learn more.
What is asset allocation?
3 min read
Asset allocation is a fancy way of saying, “don’t put all your eggs in one basket.” Learn more about it.
Passive Investing: What It Is and How It Works
4 min read
What is passive investing? We have a guide that will not only explain it, but will get you started investing like a passive pro.
Alternative investments, explained | Example and strategies
4 min read
Alternative investments are assets other than stocks, bonds, and cash that can offer diversification and the potential for higher returns. Dive deeper into what that means and if they may be for you.
Do you have enough for retirement
5 min read
We hear a lot about saving for retirement, but we don’t often hear what retirement will cost us and whether or not we’ll have enough to retire. We get into those details.
RRSP contribution deadline for 2024
1 min read
Find out when the RRSP contribution deadline is this year and how much you can contribute.
What is the TFSA limit for 2025?
5 min read
Curious to know the TFSA limit for this year or any year since 2009? We've got 'em all, plus other important information about limits.
What is fixed income?
7 min read
Fixed income securities like bonds, guaranteed investment certificates (GICs), treasury bills (T-bills) can be beneficial for a balanced portfolio. Here’s what you need to know about them.
How to Invest in Dividend Stocks
5 min read
Stocks that pay out regular dividends are a popular way of generating potential wealth. But before you put all of your money into dividend stock, it’s worth getting informed about all the benefits and drawbacks.
How to Invest Cash Money - an Investor’s Guide to Cash
4 min read
Understanding when it makes sense to hold cash money and when to use it is a key component of investing. Learn about when it makes sense to invest, and how much is too much.
A Comprehensive Guide to RRSP Transfers
3 min read
Guide to RRSP transfers for Canadians: benefits, types, reasons, and steps to move your RRSP
TFSA Transfers Explained
3 min read
TFSA transfers: What you need to know and a step-by-step guide for moving your TFSA
Accounts to save for retirement
4 min read
Learn what accounts can help you better save for retirement and what to do with them.
What Is an FHSA?
5 min read
An FHSA is a tax-sheltered account that helps Canadians save up to $40,000 toward the purchase of their first home. Find out how it works.
What Are Dividends & How Do They Work in Canada
6 min read
You’ve heard of dividend securities, but what are they? Let’s look at the definition of a dividend and an explanation of why issuers pay dividends.
Real Estate Investment and Investing in Canada
6 min read
Housing values in Canada are on the rise and it seems everyone is getting in on the action. But is real estate investing right for you?
How to Invest in Index Funds
3 min read
Index funds function like a slice of a particular index market by mirroring its composition and performance. This can be great for passive investors, but it also comes with some caveats.
What is a Bear Market?
1 min read
A bear market is a condition of investor pessimism and declining investment. It’s when securities prices fall 20% or more from their 52-week high.
Fractional Shares
2 min read
A fractional share is a fraction of a share of stock. It allows investors to own stock in a company without buying a full share. Here’s a guide to fractional shares.
What is a GIC?
5 min read
Guaranteed Investment Certificates (GICs) are low-risk investments. They operate like savings accounts, in that you are given interest in exchange for depositing your money with a financial institution. But unlike savings accounts, GICs require your money to be locked up for a certain amount of time — typically in exchange for a higher interest rate.
Mutual Funds: What They Are & How To Invest | Wealthsimple
10 min read
Mutual funds have been the dominant player in the personal investment world for decades. How do you invest in them? We have your answer and more.
12 Smart Ideas to Make Passive Income in Canada
7 min read
Passive income is the Holy Grail of the business world—it’s income that takes little or no effort to bring in. This is the kind of income people make without doing a large amount of ongoing work. It includes renting out real estate, selling digital products, or selling ad space on a blog.
Diversification: What does it mean and how does it work
8 min read
Diversification is a way to spread out your investment to reduce your risk. Learn the details and how to put it into practice.
The Six Worst Ways to Trade Options
5 min read
You can’t take the risk out of options, but you can do your best to limit it.
What is an ETF?
4 min read
An ETF (exchange-traded fund) is a type of diversified investment fund. Find out everything you need to know about ETFs and how to buy them.
FHSA vs. TFSA vs. RRSP
10 min read
Instead of stressing with a calculator or calling your accountant, you can figure out which tax-sheltered account is best for you — FHSA, RRSP, or TFSA — with this very simple (and fun!) flow chart.
Yield Definition and Explanation
7 min read
Investing is all about getting a return on your money, and figuring out your yield will give you valuable knowledge to influence your investment decisions.
What is Dividend Yield?
2 min read
Dividend yields show the dividend as a percentage of the company’s current share price. They also give you an easy way to compare one dividend to another.
How the Stock Market Works In Canada?
10 min read
Losing sleep wondering how the stock market works? Today's your lucky day. We'll impart all you need to know to become a market pro in no time.
What is compound interest?
9 min read
It's the process by which the money you make on your principal investment itself becomes part of the principle for further investment.
Investing 101 For Beginners | How To Start | Wealthsimple
6 min read
Want to invest like a pro? Learn the basics of investing from us and we'll have you on the road to investing in no time.
What is Stock Lending?
6 min read
Securities lending is a way to make money off of stocks that you already own by loaning them to other investors. Here’s how it works.
How much money do you need to save for retirement?
5 min read
It’s never too early to start thinking about how much money you’ll need to retire. Here’s a way to find out what you’ll need in 5 steps.
The Seven Worst Ways to Trade on Margin | Wealthsimple
3 min read
Trading on margin can amplify profits and losses. Learn about common mistakes you should try and avoid.
Types of Bonds Explained
5 min read
Bonds can play a useful role in your investment portfolio, as a source of diversification and a buffer against stock market volatility. But before you start making trades, you’ll need to know the different types.
What is tax-efficient investing | Wealthsimple
3 min read
Tax-efficient investing is an investment strategy that aims to minimize the taxes investors will pay on investment gains, in order to maximize their after-tax returns.
Financial Health Check
6 min read
See how your fiances compare to the average Canadian's with this interactive experience.
Using your margin account to borrow money
4 min read
A margin loan can work like a line of credit, letting you borrow money using the assets in your margin account as collateral. It has its perks, but those perks come with risks that make this loan type better suited to experienced investors.
What Are Bonds?
9 min read
A bond is a fixed income security that comes with low risk for the investor. This guide will give you an overview of investing in bonds and show how they’re different from stocks.
What is dividend reinvestment?
2 min read
Dividend reinvestment allows you to automatically reinvest your dividends, making sure you have the most time in the market as possible. Here is everything you need to know.
What is an option chain and how do you read it?
2 min read
An option chain is a table that lists information about the existing options contracts related to a given underlying security. Learn more about how it’s used in options trading.
What is a margin call
5 min read
Margin calls occur when the value of your account drops below a certain threshold that you need to get it back up to. Here’s what you need to know about what a margin call is, what to do if it happens to you, and how you can avoid it.
Margin account vs. cash account
5 min read
Margin accounts and cash accounts are two types of non-registered accounts that allow investors to access the markets. Learn more about the benefits and drawbacks of each.
What is margin
9 min read
Learn more about how to use margin as a trading strategy, the benefits, and risks.
Margin terminology | Wealthsimple
3 min read
Learn the common terms associated with margin and trading on margin.
What is short selling
6 min read
Short-selling involves borrowing a security you expect to fall in value so that you can immediately sell it, wait for the price to drop, and then buy it back at a lower price.
What is a covered call?
6 min read
A covered call is an options strategy that lets you sell (or “write”) call options against the underlying stock you own. Read on for details and some examples.
How to Invest in the S&P 500
5 min read
As an index of 500 of the largest publicly-traded U.S. companies, the S&P 500 can have built-in diversification. We explain why it may be worth exploring.
What is a Call Option?
9 min read
Call options give the holder of the option the right, but not the obligation, to buy a specific quantity of an underlying stock at a specified price for a specific period of time. This article will walk you through how call options work.
Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP): What it is and how it works
8 min read
An RESP is a tax-advantaged savings account for a child’s future education, funded by the Canadian government. Here’s how to save using an RESP.
How to invest by decade
7 min read
Investing isn’t something you set up once and leave until you’re ready to retire. We cover what priorities and factors you should think about depending on your age.
Option Greeks: Delta, gamma, theta, vega, and rho
2 min read
There are different risks with options. Option Greeks help investors calculate and understand those risks, so it can be very useful to know what each one means.
Options terminology and what each term means
5 min read
Trading options involves a lot of specialized terms. We give you a quick rundown of the main terminology and explain what each word means, so that you can be better prepared as you trade options.
What is a Put Option?
10 min read
A guide to investing in put options: What they are, how they work, how to invest in them, and the difference between a call option and a put option.
Lifetime Capital Gains Exemption Explained
2 min read
The LCGE allows you to avoid paying taxes on capital gain income up to a certain amount when you sell shares/property in your small business, farm or fishery.
Stop orders
4 min read
Stop-limit orders automatically trigger an attempt to buy or sell an asset when it hits a price you specified beforehand — so you know it’ll only be completed at a price you find acceptable. Learn more about how they work.
What Is Options Trading and How Does It Work?
9 min read
Options are a type of traded product that goes beyond simply buying or selling a stock. We cover the basics of what options are and how trading them can open you up to so many different… options.
An Investor's Guide to Private Equity
3 min read
Private equity is an alternative investment class that involves buying stakes in private companies, improving them, and attempting to sell them for a profit. Here's how it works.
How to Trade Options
4 min read
With options, you're predicting whether a stock's price will rise or fall within a certain time period. Here's how to trade them.
Best Stock Market Simulators in Canada
6 min read
Stock market simulators work by allowing you to pretend you are investing in real stocks but without using real money. Here are a few of the best options.
What is the S&P 500?
5 min read
The S&P 500 is a stock market index that measures the performance of approximately 500 U.S. companies. These companies (which happen to cover 11 sectors) offer a snapshot of U.S. stock market health as well as the broader economy.
What is Options Trading?
7 min read
Options trading is the practice of buying and selling option contracts on the open market. It can be a lucrative way to grow your investment portfolio, but it comes with serious risks.