First portfolio reveal in 3 months. Let’s talk about what’s going on in my portfolio. How dividends have grown month over month and some of the changes I’ve made. https://youtu.be/xu5SAC3G8Ag?si=Fnu3o__bjQcAsgow
Understanding the Timing of a LIRA to LIF Conversion: Why You Can’t Withdraw Right Away Many Canadians approaching retirement are surprised to learn that converting a Locked-In Retirement Account (LIRA) to a Life Income Fund (LIF) doesn’t always mean immediate access to their money. While a LIF is designed to provide retirement income, the timing of your conversion can have a significant impact on when you can actually begin making withdrawals. What Is a LIRA? A LIRA is a retirement savings account that holds funds transferred from a pension plan when you leave an employer. Unlike an RRSP, the money remains “locked in,” meaning it is intended to provide retirement income rather than be accessed at any time. When you’re eligible under your pension legislation—typically beginning at age 55, though this varies by jurisdiction—you can convert your LIRA into a LIF. So Why Can’t I Take Money Out Right Away? This is where many people are caught off guard. In several jurisdictions, if you convert your LIRA to a LIF late in the calendar year, you may not be able to make regular LIF withdrawals until the following year. That’s because the annual minimum and maximum withdrawal limits are calculated on a calendar-year basis. When a LIF is established, the financial institution must determine how much you’re allowed to withdraw for that calendar year. Depending on the governing pension legislation and the timing of the conversion, there may be little or no available withdrawal room remaining for that year. As a result, many retirees don’t receive their first LIF payment until January of the following year. For someone who was expecting immediate retirement income, this can create an unexpected cash flow gap. Planning Around the Calendar If you’re relying on your LIF to fund your retirement, timing matters. Before initiating a conversion, consider: * Whether you’ll need income immediately after the conversion. * If it makes sense to convert earlier in the year rather than waiting until the fall or winter. * Whether you have other savings available to bridge the gap until LIF withdrawals begin. * The specific rules that apply to your province’s pension legislation, as these vary across Canada. A little planning can help ensure your retirement income starts when you expect it to. Don’t Assume Every Province Has the Same Rules LIRA and LIF rules are governed by pension legislation, not tax law, so they differ depending on whether your pension falls under federal or provincial jurisdiction. Minimum ages, withdrawal limits, unlocking options, and timing rules can all vary. Before converting your LIRA, it’s worth reviewing the rules that apply to your specific plan and discussing the timing with your financial advisor or institution. Converting a LIRA to a LIF is an important milestone in retirement planning, but it’s not always as simple as flipping a switch and accessing your savings immediately. Understanding the calendar-year rules and planning your conversion accordingly can help you avoid unexpected delays in receiving retirement income and make your transition into retirement much smoother. This is why you must have a cash wedge for any unforeseen issues like this…plan ahead. I went late summer and by the time everything was flipped over, I was able to start withdrawing in the following calendar year.
One of the best parts about the Blossom community is how open everyone is sharing knowledge and experiences. To make things easier for anyone just starting their investing journey, here’s a simple glossary to help understand and simplify various terms. Common Terms: Dividend: A share of a company’s profits paid to shareholders, usually quarterly. Ex-Dividend Date: The cutoff date by which you must own a stock to receive its next dividend. ETF (Exchange-Traded Fund): A fund that holds multiple stocks or bonds, traded like a single stock. Covered Call ETF: An ETF that owns stocks and sells call options to generate extra income (higher yield, limited / capped upside). Earnings Report: A company’s quarterly financial performance summary. EPS (Earnings Per Share): A company’s profit divided by its number of shares. Market Cap: A company’s total value (share price × number of shares). ACB: The total amount you’ve paid for an investment, including the purchase price plus any fees or commissions. Book Value: The value of a company according to its financial statements (assets minus liabilities). Yield: Annual dividend as a percentage of the stock/ETF price. Liquidity: How easily an asset can be bought or sold without impacting its price. Volatility: The degree of price fluctuations in a stock or market. Index: A benchmark of stocks (e.g., S&P 500, Nasdaq, TSX). Bull Market: A period of rising stock prices and optimism. Bear Market: A period of declining stock prices and pessimism. False Breakout: When a stock’s price moves above (or below) a key level, making it look like a new trend is starting, but then quickly reverses back. P/E Ratio: Price-to-earnings ratio (stock price ÷ EPS), used to assess valuation. Blue Chip: Well-established, financially strong companies with a track record of stability. Diversification: Spreading investments across assets to reduce risk. Broker: A platform or firm that facilitates buying and selling investments. Limit Order: An order to buy/sell a stock at a specific price or better. Market Order: An order to buy/sell a stock immediately at the current market price. Bid/Ask Spread: The difference between the highest price buyers offer and the lowest price sellers accept. Dollar-Cost Averaging (DCA): Investing a fixed amount regularly to reduce the impact of market swings. Capital Gain/Loss: Profit or loss from selling an investment for more/less than its purchase price. IPO: When a company first sells shares to the public. Index Fund: A fund designed to mirror the performance of a market index. Short Selling: Selling borrowed shares, hoping to buy them back cheaper. Margin: Borrowing money from a broker to buy investments, which amplifies gains and losses. Time Horizon: The length of time you plan to hold an investment before needing the money. Short horizons = more risk-sensitive, long horizons = more room to ride out volatility. Stock Split / Reverse Split: A split increases the number of shares (e.g., 2-for-1) while lowering the price per share. A reverse split reduces the number of shares (e.g., 1-for-10) while raising the price per share. Your overall value doesn’t change just the math. Long (Being Long): Buying a stock or asset because you expect the price to go up. Short (Being Short): Selling a stock you don’t own because you expect the price to go down, so you can buy it back cheaper later. TER: The total yearly cost of owning a fund, including the management fee plus other costs like administration, audits, and legal fees. MER: The annual cost that a fund charges for management (includes any leverage costs if used). Management Fee: A portion of the MER that goes directly to the fund managers for running the fund. Withholding Tax: A tax deducted on dividends/distributions from foreign investments (e.g., U.S. dividends to Canadian investors face a 15% withholding in TFSA/Non-Registered accounts). Total Returns: The full picture of an investment’s performance, including both price gains and dividends/distributions. CAGR: The average yearly growth of an investment over time. NAV: The price of one share of a fund (stock or etf) NAV Depreciation: When the fund’s share price goes down over time. Mutual Fund: A pool of money from many investors used to buy a mix of stocks, bonds, or other assets. Bond: A loan you give to a company or government, and they pay you back with interest. Asset: Anything valuable you own that can generate money. Portfolio: Your collection of investments. Option: A contract that gives you the right (but not the obligation) to buy or sell a stock at a set price. Future: A contract to buy or sell something at a set price on a future date. REIT: A company that owns real estate and pays investors income from rent. Alpha: A measure of how much better (or worse) an investment did compared to the market. Beta: A measure of how much an investment moves compared to the market. Sharpe Ratio: A way to see if returns are worth the risk taken. Hedging: Protecting your investments from risk. Rebalancing: Adjusting your portfolio back to your target mix of assets. Understanding these terms makes investing far less intimidating. If anyone feels other terms should be included, please share in the comments. I’ll update this post so we can build a complete beginner-friendly resource together! *Sorry tagged a few etfs for reach 🫣
Michael Burry’s AI shorts are getting attention, but I think the more important question is valuation. AI can still be a real long-term trend while some stocks may be priced for perfection. Great companies can still become poor investments if bought at the wrong price. Curious how others are thinking about AI valuations right now. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DaawQ6DuTaT/ Not financial advice — do your own research.
The person you date can have one of the biggest impacts on your financial future, yet we don’t talk about it enough. I joined the RetailRundown podcast with @humbledtrader & @bdinvesting to chat about: ✨ Dating & money (green flags, red flags, and financial compatibility) ✨ Building wealth without giving up the life you want ✨ Budgeting for travel and everyday life ✨ ETFs vs. individual stocks ✨ Multiple income streams ✨ Financial literacy for women ✨ Navigating the rising cost of living in Toronto If you’ve ever wondered how to grow your wealth while still enjoying your twenties (or just want to hear an honest conversation about money), I think you’ll really enjoy this one. 🎧 Listen to the full episode through the link https://youtu.be/ym3h9FEZ-II?si=7fEa-Ff5uTNaWwow , and let me know your biggest takeaway. I’d love to hear what you think. 💙
The Pension Income Tax Credit: A Hidden Gem in Canada’s Tax Code How a $2,000 tax credit—and the right pension plan—can save you hundreds, or even thousands, in retirement. ⸻ Most Canadians spend decades building their retirement savings, carefully choosing between RRSPs, TFSAs, and pension plans. But far fewer pay attention to what happens on the other side of retirement—how that income is taxed, and how to legally reduce that tax bill. Enter the Pension Income Tax Credit (also called the Pension Income Amount): one of the most overlooked and misunderstood tax credits in Canada’s tax system. Here’s what every Canadian should know. ⸻ What Is the Pension Income Tax Credit? The Pension Income Tax Credit is a federal non-refundable tax credit available to Canadians who receive eligible pension income. It allows you to claim a credit on up to $2,000 of eligible pension income each year. At the federal rate of 15%, that translates into a tax reduction of up to $300 annually. Most provinces also offer their own pension income credit, increasing the total tax savings depending on where you live. While the credit alone may not seem substantial, it can provide valuable tax savings every year throughout retirement. When combined with pension income splitting, the overall savings for many couples can be significant. ⸻ Who Qualifies? Eligibility depends not only on how much pension income you receive, but also on what type of income it is and how old you are. Under Age 65 If you’re between ages 55 and 64, eligible pension income is generally limited to: * Lifetime pension payments from a Registered Pension Plan (RPP), including defined benefit and defined contribution workplace pensions * Certain qualifying annuity payments, including annuity payments from the Saskatchewan Pension Plan (SPP) Importantly, RRSP withdrawals and RRIF income generally do not qualify before age 65, even if you have retired. ⸻ Age 65 and Older Once you reach age 65, the list of eligible pension income expands considerably to include: * Registered Pension Plan (RPP) income * RRIF withdrawals * Eligible annuity payments purchased with RRSP or DPSP assets * Other qualifying pension and annuity income This is one reason why the timing of converting an RRSP into a RRIF—and when you begin drawing retirement income—can have meaningful tax consequences. ⸻ The Saskatchewan Pension Plan Advantage One feature of the Saskatchewan Pension Plan (SPP) surprises many Canadians. SPP is Canada’s only voluntary, government-backed defined contribution pension plan that is open to Canadians with available RRSP contribution room. Unlike RRIF income, SPP annuity payments qualify for the Pension Income Tax Credit beginning at age 55. That means Canadians who retire before age 65 may be able to access the pension income tax credit up to ten years earlier than if their retirement income came solely from an RRSP or RRIF. For Canadians considering early retirement, this feature can make the Saskatchewan Pension Plan an attractive complement to a traditional RRSP—not necessarily a replacement. ⸻ Pension Income Splitting: Where the Real Savings Can Be The Pension Income Tax Credit becomes even more valuable when paired with pension income splitting. Canadian tax rules allow eligible couples to allocate up to 50% of eligible pension income to a spouse or common-law partner for tax purposes. If one spouse has significantly more retirement income than the other, splitting pension income can reduce the household’s overall tax bill by shifting income into a lower tax bracket. Example Suppose you receive $40,000 of eligible pension income each year while your spouse has little retirement income. Without pension splitting, you report the full $40,000. With pension splitting, each spouse reports $20,000. Depending on your province and your other sources of income, this strategy can reduce your combined tax bill by hundreds or even thousands of dollars annually. Keep in mind that only eligible pension income can be split. Employer pension income often qualifies before age 65, while RRIF income generally becomes eligible at age 65 (subject to certain exceptions). ⸻ What This Means for Alberta Retirees If you live in Alberta, the federal Pension Income Tax Credit is complemented by a provincial pension income amount. Together, these credits can reduce your annual tax bill by several hundred dollars. For retired couples, combining the pension income amount with pension income splitting may produce meaningful tax savings over the course of retirement. ⸻ How to Claim the Credit Claiming the Pension Income Tax Credit is straightforward. 1. Report your eligible pension income on your annual T1 Income Tax Return. 2. Claim up to $2,000 on Line 31400 – Pension Income Amount. 3. The federal credit is calculated automatically at 15% of the eligible amount. 4. If you are splitting pension income with your spouse or common-law partner, complete Form T1032 – Joint Election to Split Pension Income. Depending on the source of your retirement income, you’ll generally receive a tax slip such as a T4A, T4RIF, or another appropriate pension information slip to assist with filing your return. ⸻ Key Takeaways * The Pension Income Tax Credit provides a federal tax reduction of up to $300 annually, with additional savings available through provincial pension income credits. * Eligibility depends on both your age and the type of retirement income you receive. * Before age 65, eligible income is generally limited to employer pensions and certain qualifying annuities. * At age 65, RRIF withdrawals and many additional forms of retirement income become eligible. * The Saskatchewan Pension Plan is unique because its annuity payments can qualify for the credit beginning at age 55, potentially providing tax savings up to ten years earlier than RRIF income. * Eligible couples may also split up to 50% of qualifying pension income, potentially saving hundreds or even thousands of dollars in taxes each year. * Planning how you withdraw retirement income can be just as important as planning how you save it. ⸻ This article is intended for general informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, legal, or tax advice. Tax rules can change, and individual circumstances vary. Before making retirement income decisions, consult a qualified financial advisor or tax professional.
Biggest quarter of my trading career. 📈 Q2 officially closed with $1,342,054.31 in realized profits. To wrap up the quarter, I closed my final trade of the week on BTCUSDT, locking in +19.68% (+40,361.89 USDT) on a 10x long. If you told me a few years ago I'd be putting up numbers like this in a single quarter, I probably wouldn't have believed you. This didn't happen overnight. It came from thousands of hours of studying, refining my edge, learning from mistakes, and staying disciplined when the results weren't there yet. The biggest lesson? Compounding isn't just about money. It's about stacking good habits, improving a little every day, and trusting the process long enough for the results to show. Q2 Stats: • 💰 Realized P&L: $1,342,054.31 • 📊 125 Trades • 🎯 Win Rate: 63.11% • 📈 Profit Factor: 4.76 • ⚖️ Average Win/Loss Ratio: 2.78 • ✅ Final BTC Trade: +19.68% (+40,361.89 USDT) Grateful for how far I've come, but even more excited about what's ahead. On to the next quarter 🚀 📊
From Seeking Alpha, I agree with the theory and strategy I am only doing DCA through the $23k I have staking in USDC that I have tucked away just if my law firm does not produce to expectations by October. Around $40 a month in earnings to BTC by just holding USDC If the firm does well that $20k will go to VOO and QQQM 50/50 Mauro Caversazzi: I believe we have been facing a bearish trend in the price of bitcoin (BTC-USD) since the fall in October 2025. I have owned bitcoin for several years but have chosen to stop investing in this asset. My vision was that it would gradually become a currency replacing the dollar. But I was wrong. It is still a volatile financial instrument, which only responds to liquidity cycles, in my opinion. That liquidity is facing a possible rise in interest rates and more restrictive monetary policies from the Fed. We must also add the international uncertainty from the conflict in the Middle East and the strengthening of the dollar (DXY), which results in a rotation toward assets with strong fundamentals. But although my thesis is to stop investing in bitcoin, that doesn't mean we won't soon see a bullish trend in the coming months. The technical indicators are in a support zone, both on the 30 RSI and the 200 SMA on the weekly chart. Whether one is buying for the long term, it is still cheap. I recommend buying a little to average down in case it falls further. In that case, I believe it could reach the previous floor from September 2024, near $52,000.
The S&P 500 has surged since 2023: +24%, 2024: +23%, 2025: +26%, and +9% (YTD) in 2026. In my opinion, a healthy 10–15% correction over the next 3-6 months wouldn’t be surprising.
Pretty cool update yesterday - we now have the full in-app experience live for Toronto BlossomCon! Make sure you update and you’ll see the option in your profile menu tab. You can see which of your friends are attending and even leave questions for the panels 😎 We’ll pull a few of the top questions for each of the panels on the day on top of the moderated questions! Coming soon for Vancouver/NYC as well. 🇺🇸 Also this deserves it’s own post, but folks in US can now buy/sell directly on Blossom through our partnership with Public 🤯 Note Gold/Silver/Cash unfortunately got delayed until July 20 but pumped for that one too! 🥲
CAAT research points to growing uncertainty among Canadians about retirement. Many Canadians are worried about how long their savings will last, the impact of inflation and whether they may need to delay retirement. The research also shows a gap between expectations and reality. Many non-retired Canadians expect personal savings to be their main source of retirement income, while retirees today are less likely to rely on savings alone. A major challenge is that Canadians are often expected to make long-term decisions about saving, investing and eventually turning those savings into reliable retirement income on their own. Without strong structures and support, those decisions can be difficult to navigate. That is why greater access to practical retirement tools matters. Many Canadians see workplace pensions as part of the solution. Retirees with workplace pensions also tend to report higher monthly household income, which suggests these plans can play an important role in supporting financial stability over time. Workplace pensions may also encourage stronger retirement planning habits. Canadians with pensions are more likely to use a broader mix of retirement tools, while those without pensions are less likely to be actively planning.
According to a Reddit user who tracks some ETFs to know how a price will change when US markets are closed for holidays $DRAM is in for a 7%+ bump. Enjoy the ride!
Investor demand to pull out of private credit have increased yet again in the second quarter from $13.9B to $15.6B. Despite the rising requests, fund managers returned $5.9 billion in the second quarter, down from the $7.4 billion they agreed to pay out in the prior period, according to data from investment bank Robert A. Stanger. Redemption requests jumped for most of the big fund managers, including those that were less affected in the first quarter such as: Apollo Global Management $APO , Ares Management $ARES and HPS BlackRock’s private-credit unit. Blue Owl $OWL , the bellwether for selling private-credit funds to individual investors, got some relief. Redemption requests for its biggest BDC fell to 19% of shares outstanding from about 22%.
I see many beginners posting that they’re new to investing and don’t know where to start. 🤔 As someone who was in a similar situation just a few months ago and learned, here are the 4 ETF types (& ETFs) that are popular among long term investors 😃 : 1) S&P 500: US: $VOO / $SPY / $SPLG Canadian: $VFV / $ZSP / $TPU 2) GROWTH / TECH: US: $QQQ / $VUG / $VGT / $SCHG Canadian: $QQC / $HXQ / $TEC / $ZUQ 3) DIVIDENDS: US: $SCHD / $VYM / $DGRO Canadian: $VDY / $XEI 4) ALL IN ONE / BASKET / Global Exposure: US: $VT / $AVGE Canadian: $ZEQT / $XEQT / $TGRO / $VEQT / $ZGQ I noticed many people following this type of a basic / uncomplicated portfolio and are doing really well for themselves 🔥 For % allocation, you can divide evenly among the ETF categories or allocate a higher % based on your preferences. Just DCA regularly and you should be good. 😎 Some people even just put it all into an all in one etf like $XEQT. This is also a good approach - it is much simpler and it works. Ultimately, it comes to whatever you prefer 🙂 Oh and yea, there are overlaps, but I don’t think there is anything wrong in that though - it would just count as doubling down on good things. 💯 I’m sharing with you all what helped me, but don’t forget to do your own research too! 🙏🏼
INCOME ETF DRAFT TODAY 1 PM EST LIVE ON X and YouTube Can this growth investor beat out income investors ? Many of the Passive Income influencers chickened out and did not accept the challenge. 11 of beet are putting our putting our money where are mouth is 250k portfolio, once a fund is picked it can not be picked again 1 year competition 1 champion Tune in live https://www.youtube.com/live/yOvpHdk7Pf8
2025 set the benchmark for asymmetric moves across key leaders: $SNDK$30 → +4400% $MU$60 → +1100% $NBIS$20 → +1000% $IREN$5 → +900% $AMD$85 → +400% 2026 is now defining the next structure of leadership: $SOFI @$15 $NOW @$100 $NVDA @$220 $CRWV @$100 $NU @$12 Different cycle. Same market mechanics. Edge belongs to positioning, not hindsight.
Here’s my portfolio currently. I’m 13 and a us investor. Stocks account: 3k total value. 100-1,000 in contributions yearly. $350-400 in each of the following: $MU $NVDA $AMD $AMZN $GOOG $BE $SPCX $FIX 3 year hold. ETF Account: 2k total value. 2-5k contributions yearly. $1,000 (50% ) $VOO $600 (30%) $QQQM $200 (10%) $QQQJ $200 (10%) $VXUS Buy and hold 40+ years. I’m set for the ride!
Fear destroys wealth faster then bad investments ever will! When the market corrects, see it as a gift to accumulate shares of your favorite companies at deep discounts. I took advantage and added $MU$TSLA$NBIS$META$BTC & $SOL to the growth sleeves of my portfolio.
I used to think conviction meant size up. Now I know conviction without risk management is the worst thing Some of my biggest losses came from trades I “knew” would work. Market humbled that real fast. Size for zero & SPTP $SPY$QQQ
In the U.S.: (Top 1000 ETFs by AUM) June was the strongest month for top U.S.-listed ETFs so far in 2026, with net inflows reaching +$171 billion despite a net outflow week to close the month. Last week, fixed income ETFs attracted +$19 billion of new assets, nearly tripling the prior week's inflow total, while equity ETFs experienced -$24 billion of net redemptions last week, driven primarily by outflows from SPY, IWD, and IWF. Gold bullion ETFs recorded their seventh consecutive week of outflows (-$1.3 billion), while Bitcoin ETFs experienced -$1.0 billion in net outflows, marking their eighth straight week of net redemptions.
