Unconventional Wisdom

What is the meaning of life? What truly makes it worth living? How can having a meaningful life help you become financially independent? It comes down to responsibility. Choosing what you want to be responsible for gives your life structure, direction and purpose. It’s also the same mindset that can help you become financially independent. In my latest podcast episode you’ll learn: What is the meaning of life? What makes life worth living? How do many people avoid taking responsibility for their life? How can having a meaningful life help you become financially independent? How can you become wealthy? If you’ve ever wondered how to align your deeper “why” with your financial success, this post is for you.  

Being worried about a market crash right after retiring is a major fear for many people both before and after taking the plunge. I often hear these anxieties: “I’m scared to retire even though I have enough money in every projection. What happens if there is a market crash right after I retire?” “We just retired, but are hesitant to spend money in case we have a market crash.” You’re not alone—thousands of people have had the same worry. But does the data actually support this fear? In my latest podcast episode you’ll learn: Do we need to worry about a market crash right after retiring? Should we have the same worry in future years? Can I really be financially independent for life? How can I confidently take the plunge and retire when the market might crash? What should you do when the market crashes during retirement? Should I go back to work? What has happened in history with market crashes during retirement? What types of investments most reliably provide a solid income for a 30-year retirement? How can you let go of the fear?  

♦Go Big or Go Slow: Why 10x Wealth Is Easier Than 2x♦ This title may be hard to believe, but it is a common theme in coaching for small business entrepreneurs.  The concept is from the popular book "10x Is Easier Than 2x: How World-Class Entrepreneurs Achieve More by Doing Less" by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy. Most of us think about incremental improvements in our lives, not dramatic life-changing improvements. That would require a completely different way of thinking. The 10X concept works for entrepreneurs. You can also use the 10X concept to dramatically improve your finances. In my latest podcast episode you’ll learn: Why does this concept work for world class entrepreneurs? Stories of how and why it worked. Why can becoming 10 times wealthier be easier than 2 times? How can this idea be used for your finances? What specific concepts can give you 10X wealth? How can you figure out what 10X concepts might be right for you? This is a unique post that is a completely new way of thinking. It includes some insight into my mind and my life.

Owning a home is unaffordable for many people today. Here is some good news! If you rent, you can grow your wealth as fast or faster using the same 2 ideas that benefit homeowners. Tenants have several major advantages over homeowners for wealth building. Many homeowners think their home is their best investment. But that is unfortunate. It is easy to find better investments with dramatically higher long-term returns. Despite the lower returns, homeowners on average are wealthier for 2 non-investment reasons.  Tenants can use the same 2 ideas to grow as much or more wealth. In my podcast episode you’ll learn: How do homes compare to other growth investments for rate of return? Why is it unfortunate for people if their home is their largest investment? Why do they call home equity "dead equity"? What are the 2 non-investment reasons homeowners tend to be wealthier? Why do homes start being a great investment but then stop? What are the advantages tenants have over homeowners for wealth building? How can you make renting your secret to smart wealth building? What are 3 effective strategies to grow wealth faster without owning a home? Many people feel they are missing out because they cannot afford to buy a home or choose not to buy a home. They may think that owning a home is the cornerstone to building wealth and eventually being financially independent.  

Wait. Don’t people say, “Your home is your best investment? For many people, their home may be their only major investment. For them, that old conventional wisdom might be true. But that is unfortunate. It is easy to find better investments with dramatically higher long-term returns. Despite the lower returns, homeowners on average are wealthier for 2 non-investment reasons. In my latest podcast episode you’ll learn: How do homes compare to other growth investments for rate of return? Why is it unfortunate if your home is your largest investment? What are the 2 non-investment reasons homeowners tend to be wealthier? Why does your home start being a great investment but then stop? Can your home be your retirement plan? Is home equity the key to wealth or is it “dead equity”? How can you make your home a good investment? What are the 2 best strategies to make your home a great investment?  

Are you ever confused by all the different titles that financial planners and advisors use?  What types of advice and services do they offer?  Which one offers what you are looking for? When you have real worries or questions about your money, “who you gonna call?” Who is the super-hero of advice? In my podcast episode you’ll learn: When you want real advice, what are the most valuable types of advice to help you? What are the main titles planners & advisors use? What services and advice does each typically offer? Which type is the best to create a professional Financial Plan and confidence in your future? Which type offers on-going Full Service to be your financial guru and help you in all areas of your finances? Which types are unbiased, fee transparent, and have a fiduciary duty to you? Which types can help you with a wide range of investments and the best ones for you? Which ones are “Old Bay Street” and which are “New Bay Street? What would you look for to find your financial planner super-hero? Quick disclaimer: Terms like financial planner and financial advisor are broad and often used interchangeably. What I’m sharing reflects common patterns I’ve seen, not a blanket description of every professional using these titles. There are lots of exceptions!  

Most seniors start their CPP and OAS when they retire or at age 65, without evaluating the options. But many would benefit from delaying CPP until age 70. Here’s how to figure out what’s best for you. CPP and OAS offer cool opportunities to increase after-tax income, because seniors often have flexibility in choosing taxable vs. non-taxable income, and OAS comes with several “clawbacks” beyond regular tax. To spot these opportunities, you need to think creatively about pensions, tax, and investments.  After 65, the biggest factors in deciding whether to delay CPP are whether you’ll need to withdraw more from your investments, and whether you’re a growth investor, as this decision looks very different for growth-focused portfolios. In my latest podcast episode you’ll learn: Why should you ignore “CPP breakeven” calculations? Why are life expectancy stats understated? What is the best way to estimate your life expectancy? What happens if you are still working? How does your tax bracket each year affect your CPP & OAS & GIS? How can you qualify for the maximum GIS? How does your CPP & OAS fit into your overall retirement income? Who should take CPP & OAS early and contribute it to RRSP? How do CPP & OAS affect the estate you leave for your kids? Who should delay their CPP to age 65? Real life examples.  

The most common CPP question I am asked is: “Is it smart to take my CPP early?” The answer to this question is different for investors than non-investors, especially growth-focused investors like most of our clients. In my latest podcast episode you’ll learn: Why should you ignore “CPP breakeven” calculations? Why are life expectancy stats understated? What is the best way to estimate your life expectancy? What happens if you are still working? How does your tax bracket each year affect your CPP? How does your CPP fit into your overall retirement income? Who should take CPP early and contribute it to RRSP? How does CPP affect the estate you leave for your kids? Who should delay their CPP to age 65? Real life examples. This is an updated post based on 2025 CPP amounts and expectations, and my latest insights.  

What do you call a financial planner that does not plan finances? I know that sounds funny. But it is an important topic to understand. Most people assume that when they hire a financial planner, they're getting a personalized roadmap for their financial life. Yet surprisingly, that’s often not the case, and it can have a huge impact on your future. In my latest podcast episode you’ll learn: Why don’t most financial planners plan finances? What does Ed’s team see with the public? What is a financial plan? What difference does a Financial Plan make in your life?  

You want to retire soon.  What is the best way to set up your retirement income to give you the maximum cash flow that will reliably last the rest of your life? Many financial planners use the “4% Rule”, which says that you can, for example, withdraw $40,000/year rising by inflation for life from a $1 million portfolio. Is that safe? I studied 146 years of investment history. The conclusions are surprising: 1. Most of the advice seniors are given is not supported by history. 2. I found what really works to give you the maximum reliable retirement income – both how to set up your portfolio and manage your income. In my podcast episode you’ll learn: What is the typical advice given to seniors and does it work? What does Ed’s study of 146 years of history show about the 4% Rule? Which asset allocations provide the most reliable retirement income? What is the main risk to your retirement for any asset allocation? Is it safer to hold some cash to use during market downturns? What are the reasons that the actual results of history are surprising? How can you manage “sequence of returns risk”? What is the impact of inflation? How does your risk tolerance affect your retirement income? What is Ed’s rule of thumb for a safe withdrawal rate? Are there advanced methods to manage a higher retirement income with 100% success?  

How can you tell whether financial advice you receive is real financial advice or financial quackery? Much of what happens in the financial industry is financial quackery, but because the common methods are familiar to most of us, they appear normal.  You can’t really see how inadequate and funny many financial procedures are until you compare them to other fields. “Quackery” is a fun word that normally refers to medicine. It is a type of health fraud that promotes products and services that have questionable and unproven scientific bases. In my latest podcast episode you’ll learn: What is financial quackery? Why is it a major problem for Canadians? How can it ruin your retirement plan? What is “risk” in financial planning? How can you make informed decisions about your risk tolerance AND your goal? If you’ve ever been handed a generic investment recommendation after a fifteen-minute chat and a “risk tolerance questionnaire,” you may have met a financial quack.  Just like in medicine, real advice requires a proper diagnosis—and skipping that step can be costly. 🦆 Discover how to spot the quackery, protect your retirement, and make decisions that actually align with your life goals.    

This is a personal post and my first post with a request. My wife, life partner and business partner, Ann Hetram, passed away unexpectedly from cancer 2 months ago.  She received excellent care at Princess Margaret Hospital, which is the best cancer hospital in Canada. In her honour, I am co-captain of a team in the Journey to Conquer Cancer walk to support research at Princess Margaret Hospital.  My team is the Harbour Square Team for my condo building. The walk is on Sunday, June 15 at 9 AM. It starts at the University of Toronto, Varsity Stadium, 299 Bloor Street West, Toronto. Donations support breakthrough research, supporting over 1,600 researchers and scientists working on innovative projects, such as early detection methods, personalized cancer treatments, and immunotherapy advancements. Ann’s cancer was classified as an “unknown tumor”. She received a personalized cancer treatment including immunotherapy. I’m hopeful that with your support, research will advance to help others facing rare cancers like hers. Whether you walk with us, join virtually, or donate — every step and every dollar counts. Thank you, Ed  

How can your life really be different if you focus on maximum wealth-building principles? It’s not about the money. It’s about your life. This story is an extreme version of the life of an ordinary person managing his money exceptionally. The concepts are in my last post, “Rempel Maximum – 5 Steps to Becoming a Multi-Millionaire”. We often hear that building wealth is just about numbers. But here’s the truth: the numbers are just the tools. What really matters is what those numbers do for your life. In this article, you’ll see the stark contrast between two ordinary guys—Joe and Rich—who made radically different financial choices.  One followed conventional advice. The other followed a plan most Canadians don’t even know exists. In my latest podcast episode you’ll learn: Why conservative investing may quietly sabotage your retirement, and what you can do instead. How aggressive (but smart) leverage can massively increase your net worth. The truth about long-term stock returns compared to balanced portfolios. How the Smith Manoeuvre can create wealth without using your cash flow. What “last decade risk” is, and how to avoid it derailing your retirement. The power of tax-efficient investing and how to compound your tax refunds. How building wealth gives you more than luxury — it gives you freedom, confidence, and impact. Why hardly anyone should actually follow these principles to the maximum. What living an “exceptional life” actually looks like when you manage your money exceptionally.  

Remember the show “Who wants to be a millionaire?”  Are you the kind of person that wants to build some serious wealth? Live an exceptional life? Be financially free? I don’t mean just a comfortable amount. I mean a lot – like being a multi-millionaire. The truth is, average people can become very wealthy just by managing their money for maximum growth. I’m not talking about a “get rich quick scheme”. I’m talking about a solid, reliable way to become wealthy over time. The Rempel Maximum is the most aggressive of the 8 Smith Manoeuvre strategies. In my latest podcast episode you’ll learn: What is the Rempel Maximum? What is your motivation? Where does this idea come from? What are the 5 steps to building maximum wealth? What are the 5 power principles it is based on? What are the risks? What tax & investment strategies can be part of the Rempel Maximum? Some examples of the Rempel Maximum concept vs. conventional wisdom.  

The Smith Manoeuvre is an efficient strategy to use equity in your home to invest for your future without using your cash flow. It converts your mortgage over time into a tax deductible investment credit line. Most Canadians are searching for a feeling of financial security, but all the bills & life expenses mean they never build up enough of a nest egg to be secure. The Smith Manoeuvre is a strategy that can help you build your nest egg and help you achieve the retirement you want without using your cash flow. We have become known as experts in the Smith Manoeuvre, having helped hundreds of Canadian families implement it. It is one of the most effective wealth-building strategies when done by the right people in the right way over the long term. In my latest podcast episode you’ll learn: What is the Smith Manoeuvre? What are the benefits? What are the risks? How do you manage the risks? How do you implement it? How do you avoid having to use your cash flow? How long should you ideally do the Smith Manoeuvre? Are there really 8 Smith Manoeuvre strategies? Is it legal? What is the best way to invest with the Smith Manoeuvre? How can I learn more and find out whether the Smith Manoeuvre is right for me?  

Are you one of those investors for whom things just seem to always work out well?  Getting superior long term returns seems to take little effort. Whatever strategy you use seems to eventually work. You don’t spend much time or effort, yet most of the time you are feeling quite confident about your investments. Or are you the type of investor who always seems to struggle?  It seems everything you buy goes down right after you buy. When you finally sell, they take off. And the investments you hold long term mostly underperform. We have often encountered both these types of investors. Struggling investors are far more common. They usually have trouble believing that many investors outperform with little effort. Those that find investing effortless just shake their heads at the frantic activity of struggling investors. This applies to both professional and amateur investors. Why is investing so easy for some and for others it is always a struggle? In my podcast episode you’ll learn: The real reason some investors succeed with ease while others constantly struggle — and it’s not about picking the right stock. The 3 core beliefs that define successful investors: Faith, Patience, and Discipline — and how each one dramatically impacts your long-term returns. Why faith in the market and humanity is more important than trying to outguess short-term movements. The staggering cost of impatience: how chasing performance can quietly erase up to 75% of your lifetime returns. Why fewer transactions = better results, and how overtrading (especially by DIY investors) sabotages success. The #1 mistake most investors make — and how having a long-term financial plan keeps you grounded and growing.  

When can I retire with the lifestyle I want? That’s the #1 priority for our clients—based on my experience creating thousands of financial plans over the last 25+ years. They want financial freedom. It’s what we all really want. But you need a retirement plan to get there. It won’t happen on its own. Creating your retirement plan is fun. It’s not about the money. It’s all about your life. Your retirement plan is the GPS for your life. It makes you wealthier, because it gets you to your goal the quickest and most effective way. In my latest podcast episode you’ll learn: What types of financial questions do people most ask about? Is it worth the effort to create your retirement plan? What insights from experience have I learned about financial freedom? Can your house be your retirement plan? What is the good news and bad news about retirement planning? How does your retirement plan make you wealthier? What are the steps to creating your Retirement Plan? How can you think through the retirement lifestyle you will want? How does interactive retirement planning help you make your plan personal? How should you invest effectively to become financially free?  

Have you ever wondered how much your donation really helps the poor? Or how much it really helps find cures? Which charities help the poor the most for each dollar donated? You can now donate to the most cost-effective charities in the world with Ed & Ann’s charitable foundation “Best Things First”. In my latest podcast episode you’ll learn: How did Ed & Ann get started looking for cost-effective charities? Why is a cost-effective charity important? How did they learn about GiveWell? Why did Ed & Ann create a foundation? How can you support the world’s top charities? Enjoy! Ed  

I am heartbroken. My wife, life partner & business partner Ann Hetram passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, March 30. Ann was truly one of a kind — wise, intuitive, endlessly generous, and the heart of everything we built together.  We shared our life, our work, our friends, and our dreams. We were together 35 years, and many years together 24/7, and I wouldn't have wanted it any other way. I’ve created this tribute — a YouTube video, podcast episode, and blog post to honour Ann’s incredible life.  Our life together and what she means to me. Her unique qualities. Some of the excessively generous acts she has done. I call them “Ann’s Acts of Kindness”. If you have a story about Ann, your relationship with her, or you have an example of Ann’s Acts of Kindness, I want to hear these stories. They are my most treasured thoughts about Ann. If you want to share them at her Celebration of Life, please tell me so we can put you on the list. You could also just tell me at the reception, or email me the story so I have it forever. We will have a Celebration of Life reception in Ann’s honour on Thursday, April 17. The actual gathering to share stories about Ann is at 3 PM, followed by an informal reception until 8 PM. Bring your stories with Ann. It’s casual dress. Here’s a link to my special post about Ann: https://edrempel.com/celebrating-the-life-of-ann-hetram/ With love,  Ed  

Which is true? 1.The stock market is a gamble. Decent investment, but it may or may not make money for you. 2.The stock market is a reliable long-term investment. It should be the core of your long-term investments. To invest effectively for your future, it is vital to be confident in your investments. Here is the historical data to give you a clear picture of what long-term investors can expect. By the end, you’ll have a clearer answer to the big question: Is the stock market the best way to build wealth over time? This is an updated post with new insights. Here’s what I’ll cover: How does the investment industry see risk? How do financial planners see risk? What is the highest return asset class? Why does the stock market rise? What is the most reliable asset class after inflation? How large and how long are stock market declines? How long is “long-term”? What exactly is risk tolerance? How should long-term investors invest?