Unconventional Wisdom YouTube Channel
Welcome to the Unconventional Wisdom YouTube Page. The show about the most effective methods to achieve financial security & freedom. Find out what really works. Insights are based on in-depth experience - from a fee-for-service financial planner, tax accountant, Canada’s #1 financial planner blogger & your host, Ed Rempel.
This channel is about achieving financial freedom & security in real life. It’s often very different from what most people talk about. Few financial planners actually write detailed Financial Plans. I have written more than 1,000 professional, custom Financial Plans, and worked with many clients to achieve their life goals. You can listen to everyone else – and then come here to find out what works in real life. Unconventional wisdom – based on experience.
This channel has unconventional wisdom insights on many topics. Some of my favourite topics are:
- How to set & achieve your financial goals and achieve what you really want in life.
- FIRE – How to achieve financial independence & retire early.
- The outlook & attitude you need for financial success.
- Many topics on how you can minimize tax over your lifetime.
- Effective strategies that can be a huge benefit for you, such as the Smith Manoeuvre, Rempel Maximum, Lifecycle Investing, RRSP Top-ups, RRSP Catch-up Strategy & the 8-year GIS Strategy.
- How to set up a reliable retirement income with the least tax & most government benefits.
- How to invest for returns above the indexes.
- How to easily outperform investment advisors & robo-advisors.
- Money myths that block your financial freedom.
- Any interesting financial planning topic. I take requests.
“Unconventional Wisdom YouTube Channel”
I plan to post one every Thursday. Be the first to hear my new Unconventional Wisdom posts. Subscribe to my blog, YouTube channel or podcast.
My videos are purely educational & the only source for most of this unconventional wisdom. Please help me get the message out:
- Subscribe to my blog, YouTube channel & podcast. Get my new videos sent directly to your email.
- Give the videos a like (“thumbs up”)!
- Share my YouTube channel & episodes with your friends.
Next Step:
My services & costs: edrempel.com/help
Request a free 30-minute consultation: edrempel.com/talk
Ask your question or feedback: edrempel.com/feedback
See you next week!
TFSA or RRSP? Cutting through the Confusion (as seen on Money.ca)
Here is my article from Money.ca… When it comes to choosing between a Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA) and a Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP), there are plenty of details to keep you up at night. It’s important to look at the pros and cons of each plan, so you can develop a financial plan that’s right for you. Prefer an overview? Like videos or podcasts? Check out our whiteboard video, podcast episode, or read the full post below! Your personal Financial Plan should include the income per year you will need after you retire to have the retirement lifestyle you want. Your…
Read MoreDividend Investing Is a Brain Fart
Dividend investing is a brain fart! The entire concept is your brain playing tricks on you. I know that thousands of people like dividend investing. In fact there are hundreds of blogs dedicated to it. Dividend investing may sound like a solid and steady way to invest. But it’s a brain fart! In my latest YouTube video, podcast episode and blog post, you’ll learn: Definition: Dividend investing: “The odd belief that taking money out of your investments does not take money out of your investments.” – Ed Rempel Sell shares: …
Read MoreWhat’s Important About Money to You?
Money: it impacts so many aspects of your life. How you handle it, save it, and spend it can say a lot about you. Ask yourself: “What’s important about money to me?” 1 Prefer an overview? Like videos? Like podcasts? Check out our whiteboard video, podcast episode, or read the full post below! I have asked this question to thousands of people in the last 20 years. Every answer is unique. Understanding how you feel about money is the first step in an effective financial plan to create the life you want. It’s not about the money – it’s about your life.…
Read MoreThe World is Getting Better All the Time
As we look forward to the holidays and 2024, one thing I know for sure is: “The World is Getting Better All the Time”. Every generation of young people thinks the world is getting worse, but the world is dramatically better in every important way than 100 years ago. For example, 170,000 people are lifted out of extreme poverty every day for the last couple decades. On average globally, humans have better technology, are richer and live better lives all the time. I believe we should go into 2024 with the optimism that it is part of the long-term trend of “The…
Read MoreSmall Print “Gotcha” in Credit Card Interest (Hint It Can Be 20,000%)!
You probably think credit card interest is pretty high. It can be far higher than you think! If you or your kids ever do not pay your credit card balances in full by the due date, this is the video to watch and podcast to listen to. Credit card debt is the single most common place where Canadians get stuck on, which can create havoc with your finances (and future). In my latest video and podcast episode you’ll learn: I hope you enjoy it! Ed
Read MoreWhy You Should Open an FHSA This Year
You should open up an FHSA Account this year! This is for you if you don’t own a home now or in the last four years and are age 18 – 71. You get contribution room starting the year you open your FHSA, but if you wait until next year you lose that room. The deadline is December 31. An FHSA Account is the # 1 way to save for a home down payment if you buy within the next 15 years. You get a tax deduction for contributions, and withdraw tax free to buy your home and you don’t have to…
Read MoreWhen can I Retire with the Lifestyle I Want?
Financial freedom. It is what we really want. You need a Retirement Plan to get there. It will not happen on its own. Creating your Retirement Plan is fun. It makes you wealthier. It’s not about your money – it’s about your life. Prefer an overview? Like videos or podcasts? Check out our whiteboard video, podcast episode, or read the full post below! The most common questions I am asked are about retirement and financial freedom. For example: First, 8 insights from experience helping thousands of people become financially free: Achieving Financial Freedom Creating your Retirement Plan is fun! Really. It is…
Read MoreHow To Live Off Your Investments and How Much Do You Need? BuildWealthCanada Podcast featuring Ed Rempel
How much do you need to be financially independent? That is just one of the many questions posed by Kornel Szrejber of Build Wealth Canada. He recently interviewed me for his podcast, where I go into depth about financial planning practices I use with my clients, as well as complex tax questions. You can watch the YouTube video or listen to the podcast episode to learn: Ed
Read MoreInvest a Lump Sum or Bit-by-Bit. Which Is Smarter?
Invest a Lump Sum or Bit-by-Bit. Which Is Smarter? You have a lump sum of cash and you’re trying to figure out how to invest it. The stock market seems pretty turbulent at the moment, so you may be wondering if you should invest your lump sum all at once or bit-by-bit. Maybe you got a big bonus, a lump sum from Smith Manoeuvre, or a large amount of money to invest. What to do? In my latest video and podcast episode, you’ll learn the pros and cons of both strategies, so you can decide what’s right for you. I hope you…
Read MoreBeware of Nice Advisors
I’ve talked with thousands of Canadians that will not have the life they want because their advisor gave them bad advice. Why do they stick with their advisor? I’ve heard it over and over again. They say: “because he’s a nice guy”. The advice here is, you need a competent advisor & real advice, not a nice advisor. A competent advisor might be really great to work with too, but this is the type of advice you need, so you should be wary of who you trust with your finances. In my latest video and podcast episode I give you ideas on…
Read MoreOptimism is the Only Realism
Optimism is the Only Realism. That’s my belief, and you’ll learn why in my latest YouTube video and podcast episode. I feel compelled to talk about optimism for 2 reasons: 1/ Optimism is absolutely necessary for financial success – effective investing and financial planning. You need to feel you will be better off in the future you are building and you need to be confident in your investments long-term. 2/ Many young people are pessimistic today. They believe the world is in decline because of issues like climate change, and that the world is unfair with inequality. Watch and listen to find…
Read MoreUsing Your Corporation As Your Retirement Fund
Can you fund your retirement from your corporation? That’s the question I answer in my latest video and podcast episode specifically for business owners. This is part # 2 of the video I did last week, where I go deeper into tax-efficient investment strategies when owning a corporation. It may seem complicated (if you’re talking to your accountant), but this video breaks down basic and advanced principles, to make it easy for you to plan your retirement. Watch it to find out: I hope you enjoy it! Ed
Read MoreWhy Most Financial Plans Fail
Many people who work with us to figure out their retirement plan, have created a financial plan before. You can get a financial plan from a bank, online methods, financial advisors or fee-only financial planners, but often these financial plans fail. They do not give you the life you want. In my latest video and podcast episode, I outline what is wrong with most financial plans, how we create retirement plans with our clients, and exactly what you need to be confident in your future. Watch the video to find out: I hope you enjoy it! Ed
Read MoreYour FREE passes: See my talks at the #1 online event – Canadian Financial Summit 2023
The online Canadian Financial Summit is coming up the week of October 18-21. It’s the #1 personal finance event of the year. As a reader of the Unconventional Wisdom blog, here are your FREE passes for a limited time. With these FREE passes, you can watch all the talks. You can also offer your friends and family FREE passes if you forward them this blog post. I’ll be one of the speakers again this year with three talks (see below), and I’ll be joined by over 35 other Canadian personal finance and investing experts such as Rob Carrick from the Globe and…
Read MoreWhy the Economy Is Not Relevant to Investing
Right now everyone is talking about the economy… Interest rate hikes. High inflation. Out-of-control government spending. Decline in global trade. Possible looming recession. So what do you do if you have money in the stock market? In my latest video and podcast episode, you’ll learn why the economy is not relevant to investing, and how it might be the best time to invest in stocks. I hope you enjoy it! Ed
Read MoreFinancial Security Comes From a Huge Nest Egg
Financial security comes from a huge nest egg
Read MoreRisk of Bonds To Your Retirement
In my latest YouTube video and podcast episode, I give you insight into what I advise my clients and why I declare the death of bonds as an investment. It’s time for most investors to stop investing in bonds. Including balanced funds. Here are just some of the topics I cover in the video: Ed
Read MoreSelf-Made Dividends – Dividend Investing Perfected
Dividend or income investors, here are the fundamental facts on how to save tax. Would you like to receive dividends of any amount you want from your non-registered investments, and pay less tax than on ordinary dividends? You can easily do this with a little planning and proper understanding of investments. Self-made dividends are a simple concept with profound benefits. Dividend investing has been very popular recently, but self-made dividends are better than ordinary dividends in essentially every way. They have lower taxes, better investment options, and are much more flexible for giving you income when you need it. When clients retire…
Read MoreTop 10 Reasons Why We Don’t Invest in Canada
While I love living in the Toronto-area – it’s a great and vibrant place to spend time, I choose not to invest in Canada. You may not realize that Canada has only 3% of the world’s stocks, with mainly small companies with lower growth than global or US stocks. Canada is no longer a growth country. This means that you aren’t getting a diversified portfolio, so we choose to invest globally or in the US. For more details on this way of thinking and investment strategy, I’ve broken it down for you. Watch my latest video and listen to my podcast episode…
Read MoreThe 3 Keys to Building Wealth
Do you ever find yourself unsure about what to do with an investment decision? Should you buy now or wait? Is this a good time? Should I buy something safe or invest for growth? You are not alone. Most people struggle with investment decisions because they think short term and do not have faith in the market. This leads them to make the single most common investing error
Read MoreFinancial Quackery
“Financial Quackery” is one of the main reasons most people struggle financially. This video and podcast episode is my attempt at humour to explain what to look for to get real advice, rather than the typical industry foolishness pretending to be advice. If you prefer to read it, here is a transcript of the video: Importance of a Comprehensive Plan with One Advisor What do you mean by “financial quackery”? Quackery is the reason people have trouble getting real advice. It’s everywhere in the financial planning world. If you get financial “advice” from someone that doesn’t look at your entire financial picture…
Read MoreCash Dam – Best Mortgage Strategy if You Own a Small Business or Rental Property
This article was originally published on November 20, 2017. We have since made updates to it based on relevant, new information. We’ve also added a video and podcast episode that articulates the content in the article. What Is the Cash Dam and How Does It Work? Cash Dam is a simple but powerful concept to help you make your mortgage tax-deductible if you own either a small business or a rental property. It’s an especially attractive option if you are familiar with the Smith Manoeuvre or other tax minimization strategies. Cash Dam (sometimes referred to as the “cash flow dam” is a…
Read MoreReflecting on My Life & Progress Towards My Mission in Life
Today I’m reflecting on my life and progress towards my mission in life – to educate Canadians about what really works to achieve financial security & freedom. I have seen thousands of Canadians struggle with money. I see bad or suboptimal advice based on conventional wisdom all over the financial industry and to a lesser degree in the financial blog world. I sincerely hope I can influence you to have the financial security & freedom you can have with smart choices and a Plan. I hear from people all the time how my advice has changed their life. This is so fulfilling…
Read MoreMake Your Retirement Comfortable with the “8-Year GIS Strategy”
The “8-Year GIS Strategy” is one of the best strategies to turn a modest retirement into a comfortable one for you. I am finally releasing it! For years, this is one of a few strategies that I have quietly used with select clients. Prefer an overview? Like videos? Listening to podcasts? Check out our whiteboard video, podcast episode or read the full post below! It has 5 huge advantages: 25-50% more income can be the difference between a tight, stay-at-home retirement and a freedom retirement with lots of travel and fun! To make it work, you usually need 2 things: One of…
Read More