Andrew Hallam

Amy Grant, like so many married women, let her husband manage their investments.  But in 2010, the Singapore-based Canadian couple split up.   It left Amy in a lurch.  “We used to invest with a financial advisor, but he bought actively managed funds.  I’ve learned that those are a losing proposition, compared to low cost index …

With no pensions to contribute to, International Teaching can be a hazardous occupation.  You save your money in a school sponsored plan and trust that the money is fairly allocated.  The administrators at most international schools have great intentions.  But most schools are plagued by visits from silver-tongued financial representatives, bleeding employees like leaches.  Products …

Trekking with light backpacks along Pulau Tioman’s jungle path, my wife and I brainstormed who—among our friends–would enjoy a holiday on Asia’s best beach.  The list was short.  Most of our friends enjoy comfort—with a dash of luxury.  But nothing in Juara resembles the Marriot.  The last time I had visited Juara was with my …

If you’re an investor based in Hong Kong or Singapore, your lowest cost options for a globally diversified portfolio are exchange-traded funds on the U.S. market.  The U.S. is an international supermarket—a place where you can buy New Zealand, Australian, Canadian, Asian… virtually any stock index you could ever want. Purchasing them, however, accompanies an …

Today was the first time I’ve invested money since March 17, 2013.  Looking at the money I regularly invest, the proceeds are clearly coming from far more than my (and my wife’s) salary.  Dividends (my brokerage doesn’t automatically reinvest them) earnings from my freelance articles and my book have juiced my invested deposits significantly.  But …

Headlines about a bond market meltdown are catching fire all over the world.  In the UK, The Telegraph recently reported British pensioners could face a 50 percent portfolio decline if there’s a bond market correction.  Others, like David Roche president of Independent Strategy, suggested to CNBC that bonds are currently the most dangerous asset class …

One of my readers (an expat Canadian named Jon) was looking for investment options in Japan.  He wanted to invest with low cost index funds, but found nothing available.  As a result, he opted for a Singapore-based brokerage–the same one I use.  Best of all, he didn’t have to fly to Singapore to open it.  …

To find out if you’re saving enough money, use my free, 13 minute seminar below: If you’re an international school teacher, you’re metaphorically swimming in a warm sea, surrounded by beautiful bodies. Cultural eye candy meets your every glance.  There are exotic jungles to explore, equatorial mountains to climb, colorful people to meet.  Aren’t you lucky you’re …

Is there a better way for investors to index their portfolios? A bitter fight is breaking out over just that question. In one corner sits John Bogle, founder of the Vanguard Group. He believes that index funds should hold stocks in proportion to each stock’s market capitalization – the market value of all the company’s …

I teach a personal finance class to high school kids. So far, this school year, nearly 40 percent of my high school students have opened investment portfolios of their own.  Most have opened custodial accounts, under their parents’ names. When these kids turn eighteen, the assets will be transferred to the students, and the account …

In my book, Millionaire Teacher, the seventh chapter was titled, Peek Inside A Pilferer’s Playbook. I explained the tactics used by financial advisors who try to dissuade their clients from buying index funds–keeping them in actively managed mutual funds instead. Today, I summarized some of their smoke and mirror rhetoric in the following Globe and …

Despite America’s suffocating debt levels and (what many consider) its self-defeating government policies, more foreigners than ever are wishing they were American.  No, I’m not talking about Cubans launching dilapidated boats bound for Florida.  Nor am I talking about lottery green card wannabes from impoverished nations, desperate for their own piece of the American Dream. …

Becoming a millionaire isn’t as hard as most people think.  You have to control your spending, save intelligently, and ensure that your money gets invested as early as possible. Warren Buffett, the world’s greatest investor, started investing when he was 11 years old.   Compound interest (which Einstein called the 8th wonder of the world) unleashes …

 Your stomach is grumbling, and you’re aching for a slice of the best pizza in town.  But how much will it cost you?  To understand, in relative terms, you’ll need to understand pizza-pricing history.  Why?  Because I’m going to relate pizza pricing to the stock market. I’ve heard from an unreliable source that a box …

When I wrote my book, Millionaire Teacher, I wanted something timeless.  Many money books, after all, describe investment methods that look downright silly, just a few years after publication.  Other books are vague, rather than instructive. But one investment manager has written two prescriptive books, swaying from the ordinary.  His name is Michael O’Higgins.  Author …

With the U.S. market continuing to hit new highs, many investors are wondering whether it’s a case of too much too soon. During the past 10 months, the S&P 500 has risen nearly 24 per cent, including dividends. Vanguard’s MSCI Canadian stock ETF hasn’t kept pace, but it’s up 14 per cent since June. If …

It’s been a few years since we’ve had a good old-fashioned gas-price war at the pumps. But most of us can still remember the vehicle lineups. Some car owners even filled Jerry cans to squeeze every last ounce of value from the temporarily depressed fuel costs. A few bucks saved on a couple tanks of …

I hate it when stock markets rise.  If you’re at least five years away from retirement, you should too.  If you’re 20 years away from financial freedom, pray for a market crash.  Keep your head when it happens, and you’ll thank yourself, many years from now, as you benefit from discounted stock market products.  The …

 I don’t invest in China. When I chose an international stock market ETF, I bypassed the Middle Kingdom, purchasing Vanguard’s first world index for its absence of Chinese companies. Am I bit backward? You might think so. But exposure to the world’s fastest growing economy might be a drag on a globally diversified portfolio. You …

When I published my book, Millionaire Teacher, the Canadian exchange traded index funds providing exposure to the U.S. and foreign markets were all “currency hedged” These were, by far, much better options than actively managed mutual funds, but the hedging created a drag on returns.  Since then, Vanguard (followed by BMO) has offered some non …

How do we convince our children to save money? It isn’t easy. They’re exposed to flashy lifestyles of media-blown celebrities. They’re living in a world where (more than ever) goods are delivered with a couple of iPhone taps. Young professionals on television drive flashy cars; they live in gorgeous homes. Everyone they attract, in their …

In the Globe and Mail’s Strategy Lab investment competition, the indexed portfolio I created last September is in last place. My colleagues Norm Rothery, Chris Umiastowksi and John Heinzl are three hares that have left me – the indexed tortoise – far behind. Does this mean you should abandon an indexed strategy in favour of …

By the time we were 450 kilometers into our northern Thailand cycling vacation, my wife and I could have summited Everest.  The world’s highest peak stands 8,840 meters above sea level.  During our 800 km loop from Chiang Mai to Mae Hong Song and back, we nearly cycled enough vertical feet to climb Everest twice. …

One of my readers sent me a link to an amusing article about a cat that won a UK stock-picking contest. Named Orlando, he squared off against two other teams:  a group of kids, and some hand-picked professional investors.  The Guardian reported their year-end 2012 results, awarding Orlando top honors.  “While the professionals used their …

Myth:  If you pay really smart people to manage your money, it will be easy for them to beat the returns of a simple index fund over time. Reality:  Their odds of doing so, after fees, are pathetically low. This is what Warren Buffett has been saying for years, and a group of Hedge Fund …

In 1999, I joined an investment club comprised of fellow school teachers. We used the service at Bivio.com to track our returns. On the company homepage, they list the most popular holdings among America’s investment clubs.  After thirteen years of accessing Bivio’s site, I noticed something interesting. The most widely held stock by investment clubs is …

If you’re a New Zealander living in Singapore, you may be wondering about investment options.  Perhaps you’ve been approached by someone representing Friends Provident or Zurich International.  Salespeople representing these firms usually peddle insurance linked investment products because of the massive commissions they earn.  Such commissions are being banned in countries like England and Australia. …

In 1999, I joined an investment club of school teachers that still exists today.  I wrote about the club’s market-beating performance in November 2008, for a MoneySense magazine article.   I also outlined our “Invest Like Warren Buffett” philosophy in my book, Millionaire Teacher. So how well have we done?