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Andrew Hallam

I’m a financial columnist for Canada’s national paper, The Globe and Mail, as well as for AssetBuilder, a financial service firm based in Texas. I’m also the author of <a href="https://milliona

899 posts

High School Personal Finance Classes: Are They Really Useless?

#Children #Investing

Image courtesy of pixabay.com Studies show that high school personal finance classes have no effect on adult spending and investing patterns. I published my thoughts…

Andrew Hallam

Does International Financial Services (Singapore) Flog Friends Provident Products?

#Advisors #Expat Investing

It’s getting tougher for expatriates to trust financial advisors—and that’s a shame. Some good ones exist, including Noto Financial Services [https://andrewhallam.com/…

Andrew Hallam

Manulife's Funds Versus Index Funds

#Advisors #Investing

I’m continuing my Globe and Mail series, comparing Canada’s actively managed fund companies’ products versus inexpensive index funds. Based on personal emails, I’m…

Andrew Hallam

Offshore Pension Investor Does The Impossible

#Advisors #Expat Investing

Image courtesy of pixabay.com We know that advisors love selling offshore pensions to expatriates. And why wouldn’t they?  Commissions pay a killing. Purchasing such…

Andrew Hallam

The Surprising Truth About CIBC’s Best Mutual Funds

#Advisors

It’s easy to imagine CIBC’s financial advisors recommending their firm’s actively managed funds. They charge higher fees than their indexed, passively managed products.…

Andrew Hallam

An Investment Opportunity With Two Chinas

#Investing #Lifestyle

Earlier this week, my wife Pele and I crouched beside a small fire, a handful of miles from the Chinese town of Yungshuo. Keeping us company…

Andrew Hallam

How Do TD’s Mutual Funds Stack Up Against Its Index Funds?

#Investing

Image courtesy of pixabay.com Quirky imagery works well when explaining concepts to kids. Based on my experience as a high school personal finance teacher, the…

Andrew Hallam

Offshore Pension Battle Petition

#Advisors #Expat Investing

Image courtesy of pixabay.com Imagine a financial advisor convincing you to buy an investment. You do so, based on fancy charts and promises. But they…

Andrew Hallam

How Do Fidelity's Mutual Funds Stack Up?

#Advisors #Investing

Financial companies get a bit testy when I compare their mutual funds with indexes (if my email inbox is any indication). But it’s still worth…

Andrew Hallam

Putting Canadian Mutual Funds To The Test

#Advisors #Investing

Thomas Edison was dubbed a wizard when he created the electric light bulb. The Wright Brothers became American icons when they flew the first airplane. But…

Andrew Hallam