This is the hub of our investing content. From this page, you can browse to various products and guides that will simplify your investment journey.
If you want to start investing, read our guide on how to invest money with the best investments in Canada that discusses the types of investments and the investment vehicles (e.g. RRSP, TFSA, etc.) available/
If you're brand new, I recommend reading our investing for beginners guide first that discusses setting goals, knowing your risk tolerance and more.
Understanding the wide world of investments is the first step toward making confident financial decisions
Whether you're planning for retirement, exploring automated strategies with robo-advisors, or learning how to choose a financial advisor, a solid grasp of the basics empowers smarter investing. Explore some of our more popular guides to help you on your investing journey.
Investing basics | Investing guides and where to start investing
Investors who start early might be more likely to catch that proverbial "early bird worm", and grow their earnings enough to lead a comfortable lifestyle. If you’re ready to invest, the good news is that getting started is simpler and less expensive than ever. And with the right guidance, you could be well on your way to catching that worm.
Before you invest, it’s important to understand your willingness and ability to accept risk, your investment time horizon, and your objectives. Use this questionnaire to gain insights into your investor profile. Please note this is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional financial advice.
Start with the big picture—what are you investing for? Retirement, a home, financial freedom? Define your timeline:
- Start with the big picture — what are you investing for? Retirement, a home, financial freedom? Define your timeline: short-term (1–3 years), medium-term (3–10 years), or long-term (10+ years).
- Match your strategy to your goal — stocks and ETFs for long-term growth, bonds or cash for stability.
- Be specific: instead of just “saving for retirement,” aim for “$1 million by age 65.”
Then, check in regularly, adjust as needed, and stay consistent.
Use our investment growth simulator
| Account type | Why invest in it? |
|---|---|
| RRSP (Registered Retirement Savings Plan) | Tax-deferred growth and tax deduction on contributions; ideal for retirement savings. |
| TFSA (Tax-Free Savings Account) | Tax-free growth and withdrawals; great for general investing and major purchases. |
| RESP (Registered Education Savings Plan) | Government grants and tax-deferred growth; designed for a child’s post-secondary education. |
| FHSA (First Home Savings Account) | Tax-free withdrawals for a first home purchase; combines benefits of RRSP and TFSA. |
| LIRA (Locked-In Retirement Account) | Holds locked-in pension funds from a former employer; helps fund retirement later. |
| RDSP (Registered Disability Savings Plan) | Designed for individuals with disabilities; government grants can significantly boost savings. |
| Non-Registered Investment Account | No contribution limits and no withdrawal restrictions; suitable for flexible investing. |
Related read
Investment account types in Canada - Get more details and a deeper dive into each one.
Robo advisors | guides and where to start investing
Robo advisors are specialized platforms that rely on technology and algorithms to help automate your investments. You put money in and the robot buys and sells stocks, ETFs, and more on your behalf as well as rebalancing your portfolio, managing currency conversions and all based on your risk tolerance.
They’re generally a cheaper option than an actively-managed, full-service portfolio. With most robo advisors in Canada, you're paying 0.40% to 0.50% of your investments (much better than 2% to 3% with a financial advisor).
But with that low cost comes little to no human interaction. Those seeking personalized service and investing advice from a person might not find what they’re looking for with a robo-advisor.
Related: Best robo advisors in Canada
Some of our favourite robo advisors
| Wealthsimple | Moka | Justwealth |
|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
◦ Low fees with no account minimums
◦ Hands-off investing with automatic rebalancing ◦ Socially responsible and Halal investment options |
◦ Round-up spare change for effortless investing
◦ No minimum investment to start ◦ Automated savings with goal-based investing |
◦ Personalized portfolios with expert management
◦ Great for RESPs and goal-based investing ◦ Low-cost, tax-efficient investment strategies |
| Wealthsimple review | Moka review | Justwealth review |
| Visit Wealthsimple | Visit Moka | Visit Justwealth |
How to invest on your own
DIY investing puts you in control.
With an online brokerage, you can buy and sell stocks, ETFs, and other assets without paying for professional management. Start by choosing a brokerage with low fees and the right tools for your needs. Learn the basics—like how to place orders, research investments, and manage risk. Stay disciplined, think long term, and keep emotions in check.
Ask the eight ball
Want to learn more about the magical world of investing? Shake the sphere for eight financial facts.
For fun investing facts
Active investing
An investment strategy consisting of actively buying and selling securities in an effort to outperform the market. Active investing tends to underperform a passive investing strategy.
Related read: Active vs passive investing
Bear market
A market cycle in which stocks decrease in value, encouraging investors to sell. Bear markets typically last a few months to one year, then are followed by a bull market.
Bond
A bond is a fixed-income financial asset. The investor lends money to a corporation or government for a fixed term. In exchange, they receive regular income paid monthly or quarterly, and full repayment of the initial investment amount at the bond maturity date.
Related read: How do bonds work?
Book value
The value of an asset or security as recorded in financial statements. For investors, this is the value of a security at the time of purchase and may differ from the current market value.
Brokerage account
A brokerage account is an investment account that allows you to access the stock market. You need a brokerage account in order to buy and sell financial securities like stocks, bonds, and ETFs.
Bull market
A market cycle in which stocks increase in value, encouraging investors to buy. Bull markets typically last 5 to 6 years, then are followed by a bear market.
Capital gain
The amount by which an investment has increased in value relative to the price for which it was purchased. For investors, a capital gain is the positive difference between the market value and the book value of a stock. Capital gains are subject to income taxes if the investment is not held in a registered account.
Discount broker
A brokerage firm that provides low or no commission trading of financial securities. Discount brokers typically do not offer any financial advising services.
Dividend
A payout to shareholders as a form of profit-sharing from a company or investment fund. Dividends are typically paid quarterly but can also be paid monthly, bi-annually, or annually. Not all stocks pay dividends. Dividends are subject to income taxes if the investment is not held in a registered account.
Related read: Best dividend stocks
Dollar-Cost Averaging (DCA)
An investment strategy that consists of purchasing a fixed amount of financial securities on a regular schedule. This reduces the impact of market volatility on the investment portfolio.
Dive deeper: Dollar-cost averaging vs lump sum
ETF
ETF stands for Exchange Traded Funds and is a collection of related securities that trade like a single stock on the stock market exchange. Many ETFs are designed to replicate a specific index. Investing in ETFs is an easy, low-cost way to diversify your investment portfolio.
Equity
A financial investment in an asset that may also have liabilities attached. Equity typically refers to the stock or shares of a company.
Index fund
A collection of securities that represent an industry, geographic location, or type of investment. Index funds are a low-cost way to easily diversify your investment portfolio. ETFs and index mutual funds are some examples of index funds.
Related read: ETFs vs Index funds
Inflation
Inflation is the general increase in prices over time. It is important to consider the rate of inflation when projecting the value of your financial assets in the future, as each dollar will have progressively less purchasing power in the future.
Initial Public Offering (IPO)
When a company offers shares to investors on the public market for the first time. IPOs are ways for companies to raise money by selling stock to retail investors.
Investment portfolio
A collection of financial assets including but not limited to stocks, bonds, ETFs, and options.
Management Expense Ratio (MER)
The total cost of any management fees, taxes, and operating expenses for an index fund relative to the fund’s average value for that year. Index mutual funds and ETFs charge MERs, which typically range from 0.05% to 1%.
Management fee
A fee you pay to a manager of a fund for the service of managing the investment portfolio. The management fee can be a fixed dollar amount or a percentage of the total portfolio value.
Related read: MER vs management fee
Margin account
An investment account that allows an investor to borrow money directly from the broker to purchase financial securities. This allows investors to leverage debt in order to earn greater returns. Margin accounts typically allow you to borrow up to 50% of the cost of the securities you intend to buy.
Market value
The value of an asset or security on the market exchange. For investors, this is the value of a security on the stock market and may differ from the book value or price for which it was originally purchased.
Non-registered account
An investment account that provides no tax-sheltering or tax-deferral status. All investment income earned within a non-registered account is subject to income taxes. Non-registered accounts typically do not have any contribution or withdrawal rules.
Options
A class of financial derivatives that provides an investor with the right to buy or sell stock at a certain price. An option is a contract. Call options provide the right to buy at a set price, even if the market value of the stock is higher. Put options give the right to sell stock at a set price, even if the market value is lower.
Related read: Options trading in Canada
Passive investing
An investment strategy consisting of limiting active trading of securities, and instead relying on automated tools such as robo-advisors or index funds. Passive investing tends to outperform an active investing strategy.
Registered account
A tax-optimized investment account that is registered to an individual. All investment income earned within a registered account may be either tax-deferred or tax-sheltered. Registered accounts typically have strict contribution and withdrawal rules.
Related read: Investment account types in Canada
Stock
A stock, or a share, is a financial security that represents partial ownership of a corporation. Owning stock entitles the shareholder to profit sharing with the company, as well as voting rights.
Related read: How to buy stocks
FAQ
Robb Engen is a leading expert in the personal finance realm of Canada and is also the co-founder of Boomer & Echo, an award-winning personal finance blog.
Tyler Wade has worked in personal finance for over 5 years writing for brands like Ratehub, Forbes, KOHO, and now Money.ca.
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