Vengrowth II Fund Closing to new investments
After raising money for four years this fund is closing to new cash in order to let existing investors enjoy all the gains likely to come in the next several years as the early stage companies now owned in the fund reach new levels of success.

Client Seminars
Monday April 5, 7pm: Ten things the taxman doesn't want you to know about investing
Location: Our office on Montreal road
Easily available but under-used investment strategies which lower your tax bill.  Presented by your friendly neighborhood financial planner.

Tuesday May 11, 7pm: AIC's global investment process
Location: Chimo Hotel just off St. Laurent at the Queensway
Along with many clients, I was terribly disappointed with the performance of AIC's Global Diversified and World Equity funds in 2001 and 2002.  During that period and continuing to today I invested much of my time studying these funds, questioning the fund managers and trying to decide if I should recommend a change to clients.  In light of my detailed and incisive critique of their management, AIC has offered us an opportunity to meet with one of the fund managers to hear first hand and face to face the changes they have made and why they believe the funds are now extremely well positioned.  Please email or call Carole at the office to reserve your seat.

New product, high ratio line of credit.  TD Canada Trust has come out with a new mortgage product which allows you to finance up to 90% of your home using a line of credit structure instead of a conventional mortgage structure.  For the first five years you can pay as little as interest only at prime rate.  With today's prime rate at 4.25% this means a $200,000 mortgage can be carried with a payment of only $708/month.  After five years you have to pay interest and principal.

100% RRSP eligible global investment funds
Mackenzie Financial has pulled a rabbit out of a hat with their recent announcement that their Capital Class funds, which are in fact global investments, had been uniquely structured so as to count as Canadian content for RRSP purposes.  They are not saying how they did it so as to protect their unique position, but this means all their old "clone" funds which were 100% RRSP eligible will be discontinued and folded into similar Capital Class funds.  The chief advantage is that the Capital Class funds cost about 0.20% less to operate than clone funds, and so investors will earn a higher rate of return with the Capital Class funds.

2003 Income Tax Return Deadline
If you expect to owe taxes, April 30 is the tax filing deadline for 2003 tax returns.  Otherwise there is no rush except to get your money back!  Frustrated by the annual tax return rituals?  We can help.  We charge a very low fee which is discounted for clients, generally know what is supposed to be on your tax return, and can netfile through the internet to the CRA.