Finding good mutual funds starts with finding good mutual funds companies (families) and some families are friendlier to average investors than others. They offer good investments to folks who simply aren’t sure where to invest money. People get confused by all the sales rhetoric, so here we simplify where to invest with the companies that are investor friendly.I started following (and selling) this stuff in 1972 as a stock broker, trying to get a handle on where to invest other people’s money… trying to pick only good investments for those who trusted me. Once I learned that funds were the answer to what 90% of people needed, the question became: how do I find good mutual funds? I am writing this in 2014 as a retired financial planner, and would like to share something I’ve learned over the years, so hold your breath.Your idea of what good investments or good mutual funds are might differ from the ideas a sales rep might have, especially if that person makes money from commissions and other fees. Breathe easy. A financial planner who works for commissions can tell you where to invest and can sell you good mutual funds. The problem is that he or she can’t tell you where to invest in the investor friendly companies… and make a living doing it.A $20,000 investment in a stock fund could cost you $1000 upfront, $400 a year for expenses, and another $300 a year for additional fees if you invest through a planner. Or, it could cost you a total of $200 a year or less if you invest directly with a major investor- friendly NO-LOAD company.Truly good mutual funds companies keep investor costs low. They are financially strong; and offer a broad selection of investments with good performance records. Good service is provided at no cost. Enter “no load funds” into a search engine to find them. Names like Vanguard, Fidelity and T Rowe Price will appear. They all offer average investors good investments at low cost. All three of the above meet our qualifications – and the first two are the largest companies in the business.Good mutual funds are not expensive, and you do not get what you pay for when you pay for high charges and fees. In fact, these extra costs drain money from your account and work against you. The net result is a lower return on investment. I don’t call that investor friendly. When there’s a high cost if investing, that’s not where to invest your money.Now, once you’ve opened an account with one of the friendly companies you could be facing a list of more than 100 choices to choose from. Now the question of where to invest gets more specific. How do you find good mutual funds to invest in? The general categories are stock (equity), bond, money market, and balanced funds (the latter being a combination of the other three). What you need to understand is that even good mutual funds in the stock category might lose money in 2014 and/or 2015. If the stock market falls, these funds in general will not be good investments. Also, if interest rates climb, bond funds will not be good investments. More than anything else, the markets determine whether or not investors make or lose money. On the other hand, good mutual funds tend to outperform the rest over the long term.With today’s record low interest rates money market funds don’t look like good investments because they pay almost nothing in interest. But, that’s where to invest money you want to keep safe. If rates go up, money market rates will follow. Balanced funds will be losers if stocks and/or bonds take a big hit. Don’t get depressed. Invest in 2014 and 2015 with your eyes open.Going into the year 2014, stock funds were very good investments for five years straight; and bonds funds were good mutual funds to invest in for over 30 years. In 2014 and beyond things could get rough. Focus on strategy more than picking good investments in each fund category. Have some cash in a money market fund awaiting future opportunities when the dust settles. Spread your money across all four fund categories, because no one really knows where to invest in times of uncertainty.As 2014 and 2015 unfold, remember that both stocks and bonds have their up and downs. Over the long term, funds have been good investments for tens of millions of people through good times and bad. Keep in mind that good mutual funds come from good mutual funds companies… and that’s where to invest your money.

As the world around us continues to adapt to a new sense of normal in light of COVID-19, we at Smythe LLP (Smythe), recently sat down (virtually) with Kendall Hanson from CHEK News to discuss how we’re adapting to working from home and what is means for us as a firm, as well as the communities we live and work in.

Although we may be smack dab in the middle of our busiest time of year, things at Smythe are still business as usual – with a few notable exceptions.

The first, and probably most obvious, is that nearly all our staff have now transitioned to working from home.

“The first week of office closures and having everyone work from home was definitely a week of transition, but I think everyone’s really quickly adapted to it and gotten used to it and a lot of people are really enjoying it,” said Partner, Trevor Topping.

During a time where our offices would normally be a buzz with client visits and meetings, our offices are now closed to the public and a skeleton crew has been put in place to ensure clients are able to safely drop off necessary files and mail is being received and sent out.

To read the full article and to hear what Trevor had to say about Smythe’s new normal, click here.

For more information on our response to COVID-19, or to learn what support is available to you, please visit our COVID-19 Resource Centre, or reach out to your Smythe Partner directly.

Given the current economic uncertainty, effective cash flow management will be critical for the success of many businesses. This will likely involve a combination of:

Managing working capital levels
Managing discretionary expenses
Obtaining additional financing

Working capital management can take the form of:

Implementing Credit Policies
By implementing credit policies with your customers you can speed up the collection process. This could include requiring upfront deposits, reducing the credit terms or offering incentives for early payment. Always ensure you follow-up on overdue accounts.
Utilizing a Just-in-Time Inventory System
Unless it will hurt your ability to sell, don’t carry extra inventory.
Using Credit Terms to your Advantage
Unless they are offering worthwhile incentives, don’t pay your suppliers until it is necessary.

A tool that should be utilized to help with managements’ decision making, is a cash flow forecast. This will help you assess the impact of working capital and expense management decisions, as well as determine whether additional financing will be required.

If you decide that you need to obtain financing (see below), it is likely that the lender will require a forecast as part of the application process.
Obtaining Additional Financing

As part of the economic stimulus package, the Government of Canada is working to ensure businesses have access to traditional financing, from both the government and private lenders.

Among the products being targeted to COVID-19 relief are:

Working Capital Loans
Funds to provide working capital for the operations, and cover general operating expenses, as opposed to capital purchases or expansions. There are currently programs in place where loans can be approved within 48 hours or maybe available without any payments for the first six months. BDC loans of up to $100,000 can be applied for online.
Loan Guarantee for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises
As part of the Business Credit Availability Program, EDC is partnering with financial institutions to guarantee 80% of new loans or credit requests up to $6.25 million for small and medium-sized enterprises. Financing is meant to be used for operating costs and is available to exporting and non-exporting companies. The idea behind the program is to encourage additional funding from banks as the EDC provides a re-payment guarantee of 80%. This program is now available through your bank or credit union.
Bridge Financing Program
Offered through BDC Capital, this special program may match (with a convertible note) a current financing round being raised through qualified existing and/or new investors made into eligible Canadian start-ups. This program is best suited for high-potential companies that have venture capital investors willing to support them. BDC will then invest alongside these groups. There are separate criteria for both companies and investors who wish to take advantage of this program – for full details, click here.
Term Loan and Lease Payment Relief
Ability to delay payment of principal for up to six months on existing loans.
Increases to Existing Line of Credit
Financial institutions are providing increases to the borrowing limits on existing lines of credit.
Purchase Order Financing
Flexible terms are being offered to ensure existing and future orders can be fulfilled.
Buyer Financing
Export Development Canada is providing buyer financing and direct financing for international sales to ensure Canadian businesses are able to participate in international trade opportunities.

If your business requires cash flow management or additional financing, please contact your Smythe Partner directly as additional reporting may be required. Our team can match your business with the appropriate product and guide you through the process and provide financial information to the lending institutions.

the Government of Canada announced the Canada Emergency Business Account interest-free loans that provide up to $40,000 for small businesses and not-for-profits that have been financially impacted by COVID-19. On December 4, 2020, the program was expanded to offer an additional $20,000 to businesses that continue to be seriously impacted by the pandemic. The loans are available through eligible financial institutions, and businesses must apply through a financial institution where they had an existing relationship. The loans are interest-free, and 25% of the original $40,000 of the balance and 50% of the additional $20,000 of the balance is forgivable if the business repays the loan by the end of 2022. Businesses are required to have had an annual payroll of $20,000 to $1,500,000 or non-deferrable expenses of at least $40,000 in 2019 to qualify.

Businesses have until March 31, 2021, to apply for a loan or the $20,000 expansion. In the case where applicants are waiting for their financial institution to finalize the submission of additional information, they will have until May 7, 2021, to complete the submission.