Unconventional Wisdom
Welcome to the Unconventional Wisdom podcast. The show that helps you achieve financial security & freedom. Insights based on in-depth experience from Canada's #1 financial planner blogger. Find out what really works. Your host, fee-for-service financial planner & tax accountant, Ed Rempel.
Episodes
You want to retire soon.
What is the best way to set up your retirement income to give you the maximum cash flow that will reliably last the rest of your life?
Many financial planners use the “4% Rule”, which says that you can, for example, withdraw $40,000/year rising by inflation for life from a $1 million portfolio. Is that safe?
I studied 146 years of investment history. The ...
How can you tell whether financial advice you receive is real financial advice or financial quackery?
Much of what happens in the financial industry is financial quackery, but because the common methods are familiar to most of us, they appear normal.
You can’t really see how inadequate and funny many financial procedures are until you compare them to other fields.
“Quackery” is a...
This is a personal post and my first post with a request.
My wife, life partner and business partner, Ann Hetram, passed away unexpectedly from cancer 2 months ago.
She received excellent care at Princess Margaret Hospital, which is the best cancer hospital in Canada.
In her honour, I am co-captain of a team in the Journey to Conquer Cancer walk to support research at Princess Ma...
How can your life really be different if you focus on maximum wealth-building principles?
It’s not about the money. It’s about your life.
This story is an extreme version of the life of an ordinary person managing his money exceptionally.
The concepts are in my last post, “Rempel Maximum – 5 Steps to Becoming a Multi-Millionaire”.
We often hear that building wealth is...
Remember the show “Who wants to be a millionaire?”
Are you the kind of person that wants to build some serious wealth?
Live an exceptional life? Be financially free?
I don’t mean just a comfortable amount. I mean a lot – like being a multi-millionaire.
The truth is, average people can become very wealthy just by managing their money for maximum growth.
I’m not talking about a “get rich quick scheme”. I’m ...
The Smith Manoeuvre is an efficient strategy to use equity in your home to invest for your future without using your cash flow. It converts your mortgage over time into a tax deductible investment credit line.
Most Canadians are searching for a feeling of financial security, but all the bills & life expenses mean they never build up enough of a nest egg to be secure. The Smith Manoeuvre is a strategy that ...
Are you one of those investors for whom things just seem to always work out well?
Getting superior long term returns seems to take little effort. Whatever strategy you use seems to eventually work. You don’t spend much time or effort, yet most of the time you are feeling quite confident about your investments.
Or are you the type of investor who always seems to struggle?
It seem...
When can I retire with the lifestyle I want?
That’s the #1 priority for our clients—based on my experience creating thousands of financial plans over the last 25+ years.
They want financial freedom.
It’s what we all really want. But you need a retirement plan to get there. It won’t happen on its own.
Creating your retirement plan is fun. It’s not about the money. It’s...
Have you ever wondered how much your donation really helps the poor? Or how much it really helps find cures?
Which charities help the poor the most for each dollar donated?
You can now donate to the most cost-effective charities in the world with Ed & Ann’s charitable foundation “Best Things First”.
In my latest podcast episode you’ll learn:
I am heartbroken. My wife, life partner & business partner Ann Hetram passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, March 30.
Ann was truly one of a kind — wise, intuitive, endlessly generous, and the heart of everything we built together.
We shared our life, our work, our friends, and our dreams. We were together 35 years, and many years together 24/7, and I wouldn't have wanted it any other way.
Which is true?
1.The stock market is a gamble. Decent investment, but it may or may not make money for you.
2.The stock market is a reliable long-term investment. It should be the core of your long-term investments.
To invest effectively for your future, it is vital to be confident in your investments. Here is the historical data to give you a clear picture of what long-term inves...
Last year, I did a video on How to Donate Effectively, where we explored the idea that one of the ultimate status symbols is creating your own charitable foundation—and how to make a real impact with your giving.
In my latest video I interview John Bromley, the Founder and CEO of Charitable Impact, the platform we personally use to make giving easier and more effective.
John has dedicated his...
Every year, tax rules change.
For 2025 there are six main tax changes that you’ll want to know about.
And there’s good news: two major uncertainties are finally gone!
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No more reporting requirements for "bare trusts"—saving many Canadians unnecessary paperwork and fees.
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Read more
I often talk with people who realize—almost by surprise—that they’ve become wealthy.
They never really thought of themselves as wealthy, but after years of saving and investing effectively, it hits them: I’m actually wealthy.
And let me tell you—being wealthy feels different
In my latest podcast episode, I talk about:
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Bloggers and advisors constantly warn about the “Sequence of Returns Risk”—the fear that retiring right before or during a market crash will drain your savings too quickly.
This fear often leads retirees to make poor investment choices, resulting in:
🚨 Inferior portfolios
📉 Lower returns
❌ A less reliable retirement
But how real is this risk? And do th...
Recently, I posted a video “New Study Supports 100% Equity Investing for Life” that went semi-viral with 14,000 YouTube views & 1,000 podcast downloads.
There is an interesting active debate mainly on YouTube, and a bit on my blog with a lot of comments and questions. Let’s look at them and join the debate.
The evidence from the study to invest 100% in equities for life is certainly unconvent...
Why do so many Canadians struggle to achieve financial freedom, even with a solid financial plan?
Why do they retire with less than they hoped for, despite diligently saving and investing?
The answer often boils down to two things: suboptimal investments and a misguided focus on risk.
In my latest podcast episode, we’ll uncover why good investment performance is essential for yo...
With its quirky name, the Smith Manoeuvre might sound unconventional, but it’s a strategy that truly works—when done by the right people, in the right way, over the long term.
From crafting over 1,000 professional Financial Plans, I’ve seen firsthand how the Smith Manoeuvre can transform your finances, helping Canadians use their home equity to invest for their future without impacting their cash flow.
For years, conventional wisdom has preached the benefits of diversifying between stocks & bonds and gradually shifting to safer investments as we age.
But what if these widely accepted strategies are fundamentally flawed?
A newly published, high-quality study is flipping the script on traditional investment advice, making a compelling case for a 100% equity strategy throughout life.
Read more
I talk with people all the time who have an ETF or mutual fund that pays a fixed monthly amount. In most cases, they misunderstand it.
Most think they are receiving regular income—but chances are, it’s usually a brain fart.
Many investors misunderstand how these monthly pay investments work.
From covered call ETFs and dividend funds to monthly income funds, mortgage funds, T8/T6 ...
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