Short Takes: Securities Lending, Pot Stocks, and more

Here are my posts for the past two weeks:

Beat the Bank

Getting Even by Owning Big Business Stocks

Here are some short takes and some weekend reading:

Dan Bortolotti discusses the “catch” with zero-fee index mutual funds. Dan says “there is no catch here,” but I’d like an expert opinion on the securities-lending practices of different index mutual funds and ETFs. Who gets the interest the funds collect from short-sellers who borrow stocks? How much hidden risk is there for investors?

Dan Hallett analyzes the price levels of pot stocks.

Squawkfox explains how social media and FOMO can make you unhappy and cost you money.

 The Blunt Bean Counter explains clearance certificates from CRA for a deceased person’s estate. Without one, the executor(s) could be held personally responsible for any taxes CRA comes looking for after a reassessment. This is timely for me because I’ll be filing tax returns for an estate next spring. I’m still on the fence about whether a clearance certificate is needed in my case, but now I understand the issues better.

 John Robertson makes a convincing argument that we need to keep our investment plans as simple as possible.

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