In this section of our website we want to show you what an investment portfolio looks like and how you would manage it using our balanced IFM Approach. Keep in mind that there are a number of different types of investment portfolios (such as conservative, balanced, growth, aggressive growth, etc.) and there are a number of different approaches you could use to manage your investment portfolio (such as passive, active, trading, growth, dividend, value-oriented, hedging, etc.). For more information about the different types of investment portfolios and approaches, see our section Portfolio Design.
Note: Our Sample DIY Portfolios are intended as educational tools and should not be misinterpreted as investment recommendations or advice. Visitors should ensure that the investments they purchase meet their own personal investment constraints and risk tolerances. The Portfolios are intended for those investors that view their savings as their own personally managed pension fund (i.e. a conservative, safe reliable investment portfolio). The sample portfolios are not intended as an example of a trading portfolio (a more risky, volatile, complex investment vehicle).
While there are many different investment processes to choose from, the IFM Approach is simple, consistent, and reliable. To further enhance your understanding of designing your own investment portfolio, we have put together the following three sample investment portfolios:
Sample Income Portfolio
Our Income Portfolio is a conservative investment portfolio with its primary investment objective being to preserve your precious hard-earned savings – i.e. safety first. This portfolio invests in individual bonds, Guaranteed Investment Certificates (GICs), and preferred shares. The income portfolio has two objectives:
- to safeguard your savings, and
- to generate a steady investment income stream
Sample Balanced Portfolio
Our Balanced Portfolio is a portfolio that uses an investment approach that is similar to that of an old-time pension fund. The portfolio’s foundation has been built with individual bonds, GICs, and preferred shares, and upon this foundation individual common shares and Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) have been placed. The balanced portfolio has three objectives:
- to safeguard your savings,
- to generate a steady investment income stream and
- to provide an opportunity for future growth from capital gains
Building our DIY sample portfolios with individual investments
Our portfolios are designed and constructed with a focus on owning individual investments. Our preference for individual investments (including bonds, GICs, preferred shares, common shares, and ETFs) is motivated by our desire to
- maximize investment control
- minimize investment costs, and
- maximize investment performance