Young Canadians look to DIY investing 
 
As retail investing picks up globally, many young investors are thinking of going it alone and dropping financial advisors. This is particularly seen among millennials who are interested in pursuing Do-It-Yourself (DIY) investing. According to a recent report from Finder.com, nearly one in three Canadian millennials (33.7 per cent), say they plan to quit working with their financial advisor or are seriously considering it. Gen Z follows close behind with 31 per cent thinking of dropping their advisor for a more hands-on investing approach. 
 
Is it time for a mid-year portfolio check?
 
Despite pandemic-related lockdowns holding back the economy, major global indices posted double-digit gains at the start of 2021. You may have seen great returns on your investments but Personal Finance Columnist Dale Jackson says even if your portfolio outperformed broader indices, you might not be as diversified as you think. Now, at the halfway point of the year, it may be a good time to reassess your holdings and see if your risk tolerance has changed or if your investments are tax-efficient.

Boomers ignore traditional retirement norms: Survey
 
The baby boomer generation is showing no signs of slowing down in a recent report by Royal LePage. The report found that 3.2 million boomers on the cusp of retirement or are already retired in Canada are thinking about buying a home in the next five years. Some respondents who are currently still working even said they would work longer to help their children put a down payment on a house. 
 
Housing affordability reaches 31-year low
 
The surge in real estate demand in Canada sent housing affordability in the country to its worst level in three decades, according to a report from RBC Economics. RBC Senior Economist Robert Hogue said that the “housing mania” was unlikely to subside any time soon. He attributes the affordability issues to tight demand-supply conditions that continue to maintain upward pressure on home prices. 
 
Women may not have jobs to return to post-COVID
 
The COVID-19 pandemic forced many women to leave their jobs to take care of their children. As the pandemic begins to subside and in-person school seems increasingly possible this fall, many women looking to return to their old job might not be able to. Toronto bakery owner Lisa Sanguedolce said she hasn’t heard from most of the mothers she employed on when they can return to work, so she’s had to fill those positions with other people. “I would like to have them come back, but then what do I do with the people I’ve hired in the interim who were also out of work because the food businesses suffered so greatly?”
 

TIP JAR

"Having a significant portion of your savings in a TFSA will allow you to make smaller withdrawals from your RRSP at a lower taxable rate in retirement, and withdraw any other income you need tax-free." 

-Personal Finance Columnist Dale Jackson