The Index House

kers, and TV big-talkers? After all of your effort and all the recommendations from all the people who are supposed to know…what did you really get, besides frustrated? The investment industry sells products and predictions. Investment professionals present themselves as faster and smarter investors whose acumen will generate market-beating results for investors. Your Portfolio Is Broken: Who's to Blame and How to Fix It calmly debunks the claims of the investment industry. In fact, beating the market is rare, and an emphasis on good consumer and investor practices – controlling what you can control – is more effective in addressing the issues causing poor portfolio performance versus more products or more predictions. Now is the time for a change. After 13 years of debate, Canadian security regulators have begun a multi year rollout of reforms specifically aimed at correcting the knowledge imbalance between investors and the industry after repeated surveys showed that Canadians did not know how much their investments cost or how their advisor is compensated. The first of these reforms, effective July 15, 2013 requires "Enhanced Disclosure" to new investors. Further reforms are scheduled for 2014, 2015, and 2016. Chris Turnbull is a portfolio manager at The Index House, a private counsel portfolio management firm. Chris gives presentations regularly on aspects of the prudent investor rule and good consumer and investor practices. The Index House aims to simplify the investment process such that clients make better decisions and get better results. The Index House provides a sensible and modern alternative to the investment services offered by large banks, brokerage firms and mutual fund companies.