The Benefit of Being the Jack of All Trades
and Knowing When To Seek Assistance
and Knowing When To Seek Assistance
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"Jack of all trades, master of none" is a figure of speech used in reference to a person who has dabbled in many skills, rather than gaining expertise by focusing on only one. It is often used as a complement for a person who is handy and has a good level of broad knowledge. They may be a master of integration, someone who knows enough from many learned trades and skills to be able to bring the disciplines together in a practical manner - a "generalist" rather than a "specialist".
Now, it's great to know a bit about everything - it can't hurt, can it? Possibly. If we are talking about building a doghouse because you are handy with tools, barring a complete collapse, the house should be able to provide shelter for the pooch (regardless of how well it looks or if its laser straight). But trying to build your own properly allocated and balanced investment portfolio because you have general knowledge of investments and markets, has the potential to hurt.
Outsourcing can have its benefits
To be clear, we are not saying that a do-it-yourself (DIY) investing is not appropriate. For many investors, this is an appropriate option. But knowing how to properly construct a portfolio that takes into consideration many important factors like risk tolerance, time horizon and cost isn't easy - even for financial professionals. This is where all-in-one portfolio solutions can become the very logical and convenient option for many investors - even the jack of all trades type!
Using an analogy, let's compare investing to a home renovation using two types of people: Unhandy Andy and DIY Diana.
Unhandy Andy - Because Andy isn't quite handy, he is the type of person would rather outsource the job to the professionals. Just like hiring a general contractor to oversee a renovation, similarly this is where an all-in-one investment solution may be helpful. A solution that allows investors to get access to a prudently built, well-diversified mix of funds and/or ETFs. These portfolios are often identified by risk tolerance (conservative, balanced, growth, etc.) and would automatically rebalance periodically to keep the risk consistent over time.
DIY Diana - Diana is very different from Andy. She is handy enough to complete the whole renovation on her own, however, there are aspect she still needs expert assistance with - like plumbing or electrical. While very handy, Diana still could use a general contractor for some aspects of the job and complete the rest herself. From an investment standpoint, all-in-one portfolios could be useful here as well, as it could serve as the core of the portfolio (just like plumbing and electrical is very much the core of a house), and then Diana can tackle to rest of her portfolio and be the true DIY she likes to be.
Simplifying your portfolio
At TD Asset Management Inc. (TDAM) we have over 40 ETFs available to investors like DIY Diana and Unhandy Andy that offer enough variety to build a sound portfolio that helps preserve and grow savings. In particular, we have a wide range of ETFs to do-it-yourself and/or the all-in-one TD ETF Portfolios that offer a convenient way to diversify your portfolio, regardless the size of your investment, large or small. Whether you are risk-averse, comfortable with risk, or a bit of both, the following solutions may help secure your medium-term and long-term investment goals:
As investors, it's important to have a balanced approach to investing. This helps to preserves capital, maintains growth, and achieves success. If you need to find your financial balance, reach out to a TD advisor or investment professional for guidance.
Additional resources
TD ETF Portfolios are an all-in-one ETF solution designed to simplify investing. These three diversified options leveraging index investing which allows us to offer one of the lowest management fees in Canada. To see what other ETF options are available to you, check out our ETF Product Guide at TD.com/ETFs.
Are you new to investing? Here's how to invest in TD ETFs
You can invest with TD Easy TradeTM, TD Direct Investing, or a trusted TD Advisor. Learn more at TD.com/ca/en/investing.
The information contained herein has been provided by TD Asset Management Inc. and is for information purposes only. The information has been drawn from sources believed to be reliable. The information does not provide financial, legal, tax or investment advice. Particular investment, tax, or trading strategies should be evaluated relative to each individual's objectives and risk tolerance.
Commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with investments in exchange traded funds (ETFs). Please read the prospectus and ETF Facts before investing. ETFs are not guaranteed, their values change frequently, and past performance may not be repeated. ETF units are bought and sold at market price on a stock exchange and brokerage commissions will reduce returns.
Certain statements in this document may contain forward-looking statements (“FLS”) that are predictive in nature and may include words such as “expects”, “anticipates”, “intends”, “believes”, “estimates” and similar forward-looking expressions or negative versions thereof. FLS are based on current expectations and projections about future general economic, political and relevant market factors, such as interest and foreign exchange rates, equity and capital markets, the general business environment, assuming no changes to tax or other laws or government regulation or catastrophic events. Expectations and projections about future events are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, which may be unforeseeable. Such expectations and projections may be incorrect in the future. FLS are not guarantees of future performance. Actual events could differ materially from those expressed or implied in any FLS. A number of important factors including those factors set out above can contribute to these digressions. You should avoid placing any reliance on FLS.
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