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What is Investing?

Investing is when you buy and hold investment products with the expectation of growing your money.  At TD, we want to help you build your personal investment strategy, which is why we have advice, tools and services to help you reach your specific financial goals.

Why investing is important for newcomers

Investing is a great way to help you achieve your financial goals in Canada for you and your family. With the right investing strategy, TD can help you grow your money for long-term goals like buying a home, retirement, or any other long or short-term financial goals you may have. 

Looking to get started?

Investing products for newcomers

We have investment products to help you reach your short- or long-term financial goals. Our TD Personal Bankers can provide you with the support and guidance to help you understand your options, find investments suitable for you, and help you map out a path towards reaching your financial goals with confidence.

  • GIC

    A Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC) is a secure way to grow your money since it offers 100% principal protection with the potential for a return on your investment.  You can choose how long you want to invest your money and at the end of the term, you get your principal GIC investment back plus any potential interest earned.

  • Mutual Funds

    A mutual fund is an investment that pools the money of many individual investors and uses it to buy securities such as bonds, stocks, or other investable assets. Mutual funds can be a great option for those who are looking for a one-stop professionally managed solution, and greater portfolio diversification.

  • ETFs

    Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) are pooled investments that work similarly to mutual funds. The difference is that ETFs are bought and sold as stocks on an exchange, making it easier for you to buy and sell on your own.

  • Stocks

    Stocks are a type of investment that allow you to purchase a small portion of a corporation. Purchasing common shares makes you a shareholder and gives you a proportional ownership of the corporation shareholders can benefit from selling appreciated shares (capital gains) and form collecting periodic dividend payments.

  • Bonds

    Bonds are a type of investment that's issued by federal, provincial, and municipal governments, or corporations. When purchasing bonds, the issuer must pay you a specified amount of interest for a certain amount of time, plus your full initial investment upon the term maturity date.

Not sure what investment is best for you?

Registered plans available to newcomers

Invest in a registered savings plan that matches your financial goals. Choose from multiple registered plans to help you save, grow and achieve your short- and long-term financial goals faster.

  • TFSA

    A Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA) is a registered savings account that lets you save and invest your money up to your individual contribution limit and allows you to earn money in qualified investments and withdraw your money, tax-free. This registered savings account is a great option to help you save for your short- or long-term financial goals such as buying a car, saving for a home renovation, and much more.

  • RRSP

    A Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) is a registered savings plan designed to help you save for retirement, while deferring taxes until you withdraw your money. You can even invest in qualified investments and any income earned will help in saving for your retirement and will also be tax deferred until they are withdrawn.

  • RESP

    A Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) is a long-term registered savings plan that allows you to set money aside to save for a child's post-secondary education. Money invested in a RESP does grow tax-deferred, plus you could benefit from government grants of up to $7,200.

  • FHSA

    A First Home Savings Account (FHSA) is a type of registered savings account designed to help Canadian residents to save for their first home by utilizing the tax benefits that the FHSA provides.


Different ways to invest for newcomers

Investing doesn't have to be complicated. If you're a do-it-yourself investor, we have financial tools and services to help you make the right decisions. Our TD Personal Bankers can provide guidance, to help you understand your options and provide advice to help you map out a path  towards achieving your financial goals. 

Alternatively, depending on the complexity of your planning needs and investible assets, you can also seek advice from our Wealth advisors to help develop a strategy, create a financial plan and to help you reach and achieve your financial goals.

  • Whether you're saving for a home, retirement or a child's education, our TD Personal Bankers can help you select the most suitable investments to help you reach your financial goals.

  • Ideal for do-it-yourself investors who want to make their own investment decisions. Take advantage of TD Direct Investing and TD Easy Trade which offer intuitive trading platforms, market data and research tools, free online investor education with live instructors and live telephone support.

  • Our specialized team of advisors can help you manage, grow and protect your wealth by developing a personalized wealth strategy to help meet your financial milestones.


Investing advice for newcomers

  • New to the world of investing? Learn the basics including what to consider before investing, what your investment options are and even common terms to better help you understand what's right for you.

  • Not sure whether you should open a First Home Savings Account, Tax-Free Savings Account or a Registered Retirement Savings Plan? Find out the differences between the two to help you decide which is best for your goals.

  • Should you be saving, investing or doing both? Get a better understanding of how they both work and how they can benefit your financial goals in the short and long-term.


Frequently asked questions

It's important to consider the full state of your financial situation before investing. That means breaking down your budget to understand how much money you can afford to put towards investments. You'll also want to get a full understanding of your financial goals, investment objectives, how long you'd like to invest for and what your risk tolerance is.

TD has Personal Bankers that can help you select the personal investments to reach your financial goals or Wealth Advisors to develop a personalized wealth strategy and solutions to help meet your financial milestones.


A good investment for beginners completely depends on factors like your risk tolerance and time horizon. If you're unsure which investment product and plan you'd like to get started with, book an appointment with a TD Personal Banker online or in-branch. Start with a TD Goal Builder conversation for one-on-one personalized advice with a TD Personal Banker to help you work toward your financial goals.  


Minimum investment amounts can vary based on the type of investment product you want to get. For example, if you're looking to invest in mutual funds some funds have a minimum initial purchase amount of $100.  To find out more information, speak to a TD Personal Banker who will provide advice and help select investments which may suit your financial goals.  


The risk involved in investing is the possibility of losing some or all of the money you've invested. Although there is no way to avoid risk, there are some ways you can minimize the risk you take. 

A TD Personal Banker can help you determine suitable investments that work best for you based on your goals and personal needs.  You should invest in products that you feel confident holding to reach your financial goals.

Get in touch

  • Book an appointment

    Speak with a TD Personal Banker in person at the branch closest to you or over the phone.

  • Locate a branch

    Find TD branches wherever you go in Canada.

  • Call us

    Speak with a TD Investment Specialists

    1-800-386-3757 1-800-386-3757

Speak with a TD Personal Banker