Well the indexes are fantastic IMO. I would use an ETF for that purpose (although there are other ways to buy the index as well that I recommend). With indexes you have be prepared to say "I don't know and I don't care" no matter what the markets are doing in order to get your value from them. This has to apply in both up and down times, and to be honest there are questions about the long-term benefits in some cases. A lot of funds in Canada beat the index going up and hold their value going down...but there are no guarantees and no one can predict the future.
ETF's are just a little more complex than other investments because in some sense they are a hybrid vehicle. I'm not saying that they are much less stable, but you should understand what you're getting into. I know that the fees are lower, but the question is that with fees could you come out ahead of the ETF? If the answer is yes, or even at a break even then you have to take that into account.
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