h1. No-No Financial Products

They put lipstick on the pig and sell it.

• Market-linked GICs do not provide any income at all…none: no interest, no dividends.

• FUNDS NO - over one hundred reasons why I resist being sold mutual funds

• Target date/life cycle/age-based funds: variable annuities Aug 2009 - a FLIGHTS© plan

• Wrap Accounts a bundle of mutual funds with even higher fees
• Variable Annuities “Most variable annuities are very bad investments.” Forbes Feb 19 2001 “Fees are high”
• Life Cycle Funds a fund of funds which are fatally flawed: 800 stocks Hello!
• Preferred shares aren't really preferred. Jarislowsky hates them. Hence, I don't buy them.

• IPOs - Do not buy IPOs! It's that simple. Don't. Here's why IPOs:
• fund-based_income_plans - a comparison between what 'they' do and what 'we' do