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♦ ♦ ♦ 20 Oakville Beaver Weekend B u s in e s s An Oakville Beaver Feature Jo reach this section cal! 845-3824 Fax:337-5567 U L K " d « « O U . L , s a v e s1O.00! BUY BEFORE MAY 15 . 0 0 I Sunday April 11, 1999 $119.c DELIVERED I (Within del. zone) N TA R IO SOD Business directory available The 1999 Halton Business Directory is now available. With listings of over 3,600 industrial commercial and service companies located in Halton Region, the 1999 Directory is one of the most comprehensive publications available. The cost for this year's directory is $33 (plus taxes) and is available at the Region of Halton's Business Development Centre, 1151 Bronte Road. This year's directory features the new North American Industrial Classification (NAIC) structure. It reflects the environmen­ tal, high-tech and biotech sectors not includ­ ed in the old Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) system and is the new standard used throughout Canada, the U.S. and Mexico to classify companies by type of business. The Region of Halton is one of the first to adopt and convert to this coding structure. Together with complete address, contact information, and product service description, the 1999 Directory also includes email and website addresses of local companies. Halton's Business Directory is also available on-line at www.haltonbusiness.com. Career fair at Sheridan April 14th High school students will have the opportunity to check out job options on Wed April 14th during the fifth annual Careers Unlimited program at Sheridan College. The session offers students, parents, teachers and others inter­ ested in career and education options a chance to talk with indi­ viduals from many professions and representatives from colleges, uni­ versities and other training institu­ tions. Attendees will also witness the launch of the Halton Industry Education Council's (HIEQ new interactive apprenticeship database at apprentice.net Careers Unlimited is coordinat­ ed by the HIEC Career Centre in partnership with Human Resources Development Canada and the Royal Bank. The program runs from 6:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. at Sheridan's Athletic Complex on Trafalgar Road. HIEC partners include the Halton District School Board, the Halton Catholic District School Board, Sheridan College and area businesses. % Successful Investing with Patrick McKeough T IP O F T H E W E E K : "Finding a good broker is hard, but worth the effort.' Finding a good broker Brokers today are far better educated than a tew decades ago. Most have taken courses that acquaint them with financial statements and analysis, economics and securities laws. Before they deal with the public, most train for three months or more as assistants in research or sales. But training and education merely equip new brokers to interpret investment information at face value. Brokers deal in intangibles so their work involves a series of judgment calls. They must sort through conflicting information in order to help clients avoid hidden risk. PROFILE OF A BAD BROKER - Inexperienced and naive. - Oilers glib generalizations. - Takes every tip and rumour at lace value - Ignores risk and assumes that whatever's profitable for him is fine for you. PROFILE OF A GOOD BROKER - Experienced and scrupulous. - Has paid close attention to investments lor 10 years or more as a broker, an investor or both. - Has made most of the usual investment mistakes and is well-equipped to help clients avoid them. - Makes good use of available research facilities and reports. - Knows which analysts are worth listening to and which to ignore. - Uses information to form his or her own judgments and knows how to read between the lines. T I P S 1. Don't rush your decision. Finding a good broker takes tim e. 2 . Learn as m uch as you can about investm ents. 3 . Talk to a num ber of brokers, and ask each of them questions to which you know the answ ers. This will help you elim inate brokers you don't w ant to deal with, and that's a big part of the job. 0 1999 AnPnu kWniWorW GRAPHICS SYN0ICATE IV* ^Patrick McKeough is author of Biding The BuH and editor of The Successful Investor, a monthly investment newsletter. Fowurther information, call 1-800-579-4246 or visit http://www.thesuccessfullnvestor.com Fee-only 'wraps ' have cost benefits I APRIL 4 i I to MAY 27/99 I Booking Tournaments Mon.-Thurs. Only $29. (Reg. $32.) Starting Times Pencoss Greens Blue Grass Fairways Weekends $41. & $37. Offer Expires May 7/99. J EACH PERSON MUST BRING AD TO QUALIFY ' PHONE 335-2922 Some investors are not paying trans­ action-based commissions by shifting to fee-only based accounts. In the last column, we looked at the evolution from mutual fund investing to "wrap" accounts, where a bundle of dif­ ferent investments are combined into one account. More conservative and wealthy investors are gravitating towards wraps, because they are designed to reduce investment risk. Wraps started 25 years ago in the United States and were introduced in Canada during the 1990s. As of this past September, the wrap market in Canada had grown to $40-billion. The rate of growth of the wrap mar­ ket is increasing much faster than the popular mutual fund market. Wraps are often offered on a fee-only PETER WATSON Dollars & Sense basis. You benefit not only from the bundle of investments in the account but also from the services that are provided as part of the total package. The fee-based approach is similar to the method used by other professionals. Your lawyer and accountant invoice you for services rendered. In the investment business, when you buy or sell investments, the commission charged covers the cost of that transac­ tion. Technological advances have sig­ nificantly reduced transaction costs to the point where the value added is not in the transaction, but in the investment advice. Investment advice, similar to the advice of other professionals, should be paid for on an ongoing basis rather than a large up-front commission. Alternately, you can dramatically reduce the commission by completing transac­ tions with discount brokers or by using the Internet. In any business, the needs and wants of the customer drive the direction of the industry. It is a simple rule of thumb - give the consumer what they want or they will find someone more able to meet their needs. (See 'Canadian' page 21) We have the skills, experience and guarantee to take the worry out of tax time. Relax and let our professionals ensure you get the maximum deductions and tax credits. Expecting a refund? We can make sure you get the money you're entitled to. Faster. Oakville Locations 466 Speers Rd. Unit 1 842-7600 Sears - Oakville Place 842-6563 The Bay - Oakville Place 338-7898 Financial Stop Locations 343 Kerr S t 844-7986 CO M4* A G O N ltd* S i n c e 1 9 3 0 Monday, April 12/99, 7:00 pm Le D ome Banquet, Hall 'ADMISSION F R E E To register call Hostess: Eden 8 2 7 -5 8 0 6 Meet Your Community's Wedding Experts * Fashion Show • Demonstrations • Exciting Gifts For • Numerous Door Prizes • Special Displays http://www.haltonbusiness.com http://www.thesuccessfullnvestor.com