Buyer's guide to ETFs

Now that you know what to look for when choosing ETFs, we’d like to help get you started. These sample portfolios offer different mixes of ETFs for all kinds f investors. If you’re starting out, we recommend the Classic or Global Coach Potato, but if you have some experience with ETFs you may want to try some of the more sophisticated strategies. We’ve listed the ticker symbols of a number of Canadian and American possibilities in each asset class. All of them are good choices, but you should do your own research to determine which might be best suited to your investment strategy.

Classic Couch Potato		Canadian-listed ETF	U.S.-listed ETF
Canadian equity	33.30%	XIU, XIC, or CRQ	—
U.S. equity	33.30%	XSP or CLU	VTI, IVV or SPY
Canadian bond	33.30%	XBB	—

Global Couch Potato
Canadian equity	20%	XIU, XIC, or CRQ	—
U.S. equity	20%	XSP or CLU	VTI, IVV, SPY
European/Pacific equity	20%	XIN or CIE	VEA, EFA
Canadian bond	40%	XBB	—

High-Yield Couch Potato
Canadian dividend	25%	XDV or CDZ	—
Canadian income trusts	25%	XTR or XRE	—
Global dividend	25%	CYH	DEW
Canadian preferred shares	25%	CPD	—

Conservative Couch Potato
Canadian equity	10%	XIU	—
Global equity	10%	XWD	VT
Canadian preferred shares	10%	CPD	—
Canadian real-return bond	20%	XRB	—
Canadian corporate bond	20%	CBO or XCB	—
Canadian government bond	30%	CLF or XGB	—
All-Dressed Couch Potato
Canadian equity	15%	XIU, XIC, or CRQ	—
U.S. equity	15%	XSP or CLU	VTI, IVV or SPY
European/Pacific equity	15%	XIN or CIE	VEA or EFA
Emerging markets equity	5%	CBQ or XEM	VWO or EEM
Real estate	5%	XRE or CGR	VNQ
Gold	5%	CGL.UN or HUG	GLD, IAU
Canadian corporate bond	20%	CBO or XCB	—
Canadian government bond	20%	CLF or XGB	—