Some PortfolioIdeas
Model Portfolios
http://canadiancouchpotato.com/model-portfolios/
If you’re thinking about putting the Couch Potato strategy into
practice, here are some sample portfolios you might consider.
Once you become more familiar with the Couch Potato
strategy and the products available, you can modify them to
suit your needs.
You can adjust the proportions in any of these portfolios to
suit your risk tolerance. Most of them use a conventional split
of 60% equities and 40% fixed income, which is suitable for
long-term investors with a moderate risk tolerance.
Conservative investors can allocate more to bonds and less to
equities, while aggressive investors can do the opposite.
You can build these portfolios yourself with a discount
brokerage account. If you need professional help in
assembling and maintaining a portfolio, consider our DIY
Investor Serviceor visit the Find An Advisor page.
The 15-year performance record (from 1998 through 2012) of
these portfolios is available here. These data include actual
fund returns and when available, and index returns (minus
fees) when necessary. Past performance is no guarantee of
future results.
1. The Global Couch Potato
This simple portfolio—popularized
by MoneySense magazine—gives you exposure to stock
markets in all developed countries, as well as a firm
foundation of Canadian bonds.
Option 1: Investors with at least $50,000 or so should
consider ETFs rather than index mutual funds, especially if
they add new money annually rather than monthly. The total
annual cost of this portfolio is 0.35%:
Canadian equity
US and international equity
Canadian bonds
20%
40%
40%
BMO S&P/TSX Capped Composite (ZCN)
iShares MSCI World (XWD)
iShares DEX Universe Bond (XBB)
Option 2: The cheapest index mutual funds in Canada are
TD’s e-Series, but these are only available to investors who
open an online account with TD Canada Trust, or through
a TD Waterhouse discount brokerage account. The total
annual cost of this portfolio is 0.44%:
Canadian equity
US equity
International equity
Canadian bonds
20%
20%
20%
40%
TD Canadian Index – e (TDB900)
TD US Index – e (TDB902)
TD International Index – e (TDB911)
TD Canadian Bond Index – e (TDB909)
Option 3: Those who use other discount brokerages can
consider this option. The total annual cost of this portfolio
is 0.71%:
Canadian equity
US equity
International equity
Canadian bonds
20%
20%
20%
40%
RBC Canadian Index (RBF556)
TD US Index – I (TDB661)
Altamira International Index (NBC839)
TD Canadian Bond Index – I (TDB966)
2. The Complete Couch Potato
This portfolio goes beyond the basics to add three additional
asset classes (emerging markets, real estate and real-return
bonds) while remaining extremely easy to manage. It uses
Vanguard ETFs (traded in US dollars on the New York Stock
Exchange) for the US and international components, which
include almost 10,000 stocks in more than 40 countries.
This portfolio is really all the average investor will ever need.
The weighted MER of this portfolio is 0.27%.
Canadian equity
US equity
International equity
Real estate investment trusts
Real return bonds
Canadian bonds
20%
15%
15%
10%
10%
30%
BMO S&P/TSX Capped Composite (ZCN)
Vanguard Total Stock Market (VTI)
Vanguard Total International Stock (VXUS)
BMO Equal Weight REITs (ZRE)
iShares DEX Real Return Bond (XRB)
iShares DEX Universe Bond (XBB)
3. The Über–Tuber
For something ultra sophisticated, consider this portfolio
based on the academic work of Eugene Fama and Kenneth
French. The Fama-French research demonstrated that value
stocks and small-cap stocks have historically delivered higher
returns than the overall market.
This ETF portfolio is based on similar principles. Because it
includes so many funds, it may be difficult to manage and is
not recommended for inexperienced investors. It is not likely
to be efficient for accounts less than $200,000.
This portfolio’s overall cost is 0.35%. (see next page)
Canadian equity
Canadian small cap
US equity
US small-cap value
International equity
International small cap
Emerging markets equity
Global real estate
Government bonds
Corporate bonds
12%
6%
12%
6%
6%
6%
6%
6%
20%
20%
iShares Canadian Fundamental (CRQ)
iShares S&P/TSX SmallCap (XCS)
Vanguard Total Stock Market (VTI)
Vanguard Small Cap Value (VBR)
iShares MSCI EAFE Value (EFV)
iShares MSCI EAFE Small Cap (SCZ)
Vanguard Emerging Markets (VWO)
SPDR Dow Jones Global Real Estate (RWO)
BMO Mid Federal Bond (ZFM)
BMO Short Corporate Bond (ZCS)
.
Model Portfolio
http://www2.phn.com/public/modelportfolio
Please select a Model Portfolio that matches your investment profile. To help determine your investment profile,
please complete the online questionnaire in our Investment Profiler to see which portfolio best fits your investment
style. Once you have selected a preferred portfolio, you may use the "Make adjustments to this portfolio" button to
further customize your portfolio, should you wish.
Please note that this tool is meant to provide you with information and guidance about investing, but it should not be a
substitute for advice provided by an investment professional.

Model Portfolio Description
The Conservative Model Portfolio has a focus on providing income and the potential for moderate capital
growth through a balanced mix of investments in fixed-income and growth-oriented equity mutual funds. A strategic
asset allocation portfolio, the model has been prepared by RBC Global Asset Management to provide sample
portfolios for a conservative investor using Series D units of PH&N (or PH&N and RBC Funds), which feature low
MERs
The Balanced Model Portfolio has a focus on long-term capital growth, with a secondary focus on modest
income through a mix of fixed-income and growth-oriented equity mutual funds. More than half of a balanced portfolio
will usually be invested in a diversified mix of Canadian, U.S. and international equity funds. A strategic asset
allocation portfolio, the model has been prepared by RBC Global Asset Management to provide sample portfolios for
a balanced investor using Series D units of PH&N Funds (or PH&N and RBC Funds), which feature low MERs.
The Growth Model Portfolio has a focus on long-term capital growth, through a mix of mutual funds which
emphasizes growth-oriented equity funds, with some exposure to fixed-income funds for diversification. A growth
portfolio primarily holds a diversified mix of Canadian, U.S. and international equity funds. A strategic asset allocation
portfolio, the model has been prepared by RBC Global Asset Management to provide sample portfolios for a growth
investor using Series D units of PH&N Funds (or PH&N and RBC Funds), which feature low MERs.
The Aggressive Growth Model Portfolio has a focus on maximizing long-term capital growth,
(over capital preservation and regular income) through a mix of growth-oriented equity mutual funds.
An aggressive growth portfolio is almost entirely invested in equities with a greater emphasis on
international equities. A strategic asset allocation portfolio, the model has been prepared by RBC
Global Asset Management to provide sample portfolios for an aggressive growth investor using
Series D units of PH&N Funds (or PH&N and RBC Funds), which feature low MERs.
The Globe and Mail
Published Wednesday, Jan. 02 2013, 4:32 PM EST
Last updated Thursday, May. 02 2013, 4:10 PM EDT
17 comments

Strategy Lab experts started with a hypothetical $50,000 portfolio on Sept. 13, 2012. They can each hold
five to 12 Canadian or U.S. securities and trade as often or as little as they wish. We’ll monitor their
portfolios on a regular basis so you can see how they’re performing.
This is dividend investor John Heinzl's model portfolio. Read more about how he chose his investments in
his first Strategy Lab column.
Company
Ticker
No. of Share
SharesPrice $ **
Purchase
Price $
***Total
Investment
Gain/
Loss
Yield
Comment
BCE *
BCET
100
$47.19
$43.36
$4,719.00
8.83%
4.94%
The telecom, media and sports conglomerate ra
win.
Bank of
Montreal *
BMOT
70
$63.19
$58.15
$4,423.30
8.67%
4.68%
After a five-year hiatus, BMO recently joined oth
Canadian
Utilities *
CU-T
60
$82.92
$67.08
$4,975.20
23.61%
2.34%
CU's utilities deliver electricity, natural gas and w
Enbridge *
ENBT
110
$47.94
$38.60
$5,273.40
24.20%
2.63%
The pipeline giant has raised its dividend at an a
past five years.
Fortis *
FTS-T
120
$34.95
$32.95
$4,194.00
6.07%
3.55%
An ambitious capital spending plan is expected t
coming years.
Coca-Cola *
KO-N
110
US$42.33
US$38.33
$4,691.22
13.54%
2.65%
If it's good enough to be Warren Buffett's bigges
McDonald's *
MCDN
50
US$102.14
US$91.57
$5,145.30
15.21%
3.02%
Mickey D's has raised its dividend every year sin
lovin' it.
Procter &
Gamble *
PG-N
60
US$76.77
US$68.91
$4,640.75
15.07%
3.14%
You wash you clothes in Tide and brush your tee
from P&G, too?
Royal Bank *
RY-T
80
$60.78
$55.75
$4,862.40
9.02%
4.15%
Canada's biggest bank posted a record quarterly
and hiked its dividend.
Telus *
T-T
120
$36.25
$30.85
$4,350.00
17.50%
3.53%
People today are addicted to their smartphones.
TransCanada
*
TRPT
100
$49.94
$45.22
$4,994.00
10.44%
3.68%
The pipeline operator and power producer offers
S&P/TSX
REIT ETF *
XRET
262
$17.99
$16.93
$4,713.38
6.26%
4.17%
A diversified collection of real estate investment
everyone.
Cash
$628.49
TOTAL
$57,610.44
15.30%
* Also in personal portfolio
**As of close of April 30, 2013
***In Canadian dollars
Dividends received since last update: $189.36
Gain/loss is calculated from Sept. 13, 2012
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