Berkshire bulks up in real estate with Store Capital stake + MORE Jun 26th

Q I lived and worked in the U.S. from 2000-2008 and accumulated some money in a 401K retirement savings plan during this time. I returned to Toronto in 2008, but the 401K was left in the U.S. I’ve decided to move all of the funds from the U.S. account into my RRSP for 2017 and made a full withdrawal of the 401K earlier this year. Will I need to file U.S. taxes with the withdrawal? I have read that a foreigner is not required to file for U.S. tax for this type of withdrawal if this is the only transaction for the year since the 15% withholding tax has already been applied.
My second question is regarding the 10% early withdrawal penalty. I was under the age of 59 when I withdrew the 401K money. However, I don’t see the 10% early withdrawal penalty on the statement. Do I need to include that amount in the U.S. tax filing if I do need to file?
— Adam
A Adam, there is good news and bad news on your situation. The bad news is that yes, you need to file a U.S. tax return and pay both income tax and the 10% penalty for early withdrawal of your U…

“Pharma Bro” just won’t keep his mouth shut.
Even with his federal securities fraud trial set to begin Monday, Martin Shkreli has blatantly defied his attorneys’ advice to lay low. The former pharmaceutical CEO, who became a pariah after raising the cost of a life-saving drug 5,000 per cent, has been preening for cameras and trolling on social media, potentially complicating his defence.
“I’m excited,” Shkreli said of the trial in a brief phone call last week to The Associated Press. “I can’t wait.”
Since his high-profile arrest in late 2015 when he was led into court in a grey hoodie, Shkreli has been free on bail and free to speak his mind. He went on Twitter to label members of Congress “imbeciles” for demanding to know why his company, Turing Pharmaceuticals, raised the price of Daraprim, a drug used to treat toxoplasmosis and HIV, from $13.50 to $750 per pill.
He took to YouTube for a series of lessons on chemistry and stock market analysis…

Q: I would like to have some basic information on how to choose between a lump sum payment from an employer pension plan or receiving monthly payments from the pension. What should I consider when trying to make a decision?
—Ruth
A: A Defined Benefit Pension Plan as Ruth is describing provides for a lifetime monthly income. The pension administrator will typically offer an exit to this plan called the commuted (lump sum) value. This is a one-time decision that can’t be reversed.
The commuted value calculates to a higher amount when interest rates are low, which explains why commuting is becoming a more popular choice these days.
Here are some pros and cons to consider to help you make this important decision.

Pension Lifetime Monthly Benefit
Commuted Pension (Lump sum)

A guaranteed income for life.  No concern about investment volatility or running out of funds.
Not guaranteed to last for life. Investment volatility could impact investment growth. Must be disciplined in investment approach…

M A K I N G   B A N K

My foray into investing has been enlightening so far. I’ve been frozen with fear about making mistakes (even with fake money), I made a few trades and watched the value of equities rise and fall.
I’ve learned that Questrade is pretty complicated to use, especially if you’re new to investing. And now, I wonder if my investing needs are better handled by a robot. You’ve no doubt heard of robo-advisors, (if you haven’t then you really need to visit MoneySense more often).
For those who don’t know what a robo-advisor is, a robo-advisor is a service with which you can open an online account, that often assesses your risk profile, your financial goals, then recommends an ETF portfolio crafted by super-geniuses (so I assume) that you can stick money into. The robo-advisor then takes care of your investments and keep your asset allocation from falling out of whack. Think couch potato portfolio, but with an extra plush pillow, a cozy blanket and a minion delivering you goodies as you binge-watch Netflex…

Investor spends $377.1-million on shares in the REIT, giving it a nearly 10-per-cent stake