Weekend Reading – Training your brain, mortgage advice, aristocrats and more + MORE Mar 21st

Welcome to Weekend Reading, where I share some of my favourite articles from the week that was.  Earlier this week, I answered a reader question about TFSA and RRSP considerations for 2014 and I shared Part 2 of my interview with Peter Hodson.
Check out these great articles when you have some time…have a great weekend!
MoneySense suggested you train your investing brain.  Maybe more framing using the fallacies associated with high-money management fees would help investors.  The psychology of money deserves more attention as it relates to retail investors and kudos to Dan Bortolotti for writing such a phenomenal article.
I liked how Canadian Mortgage Trends analyzed BMO’s fixed term mortgage advice.
What are the U.S. dividend aristocrats?  Passive Income Earner knows…
The Dividend Guy shared a list of Canadian dividend aristocrats.
Our Big Fat Wallet (not mine that’s for sure) discussed retirement income sources without a pension.
BrighterLife had some good ideas about a DIY home emergency kit – something I need to work on…

VANCOUVER – Silver Wheaton Corp. (TSX:SLW) reported a sharp drop in both fourth-quarter and full-year net earnings Thursday and cut its dividend as declining precious metals prices took their toll on operations.
The company reported after markets closed that the quarterly payout was being cut by two cents to seven cents US per share, payable on or about April 15 to shareholders of record April 4.
Under Silver Wheaton’s dividend policy, the quarterly dividend is equal to 20 per cent of average cash generated by operating activities in the previous four quarters, divided by the company’s outstanding common shares at the time the dividend is approved, all rounded to the nearest cent.
Net earnings for the quarter ended Dec. 31 plunged 47 per cent to US$93.9 million or 26 cents per diluted share, compared with US$177.7 million or 50 cents in the same year-earlier period.
For the full year, net profits were US$375.5 million or US$1.05 per diluted share, down 36 per cent from 2012 earnings of $586 million or $1…

Mark Ralston/AFP/Getty Images
It was reported today that Exxon-Mobil will begin disclosing the degree to which its assets are exposed to future greenhouse gas policies. This risk is at the heart of what has become known as the carbon bubble, a term advanced by UK group Carbon Tracker, which suggests that assets may be over-valued as a result of not accounting for potential future limits on fossil fuel extraction imposed to fight climate change.
The so-called carbon bubble should be a concern to investors in oil sands stocks, and you only need to consider two numbers to understand why: 80 and 320.  First, the number 80: oil sands producers and the Alberta government are quick to tell you that up to 80% of the life-cycle emissions from oil sands occur from refining and combustion, not from extraction and upgrading.  That’s comforting, until you consider that this means that most of the carbon policy exposure for these projects comes from emissions-control policies and innovations far beyond the jurisdictions and markets in which oil sands companies operate…

CHICAGO – The nation’s new health care law may offer an escape from worry about unexpected medical bills for some people, but for others it offers another kind of escape: the chance to quit their job.
Federal experts believe the new insurance option will be a powerful temptation for job-weary workers who are ready to move on to new opportunities. Congressional budget analysts estimated that within 10 years, the equivalent of 2.5 million full-time workers could be working less.
With the law’s uncertainties, it’s a financial gamble, but one that some people are willing to take. Experts believe that workers in their 50s and 60s, who may have accumulated savings, will be most likely to give up job-provided insurance for policies on the new public exchanges.
The post With new access to health insurance, some workers weigh the tempting ‘I Quit’ option appeared first on Canadian Business.

National PostSaskatchewan Premier Brad Wall says there's no decision on when to launch …MetroNews CanadaPremier Brad Wall says he hasn't decided whether his administration will begin directing resources to a new sovereign wealth fund before the provincial government has paid off its sizable debt. “You're going to see legislation from this government very soon …Broten, Wall battle over futures fundStarPhoenixAmid Ukraine crisis, Saskatchewan mulls ban on Russian boozeThe Globe and MailSaskatchewan considers ban on Russian booze ban in wake of Crimea invasionNational PostCBC.ca -Lloydminster Sourceall 26 news articles »