Mutual funds are a great option to help reduce your risk by spreading your money more widely than investing on your own.

A mutual fund pools your money with many other investors in a group of investments, like stocks and bonds. A professional money manager chooses the investments for each fund with a specific objective and investment type in mind. For example, a Canadian equity fund invests primarily in Canadian stocks.

Mutual funds can help you spread your money more widely than investing in individual stocks and bonds on your own.

Because mutual funds and segregated fund policies are in some ways similar and other ways different, here’s a chart to help you determine which choice will help you reach your investment goals.
 

	Mutual funds	Segregated fund policies
Type of investment	A pool of money spread across different investments, managed by experts.	A pool of money spread across different investments, managed by experts.
Guarantees	None	Insurance guarantees can protect much or even all your original investment at death and policies maturity date.
Fees	Less than segregated fund policies and investing in individual stocks	More than mutual funds due to paying a premium for the insurance guarantee
Variety of investment options	Similar	Similar
Estate planning	Registered mutual fund proceeds are passed on to your named beneficiaries when you die. No probate tax.	When you die, proceeds go directly to your named beneficiaries and won’t flow through your estate. No probate tax.
Potential creditor protection	For registered mutual funds, bankruptcy protection may apply.	Yes. 1
		View segregated fund policies

Commissions, trailing commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with mutual fund investments. Please read the Fund Facts before investing. Mutual funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated.

You’ll find the detailed descriptions of the segregated fund policy in the information folder provided by your financial advisor. Any amount that is allocated to a segregated fund is invested at the risk of the policyowner and may increase or decrease in value.

Creditor protection depends on court decisions and applicable legislation, which can be subject to change and can vary from each province; it can never be guaranteed. Talk to your lawyer to find out more about the potential for creditor protection for your specific situation. In Saskatchewan, executors must disclose all known life insurance policies owned by the deceased, including segregated fund policies. They must list the insurance company, policy number, designated beneficiaries and the value at the date of death.

View the legal and regulatory disclosure documents for Canada Life Mutual Funds.

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