(NC) As you give your home a good spring cleaning this year, you may come across investment statements — and it's a good time to take a closer look.

Your 2017 statements contain new, personalized information about how well your investments performed and how much you paid for services from your dealer (the company that your advisor works for) in the past year. This information will help you on your path to becoming a more knowledgeable investor.

Your report will tell you how well your investments performed after costs have been deducted. It's called your “personal rate of return” and it's unique to you. For example, you and your neighbour could each have a different personal rate of return even if you've invested in the same fund, because you each move money in and out of the fund at different times. Your personal rate of return includes the timing of your own deposits and withdrawals and changes in the market value of your securities.

Your report will list the fees you paid for the services that you received from your dealer over the past year. Services could include understanding your finances and risk tolerance, guiding you to build and maintain your financial plan, buying and selling units based on your needs, and keeping detailed records of your account.

This information is new to most investors and helps give a clearer picture of how investments are performing. Whether they're sitting on your to-do list, at the bottom of your spring cleaning pile, or waiting in your inbox, open your new reports and take charge of your money today.

Find more information online at ific.ca.

www.newscanada.com