According to the LLQP Segregated Funds and Annuities and Investment & Savings curriculum, understanding investment risk is a critical part of assessing whether a client’s portfolio aligns with their long-term objectives. Ali’s stated goal is retirement funding, which is typically a long-term objective requiring growth that at least keeps pace with inflation. His current strategy consists entirely of cashable GICs with short- to medium-term maturities.
The primary concern with this strategy is inflation risk, which is the risk that the purchasing power of money will decline over time due to rising prices. The LLQP study guide explains that conservative investments such as cash and GICs often provide relatively low returns. While these returns may preserve capital in nominal terms, they may fail to keep pace with inflation, especially over long periods such as a retirement planning horizon. As a result, even though Ali’s account balances may grow slightly, their real value may decrease.
Cashable GICs are designed to provide capital preservation and stability, not long-term growth. For retirement purposes, relying exclusively on these instruments may result in insufficient accumulation of funds to meet future income needs. The LLQP curriculum highlights that portfolios heavily weighted toward low-risk, fixed-income investments are particularly vulnerable to inflation risk when used for long-term goals.
The other answer choices are incorrect based on LLQP definitions. Industry risk applies to investments concentrated in a specific economic sector, which is not the case here. Liquidity risk refers to difficulty accessing funds; however, cashable GICs are generally considered liquid or moderately liquid, especially compared to long-term locked-in investments. Credit risk involves the possibility that an issuer will default; GICs issued by reputable financial institutions are typically low credit risk, and many are protected by deposit insurance.
Therefore, under LLQP-approved investment principles, Rivka should explain that Ali’s portfolio is most exposed to inflation risk, making Option A the correct answer.
