Discover Smarter Investing with Dimensional Fund Advisors (DFA)

By Fawaz Alathamna

Are you looking for a smarter way to grow your wealth?

We’re thrilled to announce a new addition to our investment lineup: Dimensional Fund Advisors (DFA), a globally respected investment firm known for its evidence-based approach and decades of academic research. This partnership allows us to deliver a more disciplined, low-cost investment experience grounded in data, not speculation.

Who is Dimensional Fund Advisors (DFA)?

Founded on academic research and innovative thinking, Dimensional Fund Advisors is renowned for turning decades of financial science into practical investing solutions. Their strategies are based on the groundbreaking Fama-French three-factor model, developed by Nobel Prize winner Eugene Fama and Kenneth French. This model identifies key factors—company size, value, and profitability—that drive long-term investment returns.

What Makes DFA’s Investment Approach Unique?

Dimensional’s philosophy revolves around evidence-based investing—relying on decades of data and academic research rather than market predictions or emotional decision-making. Here’s how DFA’s approach can help investors like you:

✔️  Evidence-Based Investing

DFA makes investment decisions using scientific research instead of market forecasts, aiming to deliver more reliable outcomes.

✔️  Focus on Long-Term Drivers of Returns

They emphasize proven factors such as company size (small-cap vs. large-cap), value (low-priced stocks relative to fundamentals), and profitability—key drivers identified in academic studies.

✔️  Broad Global Diversification

DFA portfolios invest in thousands of companies worldwide, spreading risk and capturing returns across diverse markets.

✔️ Cost-Efficient Strategies

Their funds are designed to minimize costs by reducing unnecessary trading and keeping expenses low—an advantage that directly benefits investors’ returns.

✔️  Disciplined Through Market Cycles

DFA remains fully invested through market ups and downs, avoiding reactive, emotional decisions that can harm long-term performance.

Markets Work — And DFA Proves It

DFA firmly believes that markets are efficient and that the best way to achieve investment success is to capture broad market returns rather than attempting to time the market or pick individual stocks. Their solutions combine broad diversification, low-cost investing, and evidence-based strategies to help investors stay on track toward their financial goals.

Want to see DFA’s approach in action? Check out their 2023 documentary:

 CLICK HERE to watch the film (88 minutes)

• Click the yellow icon (top right) “Watch the film”

• Enter code: MARKETSWORK

• Select country: Canada

I promise—it’s both educational and entertaining!

Ready to Learn More?

If you’d like to explore how DFA’s evidence-based strategies could fit into your portfolio, we’re here to help. Let’s discuss how we can tailor your investment plan to achieve smarter, more disciplined growth.

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Fawaz Alathamna is a Partner at Lifecycle Wealth and an Investment Advisor at

Mandeville Private Client Inc. With a career in the investment industry spanning back to his graduation from Western University in 2008, Fawaz brings extensive experience and a coast-to-coast perspective on wealth management. He is committed to an academically grounded, Nobel Prize–winning investment philosophy and supports clients in achieving their financial goals.

This publication contains the opinion of the writer. The information contained herein was obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but no representation or warranty, express or implied, is made by the writer, Mandeville or any other person as to its accuracy, completeness or correctness. This publication is not an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities. The information in this publication is intended for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute investment, financial, legal, tax or accounting advice. Many factors unknown to us may affect the applicability of any statement or comment made in this publication to your particular circumstances. Hence, you should not rely on the information in this publication for investment, financial, legal tax or accounting advice. You should consult your financial advisor or other professionals before acting on any information in this communication.

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