Investment volatility is often erroneously assumed to be the same as investment risk and, as a result, something to fear. You will have already read my detailed analysis of investment risk so, to complement this, I thought it was worth a deeper dive into investment volatility and why it’s actually something to welcome, rather than be scared of. But rather than you simply having to read my analysis, I thought I’d enlist the help of legendary investment guru, Warren Buffett. So, all the quotes about investment volatility you can read here were made by him – either in interviews, or in the now-famous annual reports he sends to his Berkshire Hathaway investors. “If the investor fears price volatility, erroneously viewing... Read More

As you approach retirement, you’ll inevitably start to think about what you plan to do once you’ve stopped working and have more time to yourself. A key part of your planning process should be to have an idea of how much money you’ll need to maintain your lifestyle after you retire. From discussions I’ve had with clients, and from speaking to other planners, the common perception is that your spending will fall in retirement. However, in my experience, this isn’t necessarily the case. There’s also a tendency to underestimate how long your retirement may last. Latest Office for National Statistics figures confirm that the average woman currently aged 50 can expect to live to age 87, while the equivalent age... Read More

It’s impossible to predict the future. External events can happen without warning and threaten to blow even the best plans off-course. For example, who could possibly have predicted the recent pandemic and the effect it had on our lives over a two-year period? Your personal circumstances can change at short notice too. You may be offered a great employment opportunity abroad that you weren’t expecting or – on the other side of the coin – you may find yourself out of work for a brief period. Not knowing what will happen can make it difficult to plan for the future, particularly for long-term objectives such as your retirement. However, by using a process known as cashflow forecasting, you can get an idea... Read More

In one of my recent articles, I set out some of the things I’ll never do as a financial adviser. As a counterweight to that, I thought I’d provide you with a list of some of the important things I will do for clients. All of them are designed to help you manage your finances as effectively as possible and to give you the best chance of a secure and rewarding financial future. 1. I’ll always tell you the truth During our adviser/client relationship, it may occasionally be necessary to tell you things you might not want to hear. For example, I might think it’s necessary that, in order to meet your financial goals, you need to save more each... Read More

Working in the financial services, I tend to keep an eye on how other financial professionals advertise their services. What often strikes me is the way they will heavily promote what they’ll do for you, the client. Investment managers will tell you how they will help you grow the value of your investments, while banks will look after your money and offer no end of financial products to meet your needs. You will rarely see anyone telling you what they won’t do. So, I’m going to turn this on its head and tell you about four things I will never do as a financial adviser. 1. I won’t use jargon or try to impress you with complex ideas Even as... Read More