How to protect yourself in uncertain times
By Spectrum IFA
This article is published on: 15th August 2014
Wealthy individuals have a lot more in common than just their wealth. Ambition, skill, patience, consistency and a strategic game plan are all vital to ensure success. Keeping an eye on the end goal and never giving up have been key to reaching greater heights.
Only a minority of the population become extremely rich, as the likes of Warren Buffet, Richard Branson or Paul Getty, but this does not mean that we can’t enjoy a comfortable lifestyle with luxuries and freedom.
World stock market performances over the last 60 years reveal that the enduring trend is up and it is evident that any sharp downward movements often coincided with world calamities. Even with the peaks and valleys, stock market performance over time still yields inflation-beating returns for those who remain loyal.
Despite this, investors are concerned about the fluctuating Gold price and negative impact of the mining and metal strikes in South Africa and the developing Russian/Ukraine crisis which is already a cause for alarm – Russia is now talking of disallowing air travel over its skies to the East thus hampering tourism, the lifeblood for many of the Asian Tiger’s economies.
Hearing the words ‘hang in there’ is not enough reassurance for those trying to save for retirement or financial independence. This in turn affects investors who feel the pinch whether it be through investment of stocks directly through their own portfolio comprising retirement annuities, pension plans, QROPS, unit trusts or any other long term investment products which are exposed to the share market.
The critical questions is …
“How you manage your income and investments to shield against market volatility?”
Well, there are basically two main strategies that need to be developed in order to provide an effective buffer against economic turmoil.
The first is effective management of income and the second is a well-structured investment strategy.
Effective Money Management
It is little wonder that rising interest rates cause such widespread concern when so many people and businesses are exposed to excessive debt. If you take an average small- to medium-size business owner, they will probably have an overdraft, two car leases, a home mortgage and perhaps credit card debt. In anyone’s book, this results in a big chunk of money to repay before the school fees have been paid or the life policy has been covered.
The first step to minimising the effects in uncertain economic times is to reduce debt. If you don’t have excessive debt, the impact of rising interest rates on your pocket will be negligible and it’s worth bearing in mind that if you have cash reserves, the higher rate will benefit you greatly.
Well-structured investment strategy
The consensus amongst investment experts is to advise individuals to construct an investment portfolio in order to take advantage of long term trends. If the long term structure of an investment portfolio is healthy, short term storms can be weathered.
The first defence against any volatility in the markets is diversification. What this means, is that investors need to ensure that their investment portfolio is structured in such a way that they have investments in different asset classes such as cash, bonds, property and equities.
Uncertainty and volatility are intrinsic to investment markets. For this reason, investment should be viewed as simply a means to having enough money to live the lifestyle that you would like to live.
An investment portfolio should remain unchanged during times of volatility, unless the factors upon which the construction process was based have changed.
Investors should not change a long term game plan based on short term volatility. Attempting to time the market based on short term movements only increases portfolio risk.
The best way to protect yourself from market volatility is to first reduce your risk, which can be achieved by reducing debt. By doing this, you will have a lot less to worry about if inflation forces interest rates up.
The next step is to ensure that your investment strategy has a long term view and a financial planner will be your best resource when setting up a long term portfolio.
If you realise from the above the importance of seeking proper professional financial advice involving risk classification and correct diversification, why not give me a call in order to facilitate a meeting where we can do this.