It is estimated that in the UK alone more than £8 billion is languishing in under-performing investment funds. Add all the money in offshore funds and other jurisdictions and the number is worryingly large.
These poorly performing funds, known as dogs, can be found in all sectors but action can be taken. If your money is stuck in the dog house you can do something about it.
The days of most expats having their children’s school fees paid for them are gone and even if you have an education allowance as part of your salary package it will stop on finishing secondary school. If they then want to go on to tertiary education, whether that is university, college, or vocational study someone has to pay and the burden is likely to fall on to parents.
Have you thought about how much may be required, or how to fund the additional study that you children may want, or indeed may need, in order to do what they want in life and be successful?
Statistics show that over their working life someone with a bachelor’s degree in the USA will earn, on average, almost twice as much as workers with a high school diploma. Source: US Census Bureau
For a significant number of investors, investing in shares and funds can feel like a dance with the devil as they have to compromise personal values to achieve a return. With the growing awareness of the environmental impact of modern life, interest in ethical and environmental funds is increasing, and you can get a good return on your investment without troubling your conscience.
There has been a substantial increase in interest in this area, and accompanying press coverage, in the past year but there has also been a lot of ‘jumping on a band wagon’ and there is more to this kind of investing than picking a fund with a name that seems to fit.
In this article I aim to give you an overview of what these funds are, why cryptocurrencies do not fit in this sector, and how you can invest and feel good about it.
We all know that we need to invest our money to make it grow but the options for expats in the UAE have been a little limited, until recently. Following changes in legislation, I am now delighted to offer fully flexible investment options, with negligible penalties, and a very wide range of fund options.
Paraphrasing Monty Python, purely to get your attention, but it’s a valid question. I am in an industry that is frequently criticised in the UAE, often for good reason, but let me explain why using a qualified adviser (rather than a salesperson pretending to be an adviser) is a good thing and how you can benefit.
This information has been confirmed on the UK Parliament website following an exchange in the House of Commons today, 3rd September 2020.
The exact wording is as follows:
“In 2014 the government announced it would increase the minimum pension age to 57 from 2028, reflecting trends in longevity and encouraging individuals to remain in work, while also helping to ensure pension savings provide for later life.
That announcement set out the timetable for this change well in advance to enable people to make financial plans and will be legislated for in due course.”
The change will not take place for some time so no need to panic now but it will mean that some people who had intended to access their personal pensions at age 55 years, per the current rules, will have to adjust their plans for two years.
This is simply about personal plans and is not linked to the UK’s State Pension
To arrange a discussion about your retirements plans, your UK pensions, or any aspect of your personal financial planning, please email me at keren@holbornassets.com
I write articles such as this one as part of the holistic personal financial planning service and that I provide to expats, and the general consumer, financial and legal information that I provide in The National newspaper, on Capital Radio UAE, and on the Facebook group British Expats Dubai.
Please take a look at the other useful articles on this website.
The financial services industry is full of jargon and sales messages so sometimes it can be difficult to separate fact from fiction, the reality from the adverts and the sales pitches. With that in mind, I have put together a simple guide to 10 practical and logical steps you need to follow when investing.
It is too easy to sidetracked from planning your future, our lives are busy after all, but it rarely needs to be as complicated as some might make out. My role is to make this simpler, and better, for you. Continue reading
In an uncertain world, it is understandable that we have seen an increase in property as an investment class. People have always liked investments that they fully understand, or can see and touch. Property markets are not equal and the legalities and potential for growth and/or income vary hugely but Europe still presents many opportunities for long-term investment and yield.
Recent surveys have shown that many expats are keen to invest in property in their home country either as they consider it a more secure place than where they are currently living or as a potential base should they need to move back.
The recent upheavals in work, schooling, lifestyle and more has made many reflect on the lives that they want to lead, and to consider future plans. Initially, I saw an uplift in enquiries for wills and life cover, and while these are still popular, I am now being contacted by people about property investment in the UK and Germany. Fortunately, I can assist with both and you can invest without leaving home.
I published an article on this topic on 4th March but with the ongoing situation and further stock markets falls, it is time for another.
With worries and panic across the world in respect of both health and all the knock-on economic issues, we have seen substantial falls in all stock markets so many people are asking what they should do regarding their investments. The falls have been more than anyone expected as the current situation in regard to COVID-19 are simply unprecedented. As before, my general advice is not to sell now, not least as you would simply be crystallising a loss. My clients are all diversified and have suitable risk profiles, in line with their preferences, although I understand if some want to reduce the risk levels a little. Please read on to find out more about what is happening, why, and what we can expect.
No one can avoid this subject right now but, in this article, I want to address the financial concerns, specifically in relation to investments. Global stock markets fell last week, the largest falls over a couple of days for 10 years, although some are moving upwards again at time of writing, and I do not believe this is a major cause for concern.