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.
There is no doubt that many youngsters leaving school this summer are lacking in practical knowledge about their finances. It is important to have some financial knowledge to safely negotiate the adult world so here are some points that every young person should know about money.
This article has been updated so please see link for the latest version:
Are your investment funds in the dog house? | Financial Planning in the UAE (financialuae.me)
If you would like a chat about your investments and are interested in active future management, or have queries about any aspects of personal financial planning email me at keren@holbornassets.com
Many of us muddle through our financial lives, not focusing on what matters the most, so this article is designed to help you sort out your financial priorities.
You have probably thought that there are some issues you need to address but it is common to be stuck in limbo, not quite sure what to tackle first, or a to have a vague to-do list but are unsure where to start.
I am often asked what are the most important topics to focus on so this is a guide to what you may need to look at if you haven’t reviewed your personal finances before, or haven’t done so for some time. What should you do now and what is most important?
All too frequently I see people who have been sold long-term savings plans without having been given the right advice to address more immediate issues. The most important consideration is to focus on what could go wrong tomorrow and then to take steps to protect you and your family. This doesn’t have to be expensive but this is what proper, ethical, financial planning is all about.
This article has been superseded by one published on 25th August 2020
New to Dubai? Important facts and financial information
Money is a fact of life, we all need it, and we all need to know how to manage it smartly so the earlier we start learning this the better.
The importance of managing money or saving is not taught in schools and many of us find that as adults, we have to fend for ourselves. We can make sure the next generation gets a better start by teaching children the importance of understanding money from a young age.
We all have certain beliefs and behaviours that guide us in our choices in life, whether that is in respect of the food we eat, how we live, the way in which we work or bring up children, our political views etc, so it stands to reason that these personality traits cross over to our financial identities.
Although the financial services industry tends to pigeon hole people into various categories such as balanced investors, retirees, young married, cautious types and more, I believe that there is a whole other set of identities that relate to how we run our financial lives.
You may have heard people claim that they are a ‘spendthrift’ or that they are ‘saver’ but I think it is a little more complex. In reality we rarely have such black and white styles of money management.
There have been a number of studies with authors listing up to 20 different personality types but I have narrowed it down to seven which I think cover most of us.
There are only a few weeks to go until the Phase 3 deadline of 30th June but it seems that rather a lot of companies and individuals have still to take the required action and organise suitable medical insurance for their employees, their dependents or even themselves. This article will explain who needs to do what and how to do it.
Many of us make New Year resolutions, but how many of those are about our finances?
It is said that one definition of insanity is to keep doing the same things over and over again whilst expecting a different result, so you may have to make some changes to make a real difference.
It makes sense to get your finances in order and deal with the priorities so you can get on with enjoying your life. On 5th January I spoke in the Dubai Today show on Dubai Eye 103.8FM covering this topic, so as promised here is a list of some the issues to focus on:
Here are the links to the podcasts of the last two guest slots on the Nightline show on Dubai Eye 103.8FM
On 24th April we talked about questions and answers in my On Your Side column in The National newspaper and then about how not to invest.
http://nightline.podomatic.com/entry/2011-05-24T23_57_08-07_00
On 27th June we again chatted about popular column queries and then touched upon what can go wrong when investing and how to avoid it, as well as planning financially for the summer break and your holidays.
The next new broadcast from the Nightline show will be in September, but there will be reruns in the Nightline slot (8-10pm Sunday to Wednesday) including several of my appearances. I will continue to appear on the Dubai Today programme on the same station on the first Monday of every month at 11.00am.