No two people have identical financial circumstances, which is why it’s essential you have your own total wealth solution that meets your individual needs and goals. Planning for financial success can be complicated in today’s world. A broad knowledge of everything from complex retirement and investment products to risk management strategies and tax laws is required.
If you do not know where you are going on your journey, how will you know when you arrive? This is very true about the importance of having financial goals. You need to set financial goals to help you make wise financial decisions, and also as a reward for your efforts. Goals should be clear, concise, detailed and written down. Unwritten goals are just wishes.
Financial well-being ultimately comes from achieving financial security and independence. When you’ve reached a state of financial well-being, you’ve got to a point where you have a sufficient level of income for your lifestyle needs, enough capital to give you peace of mind, and the knowledge that whatever happens you, your family and business are fully protected.
Gathering information and developing your strategy
Evaluating your financial and lifestyle goals in greater depth is essential if you want to get a picture of your future responsibilities and aspirations.
Take the time to think about what you really want from your investments
You need to consider what you really want from your investments. Knowing yourself, your needs and financial and lifestyle goals, and your appetite for risk is a good start.
Identifying your investment objectives is a lifelong process
A total wealth solution has no value unless it is properly implemented through an appropriate investment strategy. If you’ve got a sufficient amount of money in your cash savings account – enough to cover you for at least six months – and you want to see your money grow over the long term, then you should consider investing some of it.
Informed decisions to improve your chances of achieving your financial goals
If you want to plan for your financial future, it helps to understand risk. If you understand the risks associated with investing and you know how much risk you are comfortable taking, you can make informed decisions and improve your chances of achieving your goals.
Spreading risk between different kinds of investments
When you start investing, or even if you are a sophisticated investor, one of the most important tools available is diversification. Whether the market is bullish or bearish, maintaining a diversified portfolio is essential to any long-term investment strategy.
Making the decisions about when to buy and sell assets
There are many reasons to invest through a fund, rather than buying assets on your own. At a basic level, investing in a fund means having a professional fund manager make investment decisions on behalf of the investor.
Investing in different things, with different strategies
Pooled investment funds – also known as ‘collective investment schemes’ – are a way of combining sums of money from many people into a large fund spread across many investments and managed by a professional fund manager.
