Monday 28th February, 2022
Long term investing - the importance of staying invested during difficult markets
As we find ourselves going through a period of global economic and political uncertainty, it is quite reasonable to ask whether you should be selling out into cash, or whether it is best to remain invested. In order to address this question, I have put together the article below. It will look at historical data in order to explain and justify the importance of remaining invested over the long term, despite the apparently dire economic circumstances. I hope you find this article useful, but if you have any questions you would like to discuss, then please don't hesitate to give Atticus Financial Planning a call.
Read moreTuesday 25th January, 2022
Pensions versus ISAs - Which is best?
As we head towards the end of tax year, my clients have started asking me that age old question: Should I fund my pension or ISA? Which is best? In the article below, I will attempt to address this question, highlighting the advantages and disadvantages of each. As always, the answer to this question can be quite nuanced and will often depend on where you are in your financial lifecycle and what you are trying to achieve. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to give us a call at Atticus Financial Planning. We are always happy to help.
Read moreWednesday 19th January, 2022
End of year tax planning opportunities to look out for
The end of tax year is always a mad rush to try and utilise all our personal tax allowances and reliefs in order to ensure that our investment returns and income are generated as tax efficiently as possible. After all, the government makes a limited number of tax incentives and reliefs available to us and it makes sense to utilise them as much as possible. This article aims to highlight some of the mainstream tax planning opportunities that are available and how to use them. If you would like to discuss how you can make the most of these end of tax year planning opportunities, then please don't hesitate to give us a call.
Read moreFriday 3rd September, 2021
Guide to investing – part 2 – What is investment diversification and asset allocation?
One of the most complex areas of investing is investment asset allocation and diversification. So many questions arise around why we do it and how to do it properly. There is a plethora of information on the internet and Youtube to the extent that Ray Dalio, the famous hedge fund manager, even goes so far as to recommend an "all weather" asset allocation for the DIY investor. In part 2 of our guide to investing, I will look to further reduce some of the mystery around investing and portfolio construction by looking at how we utilise different asset classes to build an investment portfolio which is aligned to your own personality and attitude to risk, as well as what you are trying to achieve through investing. At the end of this article, if you still have any questions or would like some advice on building a portfolio that meets your specific needs, then please don't hesitate to give us a call.
Read moreTuesday 24th August, 2021
Guide to investing: Part 1 - What are the 7 main asset classes?
"What is an investment asset class?" This is one of the many questions I get asked by friends and prospective clients around the basic fundamentals of investing. Many people are keen to invest, but often find themselves adrift in a flood of jargon and concepts that seem to make absolutely no sense. I have therefore put together a two part series of articles that look to explain some of the basic concepts that are crucial to understand, before taking the leap into actually investing your money. In the first part we will look at the building blocks that make up an investment portfolio: the asset classes. We will look at each asset class and discuss what it is and how it works. We will look at the advantages and disadvantages of each and how they can be used to build a well diversified portfolio. In part 2, I will look at asset allocation and diversification and how to build a portfolio that is suitable for you and what you are looking to achieve. I really believe that if more people understood these concepts, there would be far more individuals reaping the potentially life changing benefits of a well structured investment portfolio. More importantly, there would be far fewer new investors being taken in by the dishonest snake-oil salesmen who peddle investment scams around the world. If you are interested in investing, but would still like some help putting together a well balanced portfolio, then please don't hesitate to give us a call.
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