I just received a lump sum, should I invest it all now, or gradually?
A common challenge in personal finance, is deciding when to invest a sum of money. You’ve just received a bonus (or ‘distribution’), an inheritance, or sold your business. Should you invest all that money over time, or now? This question comes up a lot when chatting with clients. I understand the fear. American economist Jeremy Siegel once said,”Fear […]
How to retire: Your to-do list from 50
Retirement planning is core to what we do. Providing clarity to our clients through a robust Financial Plan that is understandable and can be followed is essential in helping you build a better future. New Zealand has no official retirement age but a common age to retire is 65. It’s never too early or too […]
Low risk or high risk?
If you want to attract retail investors to a new offering, two words that invariably help achieve that are ‘low risk’. Even though most people would probably, if pressed to explain what they mean by the term, come up with a range of different answers, almost nobody likes high risk if offered the option of […]
Top 5 excuses why people don’t invest their money
Here are some of the most common reasons why people don’t invest: 1. Saving money into a bank account Some people tend to accumulate cash funds in their savings as they see this as less risk. However, depending on the interest you are receiving, if this is lower than the inflation rate, you could be losing […]
Renting vs. buying: A simple calculation to help you decide
It’s commonly accepted that if your monthly mortgage payment is equal to or less than what you’d otherwise pay in monthly rent, then buying a home is a sound decision. However, this oversimplifies the rent versus buy comparison. Let’s look at this another way. It’s not accurate to compare mortgage payments to rent. To do […]
Are you living within your means?
I remember as a kid regularly overhearing the conversation between Mum and Dad about who was going to withdraw cash from the bank teller before the bank closed at four o’clock on Friday afternoon. On occasion, we’d get caught short, and on Saturday morning I would accompany Dad as he cashed a cheque with one […]
Where there’s a will but not a way
Time can be a funny thing depending on your perspective. When you’re experiencing an event, or a saga, time may seem to slow down. Nothing can expedite the issue to its conclusion, the clock just has to continue ticking. When you’re merely an observer to said saga, you might marvel how quickly time passes. Learning […]
You can do anything but not everything
We live in an age that glorifies multitasking. Multitasking doesn’t make us more productive; it scatters our focus and diminishes the quality of our work. When we try to do everything, we end up doing nothing well. The idea that we can do anything suggests that our potential is boundless and that with effort, creativity, and […]
Renting vs. buying: A simple calculation to help you decide
It’s commonly accepted that if your monthly mortgage payment is equal to or less than what you’d otherwise pay in monthly rent, then buying a home is a sound decision. However, this oversimplifies the rent versus buy comparison. Let’s look at this another way. It’s not accurate to compare mortgage payments to rent. To do […]
Are you living within your means?
I remember as a kid regularly overhearing the conversation between Mum and Dad about who was going to withdraw cash from the bank teller before the bank closed at four o’clock on Friday afternoon. On occasion, we’d get caught short, and on Saturday morning I would accompany Dad as he cashed a cheque with one […]