Wondering what the best investments 2020 are?! Or if your investments or pensions are down the pan!? It is indeed one of those 'once every 5 year' situations for investments at the moment (more on that later), but we hope to share some insight that will help you see the wood from the trees.
If you are a regular or occasional visitor or listener of this site you likely have a fair idea of our response to the question of which are the best investments 2020. Short answer remains; investments which are low in cost, high in diversified equities and high in a decent track record versus it's peers. But, has the sheen of that 'Holy Trinity' been tarnished based on how 'things' have gone so far this year!? Let's see.....
This week, as promised in our recent Pros & Cons of Pension Property, we share with you further details of owning a Property within a Pension.
We were delighted to have Tommy Neilsen, qualified Solicitor and 'Head of Legal' with Independent Trustee Company (ITC) Dublin. Tommy has been with ITC since 2005, and deals with all legal aspects relating to the Pension Trustee services they provide.
In this episode you will hear:
- Legal considerations around Pension Property
- How the structure actually works
- How safe it is or isn't
- Further Pros & Cons
- Lessons Learned
As chairman of the Law Society’s Sub-Committee on Pensions and chairman of the Association of Pension Trustees in Ireland, Tommy brings a level of knowledge and understanding of Pension Property that hopefully helps you in learning about it.
Thanks for listening,
Paddy Delaney
How would you feel if you discovered you were paying double the level of fees on your pension or investment that you were led to believe? ‘Clarity On Fees’ is the #1 thing consumers say would improve the level of trust they have in Financial Advice. 76% of people do not know how or what their Financial Advisor is paid. Most pension holders have no idea they are likely paying over 2% fees every year. These are just a sample of the startling results from consumer research we recently conducted. As someone who is hell-bent on finding a win-win for both Consumers and the future of Financial Advice, these results are pretty terrifying, for everyone involved! There is an urgent need for the Financial Advice profession to pull it’s socks up, and to start playing fair with you the consumer. Either it does, or it’ll be sat on the Sub’s Bench for eternity.
Paddy chats with Ireland's former Pensions Ombudsman, Paul Kenny. Paul remains an active member of the pension profession in Ireland. Among other roles he is remains a Programme Leader in the Retirement Planning Council. In this episode he shares his insights about the following relevant topics:
- Keeping track of your pensions when you move employments
- Ensuring your ARF gets treated as per your wishes
- Impact of ARF values on your eligibility to allowances
We hope it is of value, and please do spread the word with anyone you believe needs to hear what he has to say!
Paddy Delaney Informed Decisions
Should I buy property with a pension? Ever wonder what the pros and cons are if you did decide to establish a pension property? Is having a pension property a good idea? Hopefully this will help. In the short piece we will share:
Paddy.
1st April 2020 will bring with it the dawn, or the dusk of 'Independent Financial Advice' in Ireland. I really have no clue which way it will go! At least initially, finding an actual living, breathing and practicing 'Independent Financial Advisor' in Ireland may be like the proverbial hen's tooth. (Wouldn't that be a novel name for a Financial Advice firm - 'Hen's Tooth Independent Financial Advisors'!).
I hope it helps in some small way.
Paddy Delaney Informed Decisions
'Are Equities For The Scrap Heap'? I feel compelled to nail our colours to the mast at the outset. I am always open, and deliberately expose myself to contrary thinking, the fact remains that Equity investing has delivered the greatest outcomes for patient and long term investors. That fact will have come into question in people's minds in recent weeks, so I'm going to share with you in this short piece exactly where Equities are right now - and encourage you to decide for yourself.
Paddy Delaney
What to do with my investments and Pensions in a declining Market? Absolutely Nothing. That is all.
Listen-on for a 'slight' elaboration!
I hope you are keeping well - that must remain a priority.
Paddy Delaney
This week, following a recent conversation (there I go with 'conversations' again!), we share a detailed analysis of the Davy GPS Funds. You may be thinking of investing, or are already invested, via pensions or investments.
Either way, we share insights on what are they, what's in them, how they compare to their competitors, and how they have served investors that have entrusted their funds in them.
I hope it helps.
Paddy Delaney
Warning....The value of your investments will rise and fall. You could get back less than you invest in any investment. But you knew all that! All info correct at time of analysis early March 2020.
Welcome back to Ireland's award-winning Financial Planning Blog & Podcast. This week we were excited to chat with return-guest, Derek Bell of the Retirement Planning Council (RPC).
In this episode Derek and Paddy explore and share insights on:
- State Pension changes
- Income Tax in retirement
- RPC courses & supports
- Common retirement planning mistakes
- Retirement spending Do's & Don'ts
- Retaining control of your Time in retirement
And more!
We hope it helps.
Paddy Delaney
This piece is inspired by some recent conversations. These conversations have got me thinking about Financial Independence. It also reminded me how much I love conversations with other people - how the words that other say can have such meaning and depth to them, it's quite a thing! Thanks too to the recent iTunes Review-leavers - such positive words of recommendation and encouragement, thanks!
Perhaps you have already reached Financial Independence but you just haven't realised it yet! Or perhaps you are afraid to consider it!
I hope this gets you thinking a little.
Paddy.
What is the relationship between life and your money? Listen to this conversation we had with George Kinder to hear more about Life Planning.
For years I have been fascinated about how our relationship with money influences what we do, and don't do in life. So much so that I have begun my own journey to become a Registered Life Planner, to compliment my technical financial qualifications and experience.
I was delighted to chat with George Kinder, the 'godfather' of Life Planning within Financial Planning circles, and to share how it can help us all.
I hope you find it insightful and useful in your own life/financial planning.
Paddy.
Links:
What is the relationship between life and your money? Listen to this conversation we had with George Kinder to hear more about Life Planning.
For years I have been fascinated about how our relationship with money influences what we do, and don't do in life. So much so that I have begun my own journey to become a Registered Life Planner, to compliment my technical financial qualifications and experience.
I was delighted to chat with George Kinder, the 'godfather' of Life Planning within Financial Planning circles, and to share how it can help us all.
I hope you find it insightful and useful in your own life/financial planning.
Paddy.
Links:
What is the relationship between life and your money? Listen to this conversation we had with George Kinder to hear more about Life Planning.
For years I have been fascinated about how our relationship with money influences what we do, and don't do in life. So much so that I have begun my own journey to become a Registered Life Planner, to compliment my technical financial qualifications and experience.
I was delighted to chat with George Kinder, the 'godfather' of Life Planning within Financial Planning circles, and to share how it can help us all.
I hope you find it insightful and useful in your own life/financial planning.
Paddy.
Links:
This week there have been two 'big news' revelations about Irish Commercial Property Funds, neither of which will be deemed positive. This media coverage has many thousands of investors very concerned and dare I say, anxious.
In a break from tradition, I am engaging in current market events, in the interest of helping ease some anxiety for investors. This week we share some ideas and experience which might be useful for anyone who has concerns about their investments in Irish Commercial Property Funds, whether through your pension or investments. I hope it helps.
Oh, so as to be totally clear, a couple of comments on where we stand on these funds.
Firstly, whatever about investing directly in bricks and mortar or via a clients' pension structure, Commercial Property Funds are not something we engage with for our clients (partly due to the very things that are currently happening to investors in them)
Secondly, we have zero professional financial planning relationship with any of the companies that are getting the brunt of the media coverage this week. We are on the side of the investors on this one. This is a message aimed at giving some context for investors that are 'in the eye of the storm'.
Paddy Delaney QFA RPA APA
Many of us hear about Financial Independence, and it being a distant objective. But does it have to be a distant objective?? This week we chat with Kelvina Galavan (Mrs. Smart Money) about her journey, and how she, her husband and kids have begun living on their own terms. They took control of their finances, and are reaping the rewards!
I hope you enjoy the chat as much as I did!
Mrs. Smart Money website
Paddy Delaney QFA RPA APA
As of March 31st 2020 new Central Bank of Ireland rules will mean that only a financial advice firm that does not receive commissions from sales of products will be entitled to state they are an 'Independent Financial Advisor' in Ireland. These firms (of which Informed Decisions is one of a handful in the country), will be entitled to use the term 'Independent' in describing their service. That will see quite a few firms which currently use the term Independent having to get websites altered and cabinet-fulls of marketing materials re-printed. It is intended, I understand, to help consumers more easily identify what type of advice they are likely to receive, based on the firms' description. I've said it before and I'll say it again, there are hundreds of really great advisors in Ireland - irrespective of what title they go by. You and your financial future stand to do far far better with even an average advisor than with no advisor - that fact has been proven time and time again.
Anyway, back on track, this week I hope to share with you 5 signs that suggest you need to engage an Independent Financial Advisor. The 5 signs that I am about to share, while I might like to think so, is not an exhaustive list, and is based on my own experience working with valued clients directly, and also with Independent Financial Advisors across the country. Everyone will have their own individual motive and driver for seeking financial advice, but the following will perhaps help guide you if you find yourself with one of these headaches.
A lot of folk, mostly at the encouragement of some advisors, decided to invest in Absolute Return Funds in Ireland. While they promised a lot, many of those same people are now questioning the decision to do so. This week, on Ireland's #1 Finance Blog & Podcast I hope to help you understand what they are, why their performance have been pretty rubbish, and whether they are worth staying in or not! This is an un-biased(ish) review of absolute return funds in Ireland. I hope it helps.
Paddy Delaney QFA RPA APA
Welcome to Ireland’s award-winning investment and financial planning Blog & Podcast. As our final Blog of 2019 I have given a lot of thought about what message I would love to share. I have imagined that this was the last ever thing we write, and reflected on what we'd want to share. By the way, unless I unexpectedly die over the holidays it won't be the last ever piece - which you may or may not see as a positive!
Paddy Delaney
Welcome to Ireland's award-winning investment and financial planning Blog & Podcast. If you are wondering if now is the right time to invest or not, this piece might be of some value. Indeed if you are unsure if you should invest in equities now, or wait for the crash, this Blog-post hopefully will help educate and inform, a little!
Paddy Delaney QFA RPA APA
Emerging Markets might sound a little technical, but please do bare with me, even I can understand it, so you'll be totally fine! It might even be worth your while reading on, if you ever intend investing in Emerging Market Index Funds in Ireland!
We explore the past investment returns, what the 'experts' are suggesting they might deliver in the future, and what to watch out for when picking the index funds you desire.
Paddy Delaney QFA RPA APA
Looking for Financial Advice in Ireland you can trust? A few weeks ago I did a piece on finding 'Independent Advice in Ireland', this week I intend to share some ideas that might help you evaluate a firm before engaging them.
"I just checked my investment portfolio - now I know why they call them Brokers" - anonymous. I came across that quote in a sketch cartoon recently and found it amusing. With MSCI Index up over 20% so far this year it's not really applicable however!
Perhaps you already have an advisor but are unclear about their intent, fees or abilities. You may have had several over the years but none really 'did it' for you! Or perhaps you are thinking about engaging one for the first time. I hope this piece will help a little.
I fully accept also that being a fully independent fee-based advisor, I will carry some biases here - but as always I'll tell it as I see it.
Paddy
This week I aim to share some brief insights that might be worth knowing when you are building an investment portfolio in Ireland.
When it comes to investing it’s probably fair to say that there is so much choice, probably too much! Reminds me of that weird situation referred to as the ‘paradox of choice’ where, when confronted with too much choice we can stall, suffer from inaction and often make choices that are far from the ones that really wanted! Barry Schwartz’s TED Talk is here, worth a watch!
That same paradox seemingly happens to often to investors and pension-holders in Ireland also. When we are faced with a choice of multi-asset funds, private banking funds, insurance products, index funds, Lithuanian car parks, Alaskan leisure centres, you name it, there are options available for all tastes!
Paddy QFA RPA APA
Expat Tax is a subject that I often get asked about from listeners. These are individuals that may be leaving or returning to Ireland. Tax being such a specialist area I felt the best thing to do was to invite someone onto the show who specialises in tax mobility.
I was delighted to be joined by Barry Murphy of Expat Tax Services Ireland (www.etsi.ie). In this episode we discussed and chatted about:
- Tax Domicile and Residence, and the impact these have
- Pension transfers across different countries
- Applying for tax reliefs and grants on relocation
- Employment Tax Reliefs
- How to benefit from State Pension if living/relocating from abroad
- Special Assignee Relief Programme (SARP Ireland)
- How to split your tax year between countries
- Foreign Earning Deduction (FED Ireland)
Expat Tax is such a niche area, with limited credible information available.
If you know anyone currently living abroad whose thinking of coming back to these fair shores, do them a favour and send this to them! And vice-versa!
I hope it is of value.
Paddy.
Ever wondered which is the best multi-asset investment Fund in Ireland?? Well if you have, you came to the right place!
Welcome back to Ireland's dedicated Investment and Financial Planning Blog & Podcast! In my work with clients I frequently get asked about Multi-Asset Investments, whether they are any good, and which ones might be best. So this week I aim to answer a question that I think has yet to be answered in these parts; which is the best Multi-Asset Investment Fund in Ireland!
Owning any investment is kinda like 'Pick n Mix' sweets, you can have all of one type of you can have lots of different types in the one bag!
Paddy Delaney QFA RPA APA