Before you start, defining any goals you may have will help you plan, budget and choose the right investments. Your goals might be around enhancing your current lifestyle, planning for your family or your own retirement. The sooner you start investing, the better off you will be. Match your long-term investment goals with your short-term lifestyle aspirations. When you have created your goals and time frames, define your budget. Be realistic about what you can afford to put aside for your investments. To help you stick to your budget, look at your cash management and put strategies into place. It’s well worth taking the time to think about what you really want from your investments. Knowing yourself, your needs and goals, and your appetite for risk is a good start.
1. GOALS
Be clear about what you’re investing for. Investing is generally most appropriate for medium and long-term goals (at least five years). If you want access to your money before that, you might want to think about saving instead.
2. PAYMENTS
Before you start investing, first make sure that you can afford your essential living costs, as well as any debts. It’s also a good idea to make sure you have some savings to cover emergencies.
3. INVESTMENT RISK
Have a think about how much risk you feel comfortable taking with your money. You should also consider your other financial commitments when deciding how much risk to take. If you don’t want to or can’t take any risk with your money, then investing may not be for you right now.
4. TIMESCALE
The longer your money is invested, the more opportunity it has to grow in value and reach your goal. Each year, not only will the money you invest potentially grow in value, you’ll also potentially get growth on any previous growth. This is commonly known as ‘compounding’, and over longer time periods it can make a significant difference to the value of your investments.
5. WHAT YOU’LL GET BACK
The final value of your investments will depend on three main factors: how much you pay in, how your investments perform, and how long you’re invested for. Generally speaking, the more you pay in, the better your investments perform. And the longer you can keep your money invested, the more you’re likely to get back at the end.
6. MIX IT UP
Putting all your money in one type of investment can be a risky strategy. You can help reduce. that risk by spreading your money across a mix of investment types and countries. Different investments are affected by different factors: economics, interest rates, politics, conflicts, even weather events. What’s positive for one investment can be negative for another, meaning when one rises, another may fall.
7. BE TAX-EFFICIENT
You can do this by putting your money into your pension or using up your Individual Savings Account (ISA) allowance.
8. REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW
Make time to regularly review your investments to check they’re on track to meet your goals.
A sound investment plan begins by determining your objectives while understanding any limitations or constraints that may exist. While most objectives are long-term, a plan must be designed to persevere through changing market environments and be able to adjust for unseen events along the way. To discuss your options, please contact us.
Lawsons Equity Limited is a company registered in Malta with company number C49564 and Licenced by the Malta Financial Services Authority as Enrolled Insurance Brokers under the Insurance Intermediaries Act 2006, and to provide Investment Services under the Investment Services Act, 1994. Lawsons Equity Ltd have passported their services across the EU. To see a full list of countries click here
In the United Kingdom, Lawsons Equity Limited is deemed authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Details of the Financial Services Contracts Regime, which allows EEA-based firms to operate in the UK for a limited period to carry on activities which are necessary for the performance of pre-existing contracts, are available on the Financial Conduct Authority’s website.
Copyright 2020 Lawsons Equity Ltd | Designed by Echo
Disclaimer: The information provided on this website is being provided solely for educational and informational purposes and should not be construed as investment advice, advice concerning investments or investment decisions, or tax or legal advice. Similarly, any views or options expressed on this website are not intended and should not be construed as being investment, tax or legal advice or recommendations. Investment advice should always be based on the circumstances of the person to whom it is directed, which circumstances have not been taken into consideration by the persons expressing the views or opinions appearing on this website. Lawsons Equity Limited has not verified and consequently neither warrants the accuracy nor the veracity of any information, views or opinions appearing on this website. You should always take professional investment advice in connection with, or independently research and verify, any information that you find or views or opinions which you read on our website and wish to rely upon, whether for the purpose of making an investment decision or otherwise. Lawsons Equity Limited does not accept liability for losses suffered by persons as a result of information, views of opinions appearing on this website. This website is owned and operated by Lawsons Equity Limited.