Retirement needn’t be an all-or-nothing decision

The onwards march of ‘pretirement’ – where people scale back on work or slow their retirement plans down rather than giving up entirely – is continuing, with half (50%) of those retiring this year considering working past State Pension age.

This is the sixth consecutive year[1] in which half of people retiring would be happy to keep working if it meant guaranteeing a higher retirement income. More than a quarter (26%) of those planning to delay their retirement would like to reduce their hours and go part-time with their current employer, while one in seven (14%) would like to continue full-time in their current role. An entrepreneurial fifth (19%) would try to earn a living from a hobby or start their own business.

Factor in the cost of day-to-day living
Around one in twelve (8%) of those scheduled to retire in 2018 have postponed their plans because they cannot afford to retire. Nearly half (47%) of those who cannot afford to retire put this down to the cost of day-to-day living, which means their retirement income won’t be sufficient.

The decision to put off retirement isn’t always a financial one. Over half (54%) who are already or are considering working past their State Pension age say it is to keep their mind and body active and healthy. Over two fifths (43%) admit they simply enjoy working, while just over a quarter (26%) don’t like the idea of being at home all the time.

Wind down from working life gradually
The shift to ‘pretirement’ in recent years shows that many people reaching State Pension age aren’t ready to stop working. Reducing hours, earning money from a hobby or changing jobs are all ways to wind down from working life gradually and, for many, are important to avoid boredom and maintain an active mind and body.

However, not everyone has the option of extending their retirement date if they need to carry on working for financial reasons, and others may be forced to stop working for health reasons. Saving as much as possible as early as possible in their career is the best way for people to ensure they are financially well prepared for a retirement that starts when they wish (or need) it to.

More choices than previous generations
Because people are increasingly treating retirement as a gradual process, regular discussions about their personal situation can help ensure that their retirement finances are sufficient to allow them as many options as possible.

Everybody wants to retire as comfortably as possible. But retirement needn’t be an all-or-nothing decision – it’s not a case of either you’re still working full-time or you’re completely retired. You’ve a lot more choice now than previous generations enjoyed.

Source data:
[1] Research Plus conducted an independent online survey for Prudential between 29 November and 11 December 2017 among 9,896 non-retired UK adults aged 45+, including 1,000 planning to retire in 2018.

Fraudsters are using sophisticated ways to part savers from their money

Pension and investment scams are on the increase in the UK. Everyday fraudsters are using sophisticated ways to part savers from their money, and the Internet and advances in digital communications mean these kinds of scams are getting more common and harder to identify. A lifetime’s savings can be lost in moments.

Nearly one in ten over-55s fear they have been targeted by suspected scammers since the launch of Pension Freedoms, new research[1] shows.

Tactics commonly used to defraud
The study found 9% of over-55s say they have been approached about their pension funds by people they now believe to be scammers since the rules came into effect from April 2015. Offers to unlock or transfer funds are tactics commonly used to defraud people of their retirement savings.

One in three (33%) of over-55s say the risk of being defrauded of their savings is a major concern following pension freedoms. However, nearly half (49%) of those approached say they did not report their concerns because they did not know how to or were unaware of who they could report the scammers to.

Reporting suspected scammers to authorities
Most recent pension fraud data[2] from Action Fraud, the national fraud and cybercrime reporting service, shows 991 cases have been reported since the launch of pension freedoms involving losses of more than £22.687 million.

Alternative investments such as wine offered
The research found fewer than one in five (18%) of those approached by suspected scammers had reported their fears to authorities. Nearly half (47%) said the approaches involved offers to unlock pension funds or access money early, and 44% said they involved transferring pensions.
About 28% of those targeted by suspected fraudsters were offered alternative investments such as wine, and 20% say they were offered overseas investments, while 13% say scammers had suggested investing in crypto-currencies. Around 6% believe they have been victims of frauds.

Safeguarding hard-earned retirement savings
Pension freedoms, though enormously popular with consumers, have created a potentially lucrative opportunity for fraudsters, and people need to be vigilant to safeguard their hard-earned retirement savings.

If it sounds too good to be true, then it usually is, and people should be sceptical of investments that are offering unusually high rates of return or which invest in unorthodox products which may be difficult to understand. If in any doubt, seeking professional financial advice from a regulated adviser will help ensure you don’t get caught out.
Some scammers have very convincing websites and other online presence, which make them look like a legitimate company. Always check with the FCA to make sure they’re registered.

Source data:
[1] Consumer Intelligence conducted an independent online survey for Prudential between 23 and 25 February 2018 among 1,000 UK adults aged 55+ including those who are working and retired
[2] https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/fraud-az-pension-liberation-scam

Least financially resilient group delay life milestones due to financial insecurity

Life can get complicated when you hit your early thirties, which means your finances are starting to get serious. You might be in the middle of countless transitions, like moving up in your career, starting a business, buying a home, getting married, having children…and a whole lot more.

A study[1] reveals that people in their early thirties are putting off life milestones, such as having children or buying a home, due to being one of the least financially resilient groups in the UK. A quarter (24%)[1] of the 30 to 35-year-olds in the study, of which there are 4.7 million in the UK, feel worried about the financial impact of life milestones – double the national average (12%)[1]. Nearly one in six (17%)[1] say they’ve put off major life milestones because they don’t feel financially mature enough.

30 years or more from retirement 
The great advantage of being in your thirties is your age – you may still be some 30 years or more from retirement and have plenty of time to right the excesses of your twenties. The potential downside, however, is that if you don’t act now, these mistakes could colour your future financial health. Worryingly, seven out of ten under-35s believe their youthfulness will last forever[3], so they don’t properly prepare for risks the future may hold.

The study also found that more than seven in ten (73%)[1] of this age group fall short of the Money Advice Service (MAS)[2] recommended amount of savings to be financially resilient, versus a national average of 56%[1].

Unable to work due to illness or an accident
The research revealed a further one in five (22%)[1] in their early thirties don’t know how long they would be able to cope financially if they found themselves unable to work – for instance, due to illness or an accident. Despite this, fewer than one in twelve working adults (7%)[1]
have their own Income Protection insurance in place.

These findings – that many of those in their early thirties are delaying major life milestones because they feel worried, unconfident and ill-prepared financially – are very concerning. And it is worrying that so few can withstand the financial effects of an unexpected income shock – they have no Plan A, nor a Plan B.

Little provision to handle a financial crisis
With low financial confidence and little provision to handle a financial crisis, there is a clear need for a safety net – a form of ‘independence plan’. There are multiple reasons this age group isn’t properly preparing for financial risks. A universal emphasis on the importance of ‘staying young’ means many people are in a state of denial or avoidance when it comes to facing up to the future. We also tend to talk within – rather than across – generational groups, which encourages us to focus inwardly on the present, not the future.

Previously, younger generations would likely inherit their parents’ estate while relatively young, but increased life expectancy means this is no longer the case. By not giving proper weight to their financial status, this group could be at risk of finding themselves with a significant level of responsibility without adequate financial preparation or protection.

Source data:
[1] Methodology for consumer survey: YouGov, on behalf of LV=, conducted online interviews with 8,529 UK adults between 20–26 June 2018. Data has been weighted to reflect a nationally representative audience.
[2] Methodology for recognised benchmark of financial resilience: Money Advice Service (MAS) guidelines for financial resilience state that ‘people should hold an emergency fund of three months’ income’. LV= identified the ‘least financially resilient’ groups based on the combined factors of how respondents fared against the MAS definition and how confident respondents reported to feel about being able to manage a financial crisis.
People in their early thirties were identified as one of the least financially resilient groups using the following methodology: 30 to 35-year-olds were identified as the least financially resilient age group, with 73% falling short of having 90 days’ worth of outgoings in the bank against the national average of 33%. Within this age group, 43% lack confidence in handling a financial crisis, versus the national average of 34%.
[3] Dr David Lewis, ‘Life Unlimited – Peak Performance Past Forty’, to be published late 2018

Impact investing without sacrificing returns or profits

For those looking to make the world a better place, but not wanting to sacrifice returns or profits, impact investing aims to support a positive social or environmental impact as well as looking to achieve compelling financial returns at the heart of sustainable investing.

The term ‘impact investing’ was first coined in 2007, although the practice developed over years beforehand. It seeks to generate both social change and a return on capital and ends the old dichotomy where business was seen solely as a way to make a profit, while social progress was better achieved only through philanthropy or public policy.

Not a recent phenomenon
Socially responsible investing is not a recent phenomenon – it can actually be traced back several centuries. Early initiatives were all based on the exclusion of controversial sectors such as tobacco or armaments rather than on investing in businesses which have the power to do good. That’s what impact investing is seeking to achieve, and it has begun to gain traction.

The upward swing of impact investing is being led by millennials. This type of investing considers a company’s commitment to corporate social responsibility (CSR), or the sense of duty to positively serve society as a whole, before becoming involved with that company. This societal impact differs depending on the industry and the specific company within that industry, but some common examples include giving back to the community by helping the less fortunate or investing in sustainable energy practices.

Social and environmental themes
Once the preserve of the super-rich, individuals and families would come together to identify promising opportunities to make money and do good at the same time. But, increasingly, investor impact strategies are now covering a broader range of social and environmental themes and, in many cases, harness the latest technology or pioneer delivery systems to gain efficiencies and reach those most in need.

Impact investments can be made in both emerging and developed markets and target a range of returns depending on an investor’s strategic goals. The growing impact investment market provides capital to address the world’s most pressing challenges in sectors such as sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, conservation, micro finance, and affordable and accessible basic services including housing, healthcare and education.

Challenging previous long-held views
Impact investing challenges the previous long-held views that social and environmental issues should be addressed only by philanthropic donations, and that market investments should focus exclusively on achieving financial returns.

The impact investing market directs capital to enterprises that generate social or environmental benefits, and offers diverse and viable opportunities for investors to advance social and environmental solutions through investments that also produce financial returns.

Some impact investments may be more expensive than other types of investments and be riskier and generally provide less choice in the market place.

THE VALUE OF INVESTMENTS AND INCOME FROM THEM MAY GO DOWN. YOU MAY NOT GET BACK THE ORIGINAL AMOUNT INVESTED.

Tax aspects require careful planning after recent government changes

Pensions have the reputation of being confusing, but they needn’t be. Private pensions are usually used by people who don’t have access to a workplace pension scheme, but you can also have one if you are employed or not working. They work in much the same way as workplace pension schemes, but you, rather than an employer, are responsible for choosing the provider and setting up your plan.

When you pay into a pension, you receive tax relief on any contributions you make. People may turn to private pensions as a tax-effective way to bolster their retirement income. There are several different types of private pension to choose from, but in light of recent government changes, the tax aspects require careful planning.

As many schemes as you like
The term ‘private pension’ covers both workplace pensions and personal pensions. The UK Government currently places no restrictions on the number of different pension schemes you can be a member of.

So, even if you already have a workplace pension, you can have a personal pension too, or even multiple personal pensions. These can be a useful alternative to workplace pensions if you’re self-employed or not earning, or simply another way to save for retirement.

Any UK resident between the ages of 18 and 75 can pay into a personal pension – although the earlier you invest, the more likely you are to be able to build up a substantial pension pot.

Tax relief on pension contributions
Private pensions are designed to be a tax-efficient savings scheme. The Government encourages this kind of saving through tax relief on pension contributions. In the 2018/19 tax year, pension-related tax relief is limited to either 100% of your UK earnings, or £3,600 per annum.

The current pension tax relief rates are:
Basic-rate taxpayers will receive 20% tax relief on pension contributions
Higher-rate taxpayers also receive 20% tax relief, but they can claim back up to an additional 20% through their tax return
Additional-rate taxpayers again pay 20% tax relief, but they can claim back up to a further 25% through their tax return
Non-taxpayers receive basic-rate tax relief, but the maximum payment they can make is £2,880, to which the Government adds £720 in tax relief, making a total gross contribution of £3,600

If you are a Scottish taxpayer, the tax relief you will be entitled to will be at the Scottish Rate of Income Tax, which may differ from the rest of the UK.

Annual allowances can vary

The annual allowance is the maximum amount that you can contribute to your pension each year while still receiving tax relief. The current annual allowance is capped at £40,000, but may be lower depending on your personal circumstances

In April 2016, the Government introduced the tapered annual allowance for high earners, which states that for every £2 of income earned above £150,000 each year, £1 of annual allowance will be forfeited. The maximum reduction will, however, be £30,000 – taking the highest earners’ annual allowance down to £10,000

Any contributions over the annual allowance won’t be eligible for tax relief, and you will need to pay an annual allowance charge. This charge will form part of your overall tax liability for that year, although there is the option to ask your pension scheme to pay the charge from your benefits if it is more than £2,000.

It is worth noting that you may be able to carry forward any unused annual allowances from the previous three tax years.

If you have accessed any of your pensions, you can only pay a maximum of £4,000 into any un-accessed pension(s) you have. This is called the ‘Money Purchase Annual Allowance’ (or MPAA). The MPAA applies only if you have accessed one of your pensions

Lifetime allowances have shrunk
The lifetime allowance (LTA) is the maximum amount of pension benefit that can be drawn without incurring an additional tax charge. Since
6 April 2018, the lifetime allowance is £1,030,000.

Your pension provider will be able to help you determine how much of your LTA you have already used up. This is important because exceeding the LTA will result in a charge of 55% on any lump sum and 25% on any other pension income such as cash withdrawals. This charge will usually be deducted by your pension provider when you access your pension.

It’s possible to protect your pension
It’s easier than you think to exceed the LTA, especially if you have been diligent about building up your pension pot. If you are concerned about exceeding your LTA, or have already done so, you should talk to us.

It may be that we can apply for pension protection for you. This could enable you to retain a larger LTA and keep paying into your pension – depending on which form of protection you are eligible for:

Individual protection 2016 – this protects your lifetime allowance to the lower of the value of your pension(s) at 5 April 2016 and/or £1.25 million. You can keep building up your pension with this type of protection, but you must pay tax on money taken from your pension(s) that exceed your protected lifetime allowance

Fixed protection 2016 – this fixes your lifetime allowance at £1.25 million. You can only apply for this if you haven’t made any pension contributions after 5 April

Other ways to save
In addition to pension protection, if you have reached your LTA (or are close to doing so), it may also be worth considering other tax-effective vehicles for retirement savings, such as Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs). In the current tax year, individuals can invest up to £20,000 into an ISA.

The Lifetime ISA, launched in April 2017, is open to UK residents aged 18–40 and enables younger savers to invest up to £4,000 a year tax-free – and any savings you put into the ISA before your 50th birthday will receive an added 25% bonus from the Government. After your 60th birthday, you can take out all the savings tax-free, making this an interesting alternative for those saving for retirement.

Passing on your pension
Finally, it is worth noting that there will normally be no tax to pay on pension assets passed on to your beneficiaries if you die before the age of 75 and before you take anything from your pension pot – as long as the total assets are less than the LTA. If you die aged 75 or older, the beneficiary will typically be taxed at their marginal rate.

A PENSION IS A LONG-TERM INVESTMENT.

THE FUND VALUE MAY FLUCTUATE AND CAN GO DOWN, WHICH WOULD HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE LEVEL OF PENSION BENEFITS AVAILABLE.

PENSIONS ARE NOT NORMALLY ACCESSIBLE UNTIL AGE 55. YOUR PENSION INCOME COULD ALSO BE AFFECTED BY INTEREST RATES AT THE TIME YOU TAKE YOUR BENEFITS. THE TAX IMPLICATIONS OF PENSION WITHDRAWALS WILL BE BASED ON YOUR INDIVIDUAL CIRCUMSTANCES, TAX LEGISLATION AND REGULATION, WHICH ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE IN THE FUTURE.

THE VALUE OF INVESTMENTS AND INCOME FROM THEM MAY GO DOWN. YOU MAY NOT GET BACK THE ORIGINAL AMOUNT INVESTED.

YOUR HOME OR PROPERTY MAY BE REPOSSESSED IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON YOUR MORTGAGE.

ACCESSING PENSION BENEFITS EARLY MAY IMPACT ON LEVELS OF RETIREMENT INCOME AND IS NOT SUITABLE FOR EVERYONE. YOU SHOULD SEEK ADVICE TO UNDERSTAND YOUR OPTIONS AT RETIREMENT.

TAX TREATMENT DEPENDS ON INDIVIDUAL CIRCUMSTANCES AND MAY BE SUBJECT TO CHANGE IN THE FUTURE.

Getting away from the stresses of everyday life

For many, the idea of retirement means getting away from the stresses of everyday life. But with living costs rising and interest rates low, people need to think about how to generate extra income from their savings in retirement.

Pensions offer a number of important advantages that will make your savings grow more rapidly than might otherwise be the case. However, changes announced in April 2015 have lead to a complete shake-up of the UK’s pensions system, giving people much more control over their pension savings than ever before.

Different pension schemes
The term ‘private pension’ covers both workplace pensions and personal pensions. The UK Government currently places no restrictions on the number of different pension schemes you can be a member of. Providing you don’t save more than your Lifetime Allowance into all of your pension funds combined – currently set at £1,030,000 (2018/19) – you won’t be penalised by the taxman for having lots of pensions.

So even if you already have a workplace pension, you can have a personal pension too, or even multiple personal pensions. These can be a useful alternative to workplace pensions if you’re self-employed or not earning, or simply another way to save for retirement.

Any UK resident between the ages of 18 and 75 can pay into a personal pension – although the earlier you invest, the more likely you are to be able to build up a substantial pension pot.

Tax relief on pension contributions
A private pension is designed to be a tax-efficient savings scheme. The Government encourages this kind of saving through tax relief on pension contributions.
In the 2018/19 tax year, pension-related tax relief is limited to either 100% of your UK earnings, or £3,600 per annum.

The current pension tax relief rates are:
Basic-rate taxpayers will receive 20% tax relief on pension contributions
Higher-rate taxpayers also receive 20% tax relief, but they can claim back up to an additional 20% through their tax return
Additional-rate taxpayers again pay 20% tax relief, but they can claim back up to a further 25% through their tax return
Non-taxpayers receive basic-rate tax relief, but the maximum payment they can make is £2,880, to which the Government adds £720 in tax relief, making a total gross contribution of £3,600

If you are a Scottish taxpayer, the tax relief you will be entitled to will be at the Scottish Rate of Income Tax, which may differ from the rest of the UK.
Limits on the amount that can be contributed

The Annual Allowance is a limit on the amount that can be contributed to your pension each year while still receiving tax relief. It’s based on your earnings for the year and is capped at £40,000 (2018/19).

If you exceed the Annual Allowance in a year, you won’t receive tax relief on any contributions you paid that exceed the limit, and you will be faced with an annual allowance charge. This charge will form part of your overall tax liability for that year, although there is the option to ask your pension scheme to pay the charge from your benefits if it is more than £2,000.

In April 2016, the Government introduced the tapered annual allowance for high earners, which states that for every £2 of income earned above £150,000 each year, £1 of annual allowance will be forfeited. However, the maximum reduction will be £30,000 – taking the highest earners’ annual allowance down to £10,000.

It is worth noting that you may be able to carry forward any unused annual allowances from the previous three tax years. If you have accessed any of your pensions, you can only pay a maximum of £4,000 into any un-accessed pension(s) you have. This is called the ‘Money Purchase Annual Allowance’, or ‘MPAA’. The MPAA applies only if you have accessed one of your pensions.

Exceeding the Lifetime Allowance
What counts towards your Lifetime Allowance depends on the type of pension you have.

Defined contribution – personal, stakeholder and most workplace schemes. The money in pension pots that goes towards paying you, however you decide to take the money.
Defined benefit (also known as ‘Final Salary’) – some workplace schemes. This can be 20 times the pension you get in the first year plus your lump sum – but you’ll need to check this with your pension provider.

Your pension provider will be able to help you determine how much of your Lifetime Allowance you have already used up. This is important because exceeding the Lifetime Allowance will result in a charge of 55% on any lump sum and 25% on any other pension income such as cash withdrawals.
This charge will usually be deducted by your pension provider when you access your pension.

Protecting your pension pot
It’s easier than you think to exceed the Lifetime Allowance, especially if you have been diligent about building up your pension pot. If you are concerned about exceeding your Lifetime Allowance or have already done so, it’s essential to obtain professional financial advice.

It may be that you can apply for pension protection. This could enable you to retain a larger Lifetime Allowance and keep paying into your pension – depending on which kind of protection you are eligible for:

Individual protection 2016 – this protects your Lifetime Allowance to the lower of the value of your pension(s) at 5 April 2016 and/or £1.25 million. You can keep building up your pension with this type of protection, but you must pay tax on money taken from your pension(s) that exceeds your protected lifetime allowance.

Fixed protection 2016 – this fixes your Lifetime Allowance at £1.25million. You can only apply for this if you haven’t made any pension contributions after 5 April.

Passing on your pension to beneficiaries
Finally, it is worth noting that there will normally be no tax to pay on pension assets passed on to your beneficiaries if you die before the age of 75 and before you take anything from your pension pot – as long as the total assets are less than the Lifetime Allowance. If you die aged 75 or older, the beneficiary will typically be taxed at their marginal rate.
However, not all types of pension can be passed on in such a tax-efficient way. Some older-style pensions may not be able to offer all the new death benefit options available. If this flexibility is important to you, in this instance and if appropriate, you may want to consider transferring to a pension scheme that does.

A PENSION IS A LONG-TERM INVESTMENT.

THE FUND VALUE MAY FLUCTUATE AND CAN GO DOWN, WHICH WOULD HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE LEVEL OF PENSION BENEFITS AVAILABLE.

PENSIONS ARE NOT NORMALLY ACCESSIBLE UNTIL AGE 55. YOUR PENSION INCOME COULD ALSO BE AFFECTED BY INTEREST RATES AT THE TIME YOU TAKE YOUR BENEFITS. THE TAX IMPLICATIONS OF PENSION WITHDRAWALS WILL BE BASED ON YOUR INDIVIDUAL CIRCUMSTANCES, TAX LEGISLATION AND REGULATION, WHICH ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE IN THE FUTURE.

THE VALUE OF INVESTMENTS AND INCOME FROM THEM MAY GO DOWN. YOU MAY NOT GET BACK THE ORIGINAL AMOUNT INVESTED.

PAST PERFORMANCE IS NOT A RELIABLE INDICATOR OF FUTURE PERFORMANCE.

Effective tool for reducing risk and volatility without necessarily giving up returns

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.

Diversification allows an investor to spread risk between different kinds of investments (called ‘asset classes’) to potentially improve investment returns. This helps reduce the risk of the overall investments (referred to as a ‘portfolio’) underperforming or losing money.

With some careful investment planning and an understanding of how various asset classes work together, a properly diversified portfolio provides investors with an effective tool for reducing risk and volatility without necessarily giving up returns.

Investment decision process
Understanding investment risk and determining what level of risk you feel comfortable with before you invest is an important part of the investment decision process. Your potential returns available from different kinds of investment, and the risks involved, change over time as a result of economic, political and regulatory developments, as well as a host of other factors.

Your overall asset allocation needs to reflect: your future capital or income needs; the timescales before those capital sums are required or the
level of income sought; and the amount of risk you can tolerate.

Investing is all about risk and return. Not only does asset allocation naturally spread risk, but it can also help you to boost your returns while maintaining, or even lowering, the level of risk of your portfolio. Most rational investors would prefer to maximise their returns, but every investor has their own individual attitude towards risk.

Investment characteristics
Determining what portion of your portfolio should be invested into each asset class is called ‘asset allocation’ and is the process of dividing your investment(s) between different assets. Portfolios can incorporate a wide range of different assets, all of which have their own characteristics, like cash, bonds, equities (shares in companies) and property.

The idea behind allocating your money between different assets is to spread risk through diversification and to understand these characteristics, and their implications on how a portfolio will perform in different conditions – the idea of not putting all your eggs in one basket.

Looking into the future
Investments can go down as well as up, and these ups and downs can depend on the assets you’re invested in and how the markets are performing. It’s a natural part of investing. If we could look into the future, there would be no need to diversify our investments. We could merely choose a date when we needed our money back, then select the investment that would provide the highest return to that date.

Moreover, the potential returns available from different kinds of investment, and the risks involved, change over time as a result of economic, political and regulatory developments, as well as a host of other factors. Diversification helps to address this uncertainty by combining a number of different investments.

Asset classes
When putting together a portfolio, there are a number of asset classes, or types of investments, that can be combined in different ways. The starting point is cash – and the aim of employing the other asset classes is to achieve a better return than could be achieved by leaving all of the investment on deposit.

Cash
The most common types of cash investments are bank and building society savings accounts and money market funds (investment vehicles which invest in securities, such as short-term bonds, to enable institutions and larger personal investors to invest cash for the short term).

Money held in the bank is arguably more secure than any of the other asset classes, but it is also likely to provide the poorest return over the long term. Indeed, with inflation currently above the level of interest provided by many accounts, the real value of cash held on deposit is falling.

Your money could be eroded by the effects of inflation and tax. For example, if your account pays 5% but inflation is running at 2%, you are only making 3% in real terms. If your savings are taxed, that return will be reduced even further.

Fixed Interest Securities
Fixed Interest Securities (also called ’bonds’) are effectively IOUs issued by governments or companies. In return for your initial investment, the issuer pays a pre-agreed regular return (the ‘coupon’) for a fixed term, at the end of which it agrees to return your initial investment. Depending on the financial strength of the issuer, bonds can be very low or relatively high risk, and the level of interest paid varies accordingly, with higher-risk issuers needing to offer more attractive coupons to attract investment.

As long as the issuer is still solvent at the time the bond matures, investors get back the initial value of the bond. However, during the life of the bond, its price will fluctuate to take account of a number of factors, including:

Interest rates – as cash is an alternative lower- risk investment, the value of government bonds is particularly affected by changes in interest rates. Rising base rates will tend to lead to lower government bond prices, and vice versa.
Inflation expectations – the coupons paid by the majority of bonds do not change over time. Therefore, high inflation reduces the real value of future coupon payments, making bonds less attractive and driving their prices lower.
Credit quality – the ability of the issuer to pay regular coupons and redeem the bonds at maturity is a key consideration for bond investors. Higher-risk bonds such as corporate bonds are susceptible to changes in the perceived credit worthiness of the issuer.

Shares
Shares, or equities in companies, are regarded as riskier investments than bonds, but they also tend to produce superior returns over the long term. They are riskier because, in the event of a company getting into financial difficulty, bond holders rank ahead of equity holders when the remaining cash is distributed.

However, their superior long-term returns come from the fact that, unlike a bond (which matures at the same price at which it was issued), share prices can rise dramatically as a company grows.

Returns from shares are made up of changes in the share price and, in some cases, dividends paid by the company to its investors. Share prices fluctuate constantly as a result of factors such as:

Company profits – by buying shares, you are effectively investing in the future profitability of a company, so the operating outlook for the business is of paramount importance. Higher profits are likely to lead to a higher share price and/or increased dividends, whereas sustained losses could place the dividend or even the long-term viability of the business in jeopardy
Economic background – companies perform best in an environment of healthy economic
growth, modest inflation and low interest rates. A poor outlook for growth could suggest waning demand for the company’s products or services. High inflation could impact companies in the form of increased input prices, although in some cases companies may be able to pass this on to consumers. Rising interest rates could put strain on companies that have borrowed heavily to grow the business
Investor sentiment – as higher-risk assets, equities are susceptible to changes in investor sentiment. Deterioration in risk appetite normally sees share prices fall, while a turn to positive sentiment can see equity markets rise sharply

Property
In investment terms, property normally means commercial real estate – offices, warehouses, retail units and the like. Unlike the assets we have mentioned so far, properties are unique – only one fund can own a particular office building or shop.

The performance of these assets can sometimes be dominated by changes in capital values. These unusually dramatic moves in capital value illustrate another of property’s key characteristics, namely its relative illiquidity compared to equities or bonds. Buying equities or bonds is normally a relatively quick and inexpensive process, but property investing involves considerable valuation and legal involvement.

The more normal state of affairs is for rental income to be the main driver of commercial property returns. Owners of property can enhance the income potential and capital value of their assets by undertaking refurbishment work or other improvements. Indeed, without such work, property can quickly become uncompetitive and run down. When managed properly, the relatively stable nature of property’s income return is key to its appeal for investors.

Diversification
Diversification helps to address uncertainty by combining a number of different investments. In order to maximise the performance potential of a diversified portfolio, managers actively change the mix of assets they hold to reflect the prevailing market conditions. These changes can be made at a number of levels, including the overall asset mix, the target markets within each asset class, and the risk profile of underlying funds within markets.

As a rule, an environment of positive or recovering economic growth and healthy risk appetite would be likely to prompt an increased weighting in equities and a lower exposure to bonds. Within these baskets of assets, the manager might also move into more aggressive portfolios when markets are doing well, and more cautious ones when conditions are more difficult. Geographical factors such as local economic growth, interest rates and the political background will also affect the weighting between markets within equities and bonds.

In the underlying portfolios, managers will normally adopt a more defensive positioning when risk appetite is low. For example, in equities, they might have higher weightings in large companies operating in parts of the market that are less reliant on robust economic growth. Conversely, when risk appetite is abundant, underlying portfolios will tend to raise their exposure to more economically sensitive parts of the market and to smaller companies.