Equities Archives -

Letter from and reply to an anxious investor

Dear Gregg “Your pest client again! I was listening to an economist talking on the radio yesterday & he said we were not just in a recession but we are in a depression & it might take 10 years to come out of this. What if: What would it cost if I sold everything in …

Are Passives really that cheap?

I got really excited recently when I noted the addition of some of the CoreShares funds to the list of funds on one of the LISP platforms that we use… And then I started doing some quotes to see what the effect the addition the CoreSharesTop50 would have on the fees on the client’s portfolio. …

Cash guarantees?

We have come across many clients recently who are wanting to move their funds into the “bank” following the very poor returns of the past 5 years. Their rationale usually revolves around the fact that at least they would be guaranteed a return of ±7% per annum compared to the dismal returns from the market. …

Dont do this at home!

ENT specialists will tell anyone who listens that the only thing that you should ever stick into your ear is your elbow (it’s impossible, just as it is impossible to lick your elbow). And yet a quick trip down the supermarket aisle or peak into just about any bathroom cabinet will show that there is …

It’s time to do the Mickey Blue (again)

I recently watched someone using a leaf blower to clear their pavement. As I watched, it struck me what a pointless exercise it was and it crossed my mind that the leaf blower must be one of the most senseless machines yet invented.

The great Tax Free Savings Account con!

Am I the only one who dislikes Tax Free Savings Accounts (TFSA) and all the hype that goes with them? Let’s take a step back before getting all excited about TFSA’s. They were introduced (by Government) to encourage non-savers to save and unfortunately,

A case for higher offshore weighting within a living annuity?

There is this strange phenomenon in SA called Regulation 28 that is applied to retirement funds. It stipulates that retirement fund members may not have more than 75% of their funds in equities and no more than 25% of the fund invested offshore

UT or share portfolio

There are many with strong opinions about the merits of a share portfolio versus a unit trust portfolio. Here’s another one (strong opinion) in favour of a unit trust portfolio.

The ultimate savings & investment vehicle!

Today I got a call from a journalist asking a few questions about what a beginner investor should do if they want to start investing. I think that they were looking for “tips and tricks” about which funds or shares to choose. Here was my reply.

Memories

On a recent car trip, my daughter insisted on playing some of her music – 2 of the songs on the “hit list” were “Bear necessities” from the Jungle Book and “Hakuna Matata” from The Lion King. When the music finished there was a follow up question from her to me – “what’s your favourite …

The Financial Coach