06/05/14: Bank Financial Planners: Tread carefully

80% of financial advisers now 'owned' by the banks

Last night's 'Four Corners' documentary on ABC (watch video here) primarily focused on the shameful behaviour of a particular Financial Planner within Commonwealth Bank's planning division. But more importantly, the documentary also highlights a broader 'conflict of interest' issue with bank advisors generally, and possibly other institutions.

While I suspect that 'bad advisers' (in all professions) will continue to lurk in the shadows forever and a day, the problem highlighted in last night's report goes beyond a single 'rogue' adviser. Rather than a one-off event, the flaw appears to be systemic, possibly stretching across the entire banking wealth management model.

So with over 80% of financial advisors in Australia now directly or indirectly owned by the banks, as a customer, it's now prudent to question the motives behind that humble bank teller who subtly offers to introduce you to their friendly financial planner for a 'second opinion', the next time you review your home loan or term deposit.

And if you believe that your financial advisor is employed by an 'independent', non-bank aligned firm, you now have every right to ask whether that advisor's license is indeed owned by a bank - chances are it is.

Of course, following on from last night's Four Corners report it would be easy to conclude that you simply can't trust financial planners, or anyone else, to look after your hard earned money. That would be wrong (and sad). The reality is that there are more than enough high quality financial advisers out there, doing terrific work, helping clients achieve their dreams - I personally know many of them and wouldn't hesitate recommending these professionals to family and friends.

So expect the best, just ask plenty of questions and do your homework.

Rick Maggi

15/03/14: Why asset allocation is so important

…making a comeback

If we've learned anything since the GFC, it's that a well diversified portfolio of assets, including local and overseas shares, property, cash, bonds etc., is the smartest (and easiest) way to preserve and grow your capital, whether you are retired or accumulating assets. Even as the global economy recovers, thanks to the pain experienced by most of us during the GFC, its unlikely that a new found respect for asset allocation will fade anytime soon.

In this article, Dr Shane Oliver explains what asset allocation is, why it's important to you and how to manage the economic cycles. It should be liberating to know that about 90% of the gains (or losses) investors experience in a lifetime have to do with the amount of exposure they have to various sectors like shares, property, cash etc., and much less to do with micro-decisions such as stock selection or the specific managed fund they purchase.

In other words, managing your portfolio of assets can be much less time consuming, less stressful and less expensive, if structured and maintained properly, regardless of your personal objectives and style. (Rick Maggi, Westmount. Financial Solutions)

Read here

07/03/14: Australia: Looking beyond the gloom

Cheer-up, it's much better than you think!

In this article, AMP's Shane Oliver focuses on the Australian economy, which has been getting some depressing press lately. Read more here  (Rick Maggi, Westmount. Financial Solutions.)

26/02/14: Warren Buffett on keeping investing simple

It doesn't need to be difficult or expensive

Warren Buffett's annual letter to shareholders is almost always a treat to read, even if you don't own any shares of Berkshire Hathaway. It's eminently readable, and he usually throws in some evergreen personal advice that anyone can use. This year is no exception, based on an exclusive excerpt just published by Forbes magazine.

In the letter, Buffett tells the story of two investments made more than two decades ago: a 400-acre farm outside Omaha and a commercial building in Manhattan. The farm is now worth more than five times what he paid. And he says the Manhattan investment produces annual income equal to more than a third of the initial investment.

His secret? He focused on the fundamentals of what the investments would produce, not on their fluctuating value. The real estate property, for instance, was adjacent to New York University, which he notes "wasn't going anywhere."

"Games are won by players who focus on the playing field -- not by those whose eyes are glued to the scoreboard," writes Buffett. "If you can enjoy Saturdays and Sundays without looking at stock prices, give it a try on weekdays."

Buffett says that for "the nonprofessional" (that's the rest of us), there's no need to be picking winners in the stock market, or hiring someone else to do it either. And you should definitely ignore people on TV who try to predict broader market conditions. A low-cost index fund, which captures a wide enough cross section of businesses, should be plenty. And he reveals that he's following his own advice in his will (emphasis added):

My money, I should add, is where my mouth is: What I advise here is essentially identical to certain instructions I've laid out in my will. One bequest provides that cash will be delivered to a trustee for my wife's benefit. (I have to use cash for individual bequests, because all of my Berkshire Hathaway shares will be fully distributed to certain philanthropic organisations over the 10 years following the closing of my estate.) My advice to the trustee could not be more simple: Put 10% of the cash in short-term government bonds and 90% in a very low-cost S&P 500 index fund. (I suggest Vanguard's.) I believe the trust's long-term results from this policy will be superior to those attained by most investors -- whether pension funds, institutions, or individuals.

So there it is. You don't need much more than a portfolio of well diversified index funds (like Vanguard's) along with the right exposure to various assets, which depends on your personal attitude towards risk, volatility and reward. Of course, the lesson from Buffett and others is that ordinary investing doesn't need to be complicated. In fact, if it's not simple, you're doing it wrong.

As most Westmount clients are already taking advantage of 'indexing' and have seen the results first hand, Buffett's comments should come as no surprise, but it's reassuring to know that you're in good company! Rick Maggi (Westmount. Financial Solutions.)

21/02/14: Fifty ideas that shaped business today

Can you guess them?

Produced by the Financial Times/BCG last year, this 60 page article is an interesting and beautifully presented read. Not exactly 'on-topic' for a financial planning blog, but hey, we all need a little inspiration from time to time! Enjoy. Download here Rick Maggi (Westmount. Financial Solutions.)

19/02/14: China debt worries and growth

Overdone?

Whether you have a superannuation, pension or managed fund, direct shares or property, what happens in China, the world's second largest economy, matters to your financial health. In this article AMP Capital's Dr Shane Oliver looks more closely at some of the 'noise' surrounding China these days, and whether this is something we should all be worried about. As usual, an easy to understand reader-friendly article from one of Australia's most respected Economists. Enjoy.  Read article here  Rick Maggi (Westmount. Financial Solutions.)

25/02/14: Spending your super lump sum?

Tread carefully...

The decision about whether to take super benefits as a lump sum, superannuation pension or both as a lump sum and a pension is a key financier issue. But be careful, funding your retirement requires serious resources… Read more here  Rick Maggi (Westmount. Financial Solutions.)

13/02/14: Avoiding the crowd

Why investors need to be wary of crowds...

Sometimes being at one with a crowd can be nice, as safety in numbers can provide comfort. However, when crowds turn they can be dangerous - you might get trampled! In fact a wariness of crowds is essential to successful investing. Read more here  Rick Maggi (Westmount. Financial Solutions.)

17/01/14: The Year Ahead

Westmount Clients Only

30/11/13: Deflation or rising inflation?

What is the risk?

AMP Capital's Dr Shane Oliver looks discusses the potential consequences of a deflationary spiral versus rising inflation on your hip-pocket. Enjoy. Read more here  Rick Maggi (Westmount. Financial Solutions.)

27/11/13: Perth tipped to grow fastest

Perth to grow beyond Brisbane...

A quick and interesting article on Perth's growth prospects. Enjoy.  Read more here  Rick Maggi (Westmount. Financial Solutions.)

20/11/13: The power of good advice

7 good reasons to get good financial advice

If you're not sure if you need or want financial advice, perhaps thinking about doing it all yourself? Read on...

Read 7 Good Reasons         Read Robert Kiyosaki's Blog

Rick Maggi (Westmount. Financial Solutions.)

15/11/13: China on track

Better than expected...

China's growth cycle is stabilising and that's good news for Australia's economy, our markets, and possibly your super fund. AMP Capital's Dr Shane Oliver weighs in on recent fears over slowing Chinese growth with a typically calm, well balanced commentary. As always, his article is easy to read and not overly technical. Enjoy! Read more here  Rick Maggi (Westmount. Financial Solutions.)

04/11/13: Avoiding excess risk in a low-interest environment

Don't upset the fine balance...

The strong growth in the prices of many Australian shares over the past year is attributable, in part, to the buying of yield-hunting investors. A number of high-yielding financial stocks, for instance, are trading at or near to record highs.

Predictably, in the prevailing low-interest environment, many investors are now turning to more concentrated portfolios of high-yielding shares in an effort to maintain their investment yields and their lifestyles. But, unfortunately, this pursuit of yields comes at the cost of undertaking a higher level of risk for an investor's overall investment portfolio.

Rather than exposing portfolios to higher risk and upsetting carefully diversified portfolios in a hunt for income, investors should focus more on a portfolio's total return – that is the combination of its income and capital growth. With this approach, investors in need of more income than produced by a portfolio draw an amount taken from their portfolio's total return, taking into account cash-flow and capital appreciation.

In this way, investors can remain on track to achieving their long-time goals without upsetting their portfolio's diversification and without taking greater risks. Rick Maggi (Westmount. Financial Solutions.)