We believe that our clients make the best decisions about money when they understand what is going on. Our intention is to remove some of the mystery surrounding investment and money.
If there is anything specific on which you would like some information, please email us.
If you haven't got a will - Who will get your money?
If you have a will, how effective is it?
News
4th September 2009 - Guide to financial planning
The Institute of Financial Planning has published a guide to financial planning, written by my good friend and colleague Jane Wheeler. It's written as a DIY guide, but even if you are a busy person who has neither the time, the inclination, nor the expertise to do your own financial planning, this article gives great insight into some of the basic things Navigator will do on your behalf. The guide has been published as part of Financial Planning Week, which runs 7th to 13th September 2009 to promote financial planning to a wider audience.
The principles in this guide are taken from Jane's excellent book (Sorted! DIY Financial Planning - How to get the life you want) available on Amazon.
24th August 2009 - HMRC guide to retirement
Her Majesty's Revenue & Customas (the Inland Revenue, in old money) have just published a guide for people about to retire. It's excellent! (He said, in a surprised tone.) Never let it be said that we don't give credit where it's due.
26th May 2009 - Active fund manager comes over from the dark side
Proponents of active fund management don't come much bigger than Alan Miller, ex-chief investment office of fund management group New Star. He has set up his own company to focus on - wait for it - asset allocation populated by passive funds. Here's a great quote: "In every single study you see, the average manager underperforms. Very few have have consistent outperformance through their stock selection. You are better off not taking that risk." Still a bit expensive for me, however. Here's the full article.
24th April 2009 - CNBC as laughing-stock
As you know, we don't give much credit to the ability of so-called experts at stock picking and company analysis. When CNBC's Rick Santelli recently refused to be interviewed by the Daily Show's Jon Stewart, the results would be funny, if the consequences hadn't been so serious. OK, I admit it: the results are funny anyway! Full version (8.5 minutes) Edited version (2 minutes). Enjoy!
24th September 2008 - EBIS Group launched
Navigator Financial Planning is proud to be a founder-member of Evidence Based Investment Solutions, aka EBIS. This group, which exists to promote the importance of relying on evidence and academic research when investing our clients' money, was formally launched yesterday, and received immediate interest from the press.
2nd September 2008 - Stamp Duty suspended
The Chancellor of the Exchequer has suspended for one year Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) on all residential property purchases up to £175,000. The previous threshold was £125,000.
- The change applies only to residential properties.
- The increased limit applies for purchases between 03/09/2008 and 02/09/2009 inclusive.
As SDLT is not a progressive tax, this could mean a significant saving. If you are considering buying a house at £150,000, this would have have cost you £1,500 in SDLT; tomorrow it will cost you nothing.
The Government have calculated that around half the houses purchased in the UK during the year of relaxation will not be subject to SDLT.
Remember, too, that some council wards in NI are exempt any from SDLT for properties sold at up to £150,000. To check if your area is exempt, click here.
Click for full story.
Some important articles for today's investment climate
Invest for the long term, not the short term
Trying to time the market can be very costly
Nobody can know for certain which assets will perform well next year, the variables are just too many
After serious downturns, markets can sometimes recover very quickly indeed
Is it different this time - a presentation from Dimensional. Weston Wellington delves into his vast library of press clippings to offer perspective on the unpredictability of market movements, how the current market downturn compares to past bear markets, and the resilience markets have historically shown. (Running time: 17:24)A light-hearted explanation of derivatives.
Book reviews
The Little Book of Common Sense Investing, by John C Bogle
If you invest in stocks at all, put your money in a fund that automatically owns a little bit of every company listed. Over time, it is a sure and almost worry-free way to accumulate wealth. Reviewed by Citywire.
The Ascent of Money, by Niall Ferguson
If you only read one book about money and how it works in all its aspects, this is the one. Explains how money itself developed and its importance in raise of civilisation, trade, commerce, innovation, as well as shares, bonds, property, why they go up and down, and why bubbles always burst in the end. Also a Channel 4 series, this is a brilliant book from one of the world's top historians. Read a synopsis.
Archive of articles
Active management does not, on average, add value
Good fund performance is not repeated, so judging the future by the past is not a good idea
For a given average return, higher volatility means a lower total return, so there is no point in taking more risk than you have to
Trading actively within a portfolio drags performance down
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Links
Web sites
Newsletters
I don't publish regular newsletters, but from time to time, when a particular issue raises its head, or when I feel particularly strongly about something that is going on, I will write an article and put it here.
19/03/2009 - Ten Classic Investment Mistakes
08/11/2008 - Keeping it in Perspective
02/10/2008 - How Safe is Cash, Really?
18/09/2008 - The Storms of Life