When people gossip, it’s always about someone else and more often than not, there’s a comment on someone’s behaviour. People watching or, more correctly, behaviour watching provides fodder for the chat magazines and the tabloids. This, in turn, has led to the huge growth in reality TV whether it’s the X-Factor, America’s Got Talent, Big Brother, Masterchef or Iron Chef (take your pick). The list goes on. There seems to be a delight in seeing
Read more →Every so often I come across a new client who is searching for the magic elixir of finance – the quick fix to all their financial woes. What they are really seeking is a quick and easy way to make more money without taking risk or putting in time. Unfortunately financial management on a personal level and the advice that is needed is not sexy or glamorous. In fact, it’s plain dull and boring. Nevertheless
Read more →It’s that time of the year when everyone takes stock of what they should have done in the last year and what they really should do in the coming year. Financial Planning is a subject that gets addressed more at this time of the year than any other mainly because of the tendency to “I better do this otherwise I’ll never get around to it”. Once January passes however, the mental incentive does as well. So
Read more →Every so often I meet a personal investor who will tell me that now is the right time or the wrong time to invest, depending on whether the markets are going up or down as well as depending on that individual’s past experience. Despite having 30 years of investment experience I never get into an argument with them because I know something they don’t. Namely, very, very experienced investment professionals rarely, if ever, out think
Read more →Stock markets are now at all time highs. Who would have thought that we would be saying that after the Global Financial Crisis back in 2008. Surely equity markets are now toppy? Many investors who went to cash around then have been too frightened to come back into the market in the intervening period and are now only considering re-entering after an almost 200% gain in stock prices. If anything this sounds like a classic
Read more →When I meet a prospective client one of the first areas to be discussed is what financial products they currently hold. While many people will know that they have a mortgage and its broad details, less will know about what their pension fund and investments are applied to and even fewer again will know what level of life assurance they hold. Most people usually do not give time to, never mind arrange, either their Will or
Read more →If you don’t have a cat as a pet and even if the next two paragraphs might not mean much to you please persevere with me. I should add that I am not a natural animal lover but am more of an assistant to those around me that are. Nevertheless I find myself catering to every whim that our cat meows. This includes opening the front door to let him look out before he decides
Read more →A little over nine years ago a new personal financial qualification, the Graduate Diploma in Financial Planning was introduced by University College Dublin in conjunction with support from the Life Insurance Association, the Institute of Bankers and the Institute of Taxation. Those who successfully completed this program were then able to sit a further exam with a view to obtaining the international accreditation Certified Financial Planner™ (also referred to as CFP®). This accreditation is regarded
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