Informed Decisions Independent Financial Planning & Money Podcast

We are not talking about death here today, but we will be looking at a thing called Sequence Risk which in my book is one of the most unknown and under-rated influences on your income in retirement. I would go so far as to say that it can have much more of an influence on your retirement lifestyle than the amount that you actually have at the beginning of your graduation out of full-time employment. Plain and simple this is one of the biggest factors affecting people's incomes in retirement. Essentially this is the very real risk of the order of investment returns you achieve being unfavourable. We will show you how big an impact this has on a portfolio, why you should know about it and begin to explain the very real impact it can have on the legacy that you leave your loved-ones. Welcome to Ireland's only dedicated and straight-talking personal finance and financial planning Blog. We are on a long term mission to share ideas and raise awareness about topics that impact us all and which will hopefully be a positive benefit for you into the future. Please drop me a mail here with any ideas, suggestions or feedback which would help make this resource as useful as possible. Thanks for listening, Paddy Delaney QFA | RPA | APA | Qualified Coach

Welcome to Ireland's only dedicated and straight-talking Personal Finance & Financial Planning Podcast. Delighted you have decided to have a look at this weeks' episode. Firstly, want to say a heart-felt thank you to all listeners of the Podcast and readers of the Blog for their encouragement and feedback over the past 2 years, we picked up the title of 'Ireland's Best Finance Blog' at the Irish Blog Awards last week in Dublin, totally surprised to win it for the 2nd year in a row, particularly against such top-drawer blogs as the Zurich, Bank Of Ireland, Taxback.com to name just a few. I'm a big believer is not focusing on the past too much, whether it is a high or a low, o lets get stuck in to this weeks' episode! We are joined in conversation by Derek Bell, the Chief Exec of the Retirement Planning Council of Ireland, which is based in Dublin. While it might sound a little like just another pensions company they are actually anything but. They provide, what to me sounds like, an invaluable service to people who are on the verge of retiring from their jobs here in Ireland. They run courses which help people to consider all they need to consider in advance of 'graduating' from their full-time permanent positions…….and to head off into the sun-set. Derek shares with us in this 30 minute or so Podcast what he believes are some of the main aspects which people often overlook when considering retirement, and the funny thing a lot of those aren't the financial, which makes it all the more interesting to hear and consider. And be sure to listen through to the end where Derek shares the single biggest piece of advice he believes will impact on anyone who is preparing to retire, be that 40 years or 40 days away…….enjoy!! Oh, be sure to drop me a mail here with your ideas, suggestions or feedback on how to make the Podcast/Blog as effective and useful as it can be, please! Cheers, Paddy Delaney QFA | RPA | APA | Coach

'I'm not a procrastinator, I just prefer doing everything in a dead-line induced panic!'......Honest words shared with me by an acquaintance recently. And to be fair it totally struck a chord with me, as a former repeat procrastinator it sounded so accurate a description of the logic a procrastinator uses to rationalise their behaviour (or lack thereof). It is only when the pressure is on, the procrastinator will them him or herself, that I am at my best....so there really is no point in that particular item until such time as it is time-sensitive or urgent! We did touch on the subject previously and shared a story about a granny and €8k! We are not now here to criticise or condemn that approach, rather to try and understand why it is a default for so many of us in lots of aspects of our lives, and not just financial planning & money aspects. Welcome back to Ireland's only dedicated Financial Planning Blog & Podcast, we're on a mission to share ideas and help you make decisions about your money that will benefit you now and into the future. We love to hear from readers and listeners to the podcast, and invite you to drop us an email here with suggestions, ideas or feedback.......thanks! It is said that the avoidance of a task, postponing until tomorrow what can (and often should) be done today, is one of the main obstacles to us achieving success in our professional and personal lives. Think about that, how many times has an idea, a picture of a desired outcome, a goal or a wish entered your head, and for you to talk yourself out of it, for whatever reason? This is procrastination at work, and it nigh-on constantly prevents many of us from doing stuff that we want to do! Read Full Blog Here. Paddy Delaney QFA | RPA | APA | Qualified Coach

In 2016 The Natural Environment Research Council in the UK invited the public to name their latest scientific research vessel, which was costing £200m. This vessel was going to be doing (and currently is doing) really insightful and exploratory work, making new discoveries and so on. Really important, noble and global research for the good of the natural world. In the initial stages the likely suggested winner was names such as 'Endeavour' and 'Poseidon' etc. Which made sense. However you can imagine the consternation internally when the public unanimously got behind a viral idea of calling it something rather ridiculous, yet pretty hilarious at the same time. And so it was that the winning vote, by some margin, was 'HSS Boaty McBoat-Face'! In the past week we saw the 2019 Budget being released, and depending on your level of interest you may have either read every single iota of info in it, listened-out for any major bits that will impact you, or paid no heed to it at all. Each to their own. For me at least, The Budget is one of these things that happens every year (as far as I'm aware) and which the media latch onto and utilise to create a good week's worth of material and supplements and 'special reports' etc. But for many of us, The Budget is something that largely happens in the background, and has little impact on our overall financial lives or indeed financial planning. For many the drama of the Finance Minister somberly walking onto the steps of the Dail with his or her brief-case looking all serious is all a bit much, it is over-dramatising a budgetary process that any prudent government in any nation attempts to do in a way that ensures it's financial stability. Between the media and the incumbent government they try and whip us up into a state of frenzy about the Budget…..perhaps so that we'll notice them and think more of them, I'm not clear on the motive to be honest, as it seems they use the same of hype whether it is a give-away' or a 'tightening' Budget! I'm not suggesting we change the name from 'The Budget' to Budgety McBudget-Face' but I am inviting us to look at it in less of a reactive 'Oh-my-God-look-at-what-they-are-doing-to-us' sort of way, and in more of a pragmatic and proactive manner. So this week we are going to share a bit of a budget update, and invite you to observe how significant (or otherwise) it might be to you individually, particularly if you are in the process of either building and maintaining your wealth over the long term. The Update Bit: The budget didn't carry too many shockers in fairness, while it was being reported as an 'election-friendly' budget you'll see from our highlight reel here that there was nothing overly generous or prohibitive in it. Here's our 'Super 7' list of Budget Updates: Standard rate income tax band increased by €750 from 2019 onwards Self Employed & Directors increased by €200 to €1,350 from 2019 Some tweaks to the lower USC bands and rates DIRT tax reduced to 35% - Exit Tax remains unchanged at 41% €5 increase to State Pensions per week, from March 2019 Capital Acquisitions Tax (Class A) increased by €10,000 Mortgage Interest relief against rental income increases to 100% from 2019 Read on here. Paddy Delaney QF| RPA | APA | Qualified Coach

If you have ever invested money in a fund or collective fund with a 3rd party, either through a pension or through an investment structure (product or platform) you will most likely have already completed a 'Risk Questionnaire' or 'Risk Survey'. It may have formed part of the bigger conversation about your investment goals, or it may have been the sole basis on which you made your investment decision. If it was the latter than there may be cause for some concern. Welcome to Ireland's only dedicated and straight-talking Personal Finance Blog & Podcast, and thanks for reading! If you want to gain some insights about money, hear from some super guests and to help yourself to make financial decisions which benefit you, then you are in the right place! We are always keen to hear from readers so please do send me a mail with any ideas, suggestions or feedback, you can mail me here. The Conflict: If an individual seeks financial guidance they generally do so in good faith that the person they seek it from will have their best interests at heart. In a recent interview with Eric Brotman we explored what the term Fiduciary meant, and it means. In essence it relates to the relationship between a financial advisor and a client as being one established on trust, and where the advisor is bound by a responsibility to act in the best interests of a client. That is to say that they place the client's interests before their own......which for many people in Ireland will seem like a strange idea. When we seek any help, whether it is to buy a car, have some domestic appliance fixed, book a holiday, visit a physio, hire a painter, as a nation we expect that the person(s) providing the product or service to be acting in their best interests and will perhaps try to sell us or charge us more than may perhaps be strictly necessary.....it is a cultural thing, perhaps in every corner of the globe. To suggest then that a 'financial advisor' would not act in their own best interests, to act in a fiduciary manner, seems almost alien, and totally counter-intuitive! Yet this is a formal means of working for a small yet growing population of financial services professionals in the US. I, for one, am looking forward to the growth of such a population in Ireland....perhaps it starts right here. Need Versus Wants: You are perhaps wondering what any of this has to do with Risk Questionnaires, thanks for bearing with me. Lets image a scenario where you are a 60 year old with €250,000 sitting in deposit accounts but who now needs to generate an income of €15,000 per year (6% of fund) from your investment in order to pay for the lifestyle you maintain. In addition you want to have that income increase in line with inflation each year, your circumstances demand it.........Listen to hear more! Or check out our Blog here. Thanks, Paddy Delaney QFA | RPA | APA | Qualified Coach

Are you swimming in the nip dear reader? This week we share some ideas with you about a what the State Pension looks like currently, how much we might get, how we go about qualifying for it, and how the level of income we have from 'guaranteed sources' when we do retire determines how we can access other retirement funds we have set for ourselves.......so a nice simple one!! Welcome to Ireland's only dedicated and straight-talking Financial Planning and Personal Finance Blog & Podcast. We are on a mission to share insights and to help people to help themselves. In return if you feel it is of value to you then please do tell a friend! We'd love to hear from you with any feedback, suggestions or questions, drop me a mail here. This week we help answer the following questions..... How Much Is The State Contributory Pension Right Now (at time of writing!) What Age Can I Get The State Pension? How Do I Qualify For Contributory State Pension? How Much PRSI Need I Pay To Qualify? Why It's Not Enough? Hope you enjoy... Thanks for listening! Paddy Delaney QFA | RPA | APA | Qualified Coach

This week we are finally getting round to a topic that has been on 'the list' for quite a while. One of the main benefits of pensions that 'the industry' of financial services harks on about a lot is the tax relief that is available on contributions, and that is certainly true. Having said that what is not true is that pensions are the only tax effective vehicle in which to invest in this fine country of ours, there is also (among a handful of others) the Employment and Investment Incentive Scheme as declared by the Revenue. This is the artist formerly known as Business Expansion Scheme (BES)! We will now share the ins-and-outs of this scheme, the pros & cons and hopefully a few examples which will show how an investor (with a lump sum) might aim to reduce his or her income tax bill by investing in such a thing. Like night becomes day the rules around this Scheme can change in future but they are a reflection of things as they stand today! As is customary I would like to welcome you to Ireland's only dedicated and straight-talking Financial Planning blog & podcast! We are on a mission to change how financial advice is done in Ireland and to help people help themselves to make decisions which will benefit them in the future. Love to hear from readers and listeners so drop me a mail here with any ideas, suggestions or questions you have and I'll be sure to reply post-haste! Oh, regular readers might recall that we won Best Finance Blog in Ireland last year, we are short-listed again this year and the awards are on 25th October......it might be a case of 'difficult 2nd album' but sure we'll see how we go......It's not about winning it's about taking part and all that!

Charles Dickens' novel about Dr. Manette, his 18 year incarceration in Paris and subsequent relocation to London to spend time with his daughter Lucie, and all the messing that apparently ensued is meant to be quite a read. I haven't managed it myself but am reliably informed that I should. Some day I will, as soon as I have read every investment and retirement planning book in existence! A Tale of 2 Cities was set against the back-drop of the run-up to the French Revolution and one could potentially say that there may be a revolution ahead in terms of investing in Ireland, there is a groundswell building around the inconsistencies in how investments are taxed and the access to various investment options. This week we explore the tax implications of investing in 2 different vehicles in Ireland, what tax an investor will pay, and the net impact that that means over the term of an investment. It's an investment tale of 2 cities as such......I know, a very tenuous link indeed! Welcome to Ireland's only dedicated Financial Planning Blog & Podcast, on a mission to make a positive difference in how people like you & I manage their finances and make decisions. Your input and feedback are of real importance to us so would be delighted if you were to drop us a mail with any such ideas or feedback you have here. Thanks, Paddy Delaney QFA | RPA | APA | Qualified Coach

Welcome to Ireland's only dedicated and straight-talking Personal Finance & Financial Planning Blog. We are on a mission to make a positive difference and to help people take control of their finances in a meaningful way. If you have a suggestion, question or feedback for us please do drop me a mail here, love to hear from readers. This week we are joined in conversation with Eric Brotman from US-advisory form Brotman Financial. Eric shares with us many ideas and helps answer many questions including: How best to prepare for 'graduating into retirement'? What is Fiduciary Advice and how does it differ to other types of financial advice? Should I invest a lump sum or clear my Mortgage? He also tells us a little about the challenges faced in the US with the infamous 'student loans' situation, which if nothing else might make you feel a little better about your own situation! Thanks for checking it out...... Paddy Delaney QFA | RPA | APA | Qualified Coach

This week we are hoping to answer several questions we have had from listeners in the past 6 weeks or so. It has been put to me that it would be valuable to share our thoughts and to explore whether it would be more beneficial to invest in a low-cost investment plan, achieve a decent level of return and pay whatever tax is due on withdrawal, or to invest into a pension, achieve the same level of return, pay what tax is due on withdrawal.......on the face of it, to me at least, it seems there will be no competition, but you know what they say about assumptions (My favourite quote about assumptions is...... 'Don't Make Assumptions'!) Welcome to Ireland's only dedicated and straight-talking Personal Finance & Financial Planning Blog. We are on a mission to make a positive difference and to help people take control of their finances in a meaningful way. If you have a suggestion, question or feedback for us please do drop me a mail here, love to hear from readers. Oh, and one more thing, we are trying to make a difference, so if you feel anything you hear or read on this site might be useful to a friend please do send them a link......they might even thank you for it! Invest or Pension......? To be frank when I sat to do this analysis I wasn't sure where to start, I may have resembled the confused looking dog on the cover for a while initially! It is not a question that I have ever really been asked before in detail, so it took quite a lot of thought! The essence of the questions that I have received from listeners is, factoring-in the potential returns, fees and taxation of the 2 options, which one will yield greatest net return, an investment in a low-cost fund (if such a thing actually really exists!) or a pension in a regular managed fund!? We are making one BIG assumption here, and that is that in the investment you are paying low fees and in the pension you are paying high fees. I say this is an assumption because this is not always the case of course.....but it was the question posed so let's take it head-on! Paddy Delaney