Informed Decisions Independent Financial Planning & Money Podcast

In this week's podcast I tackle a topic that's been heavily addressed already, inflation - but in the context of what it means for your pension assets. You may have noticed the Consumer Price Index (CPI) suggesting that inflation rates are easing off from recent highs. However, if we cast our minds back to the mid-1960s to the early 1980s, history shows us that inflation tends to come in waves. It's not gone away - particularly for us long term investors! I hope it helps

In this week's podcast I take a look at Bonds If you've got a slice of your pension or investment pie in bonds—be it individual or a fund, government or corporate—you're in good company. Many savvy investors do, and have always done. It's always been seen as a smart move, a bit of "financial wisdom" passed down through generations! But lately, thanks in no small part that Bonds haven't been doing great, some are second-guessing this wisdom. I hope it helps.

Exploring lifestyle versus default investment pension strategies, critique of life cycle investment advice, detailed analysis of retirement planning, optimal investment strategies for retirement, importance of diversifying portfolios to reduce risks in pension investments, analysis of lifestyle investment strategies and risk assessment

In this week's podcast, I talk about Larry Fink, Warren Buffet, and my granny's kitchen. Larry Fink is renowned for his role as the CEO of BlackRock, one of the world's largest investment management firms. Much like Warren Buffett, Fink has earned a reputation as a visionary in the world of finance, leveraging his expertise to advocate for long-term investment strategies and the power of capital markets to drive economic growth. While it might be considered by some as a 'poor cousin' of the Berskshire Hathaway annual shareholder meeting, Fink publishes an annual letter that gets little coverage but does contain some interesting ideas and reflections on markets, investing and life. Hope you find it interesting.

In this week's podcast, I talk about the Wealth of Health. Something slightly off-topic this week, and something far more concise that usual. I hope it helps you. A definition of wealth is 'a plentiful supply of a particular desirable thing'. Money is a desirable thing - and we put a lot of focus here on accumulating and protecting that in an efficient, stress-free and proven way. What else is desirable to most of us? I hope it helps.

One of my favourite podcasts is The Compound & Friends featuring hosts Josh Brown and Michael Batnick of 'Ritholtz Wealth' in the US. They are irreverent, funny, informative and between them and their varied guests (they call them 'friends'!) share some great insights and information. In recent weeks they have touched on a wide variety of topics, but two in particular caught my attention most, and I felt might be worth sharing with you in this weeks' podcast. I hope it helps.

In this week's podcast I talk about the scandal of UK investment firm Saint James' Place. It is a monstrous financial advice and investment firm regulated by the FCA in the UK. It has been marred by scandals over the past few years. They've been accused of it all; from 'rogue' investment managers (whose clients are still trying to get their money back), to recent over-charging claims. Is there a lesson for us to learn here about it? Lets take a quick look. I hope it helps.

In this week's podcast we talk about Retirement Investment: The Case for Equity Over Bonds. Research published in October 2023 suggests a significant shift in retirement investment strategies is merited. The research indicates that retirees often benefit more from an equity-focused portfolio rather than the traditional equity/bond split. In Ireland, embracing an all-equity portfolio comes with its distinct advantages and challenges for retirees. I hope it helps.

In this week's podcast I talk about S&P500 and if it's a good idea or not to go All-In. Should you bet all your investment or pension assets on the good 'ol S&P500? Or would you be considered 'bananas' to do so?!? As with a lot of my podcasts, this is inspired by a recent conversation. Conversations that I love to have and to explore with clients. Could one say that a financial advisor is not doing right by their clients if they are NOT advising all their clients to go all-in on S&P500 or the Nasdaq??! It's important to make an informed decision. I hope this helps!

Pension Lifestyling in Ireland is rampant. By my reckoning, the vast majority of people with pensions are invested in insurance company pension schemes using 'Pension Lifestyling'. This week I explore if that is a prudent approach for you as a pension holder on the cusp of retirement, or a useless sales tool that you should avoid like the plague. I hope it helps.