The financial advice industry is in flux. Clients are increasingly aware of what constitutes quality financial advice and are seeking highly personalised and transparent services. At the same time, new industry standards are driving up compliance costs, putting traditional financial advice models into question. While this has led some firms to exit the industry, others see the changes as an opportunity to evolve their business in order to remain competitive and even boost their profitability.
Fortunes have been lost because typical investor psychology rarely aligns with investment success. Most investors can recount stories of losing money after excitedly buying at the top to later sell at the bottom or following the crowd into an overhyped stock. This is why astute financial advice firms are switching to goals based investing; an approach that embraces – instead of struggling against – investor psychology for superior results.
It’s becoming increasingly apparent that it’s a dangerous time in markets for investors. Governments and Central Banks around the world have reacted by pumping in immense amounts of stimulus to maintain price stability. But the more astute observers recognise this is a band-aid, not a permanent solution, and that traditional Risk Profile or SAA portfolios are not designed to navigate, or even survive, the future.
The effective management of goals based investment portfolios requires strong investment skills together with ample time and resources, but in return, rewards financial advice firms with satisfied clients and superior business outcomes.
There has rarely been a more urgent time to assess whether your money is being optimally managed. Market valuations are close to all-time highs while risk levels are high and long-term real return prospects are near zero. We anticipate re-runs of 2020 over the coming years, with more volatility and markets that ultimately go nowhere.
The market environment has changed. Yet most advisers’ portfolios have not. They may want to adapt fast if they want their clients better suited to the new market environment - assuming they’re not going to unduly suffer more weak returns going forward as they did in 2018.
