Here at Capital, one of the leading global fund managers we partner with is Dimensional Fund Advisers (DFA). Their founder and chairman, David Booth recently published an article that is worth sharing with you. The
Life is a fascinating journey filled with unexpected twists and turns, and sometimes we’re faced with opportunities that seem ‘too good to be true’. In 1965, a 47-year-old smart French property lawyer named Andre-Francois Raffray
Every year there is an investment winner. One ‘asset class’ that deliver better returns than all the rest. Cash is rarely that asset class. It’s a conversation that comes up regularly in our client meetings
At our core, we firmly believe that adopting a systematic approach to investing is the key to a successful investment journey. Rather than relying on empty promises, we emphasize the importance of evidence-based and logical
For some, the word trusts conjure up thoughts of super-rich families trying to protect their money, but in fact, many of us use trusts in our routine financial planning. The most used trusts are will
The spectacular work ‘Another Place’ by the British sculptor Antony Gormley[1], of one hundred naked men scattered along 1.5 miles of Crosby Beach in Liverpool, provides a useful twice-daily reminder about hidden risks in the financial world. As
Warren Buffett is considered one of the greatest investors of all time and between 1965 and 2021 his investment company, Berkshire Hathaway managed to generate returns of over 20% a year, which is double the
Most investors – at some time – will be either tempted to time when to be in or out of equity markets – or wish they had when markets fall. It would be great to be
Every now and then, you read a book that completely captivates you. I read a lot, and it’s rare that I get totally immersed in any book, let alone a book about personal finance! Brian
In Cash Part I – The Magic Formula – we looked at how much cash you should hold by introducing three simple, tried, and tested rules designed to help protect you in an emergency, to
At the start of 2022 investors needed reminding that investing is not an easy game, despite having enjoyed around a decade of relatively strong – and fairly consistent – market returns, even in light of
Hopefully, the headline of this note will not come as a surprise to you. It is remarkable, though, just how relaxed some investors are about letting others dip their hands in their pockets to extract high
Sensible investing is about taking on sensible risks in your portfolio, which starts with owning equities over cash. Historical data and logic tell us to expect a premium for doing so. In the long run this
When you set up an investment portfolio, invest in a pension or ISA or other ‘tax wrapper’, you need to appoint a platform or wrap custodian/administrator. The primary role such an organisation is to provide
Three prime ministers and three chancellors in as many months, certainly feels chaotic, possibly a bit embarrassing, as well as a little depressing. There is no doubt that the UK could do with some stability, fiscal
You’ll be familiar with the story of David versus Goliath. The young shepherd boy, David armed with only a simple slingshot, takes on the mighty giant, Goliath and emerges from their battle, victorious. When I
Whatever your politics, there seems to be little sympathy for the new Chancellor. It’s been a tough first week in his new job; lambasted by the media, accused by the Labour leader of ‘crashing’ the pound and causing
As we all know by now, the new Chancellor announced his “Mini Budget” about a week ago and we’ve witnessed how this managed to blow up the markets. Kwasi Kwarteng, is known for his doctoral
Investors sometimes convince themselves that they know what the future holds and seek to position their portfolio to benefit from that knowledge. As one of our clients, you will know that this is not a
A brief dive into investor psychology, how stock market downturns can affect our ability to make rational decisions, and the opportunities and dangers that can arise. For most of us, investing is a necessary part
The news today can feel a little bit unsettling. There is no doubt that these are tough emotional times for investors. Russia’s invasion and brutal war in Ukraine is unsettling on both a human and an economic
Inflation, War, Financial Crisis and Market Crash are just some of the buzzwords in the news today. One can easily get worried, and fear is usually one of the leading factors when it comes to
What’s in the news? It’s a fact, UK inflation levels reached its highest level in 40 years. Even though many analysts described Inflation as transitory, we’ve been witnessing quite the opposite during the past 12
Addressing the House of Commons in 1947, Winston Churchill said that ‘democracy is the worst form of government – except for all the others that have been tried” That famous quote came back to me
Blockchains, Web3, the metaverse, NFTs, cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin, Dogecoin, dApps and DAOs. These terms have surged into mainstream media, from nowhere over a decade ago. At the time of writing the total value of crypto assets,
There is something of a paradox built into the delivery of wealth management services today. On the one hand, the main reason why you seek advice from a financial planner in the first place is
The cost of living is on everyone’s lips. No matter where you turn; the radio, television, social media, or newspapers, the message is clear. Costs are going up and budgets are being squeezed. For the
A sporting world record was created in London on February 27th 2022. As the Carabao Cup Final between Liverpool and Chelsea remained goalless towards the end of extra time, it seemed like the game was
A good proportion of us shy away at the mention of the word ‘maths’, but in the investing world, there are some quirky mathematical outcomes that are worth reminding ourselves of. The first is that if
Here’s one of the most common things I hear from people curious about working with us: “Well, financial Advisor John Smith manages a few of my accounts…but…I’m reaching out because I feel like his team
Today, it certainly feels like the world is in a very uncertain place. Authoritarian states are flexing their muscles, with Russia violating Ukraine’s sovereignty and China’s ongoing subjugation of Hong Kong with the new National Security
In 2009 as the world began to emerge from the global financial crisis, I began a research process that was to last a year. My firm manages hundreds of millions of pounds (£) of our
Inflation measures the general increase in the price of goods and services. Left unchecked, it can be a dangerous foe to the long-term investor, eroding the purchasing power of one’s hard-earned cash over time. Since
Anyone relatively new to investing could be forgiven for thinking that it is a simple game and easy to make money i.e. punt on what is going up most and buy the dips. Perhaps even those
In the summer of 1999, I joined an investment bank to work on their client service team. In four short months I experienced how “putting all your eggs in one basket” can destroy wealth accumulated
It feels at the moment that the markets have gone a little mad. Almost everything you hear on the news or read about investing suggests that everything is going up. The US market is up
Whether you’ve been investing for decades or are just getting started, at some point on your investment journey you’ll likely ask yourself some of the questions below. Trying to answer these questions may be intimidating, but
The Stock Market keeps marching higher and higher, however, at some point, the market will eventually fall. And when it does, the financial media will amplify the perceived significance of an event and its expected impact on
KEY TAKEAWAYS: Financial journalists periodically stoke investors’ record-high anxiety by suggesting the laws of physics apply to financial markets—that what goes up must come down. But shares are not heavy objects kept aloft through strenuous
“21st-century kids are being taught by 20th-century adults, using the 19th-century curriculum on an 18th-century calendar.’ Tom Hierck, Education Consultant Having their kids home-schooled for several months during lockdown gave many parents a rare close-up
Investing can be a strange old business that makes otherwise intelligent people behave in – let’s just say – less than logical ways. Fuelled by a rapidly rising market, Bitcoin, tech stocks, Tesla, are delivering
Did you know that money is stolen from your bank account each month? Inflation impacts our life in small doses which makes it easily overlooked from one year to the next, however, over time, it
Investing in markets is an excellent plan for meeting long-term goals, like maximising your retirement income. And yet, even though the most successful investment principles are simple, they aren’t always easy to understand and accept.
Prior to the financial crisis in 2007/9, we outsourced investment recommendations to external discretionary portfolio managers. The thinking was that these firms were populated by vast armies of economists, researchers and analysts and would deliver
If you went to your doctor with a complaint, how would you expect them to make a diagnosis? Would you expect them to base their assessment on years of scientific evidence and research? Or should
Income Tax and Capital Gains Tax can cause a real dent in investment returns. Discover seven ways to reduce tax on your investment income. Benjamin Franklin once wrote that “Nothing in the world is certain,
Who are the world’s best investors? You might say Warren Buffett, the Chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, or his vice chairman Charlie Munger. Neither would be illogical. Buffett is worth $71.5 billion today,1 give or
Neil Woodford was fêted by pundits as a star manager for years. He was even touted as a guru of sorts. He could do no wrong. Until he did. Shooting stars fall to earth as
This is a 5-step guide to investing. It assumes you have already taken care of any outstanding debt and have insured yourself against possible misfortunes (e.g. being too ill to work, suffering from a catastrophic
Learn about the dangers of inflation and how it can deflate the money in your pocket The long-term effects of inflation can cause crippling financial pain in the course of your lifetime, but particularly at
There have been an abundance of reports recently exposing the true cost of investing. The Sunday Times took the lead, but others soon followed. Some big names are in the news – Neil Woodford, the former ‘star’ fund manager,
Good investing looks easy but isn’t simple. Discipline is a necessity. Learn how Warren Buffett followed some simple lessons and won big. “In the short term, the market is a popularity contest. In the long
Do you know how much of your money was lost on investment charges, costs and fees last year? Even worse, how much has been lost since you first invested? If you could go back and
There are more opinions as to what makes a good investment strategy than investments themselves. So, how do you make sense of it all? One overriding principle that will serve you well is to adapt
“I have retired now, my life is less complicated, so do I need a financial planner in retirement?” The simple answer is… yes, you do. This is a question that we hear regularly at Capital.
Once you discover how you could benefit from financial planning, the challenge is deciding which financial planner to work with. This could be the difference between a great experience that positively impacts your future, or
High or low, boom or bust, the global economy changes temperature all the time. It is difficult, nigh on impossible, to predict what happens. Follow our guidance and weather all storms. ‘Expected’ returns on your
The abundance of online investment information and robo-advisers has many of us questioning if we really need a financial planner. This guide will show you the lifelong value of engaging with a financial planner, and
Modern life swamps us all with so much news, information, and punditry, that it is easy to be overwhelmed with a feeling of doom and gloom. The list of things to concern us peddled by
This blog discusses the core fundamentals of a sound investment strategy. We will strip away the hype to reveal the evidence behind the myth. “Prediction is difficult, especially when it’s about the future” Thank you
At Capital, our clients’ financial security is at the heart of everything we do. We constantly innovate to enhance the way we communicate and share important and confidential documents with our clients. So, we are proud
According to the 2015 Investment Association (IA) survey1, assets under management by their members came to £5.5 trillion – that number is over 47 times the annual cost of running the NHS2. The vast majority
You are reading this because you are probably facing an investment issue, and want the best result and outcome to help you to live a better life. We believe that if you follow our six