04-05-2017
See what’s in the playlists of the UK’s financial advisers
Fund research and data firm, FE, works with more than 20 of the UK’s largest adviser firms and asks them to nominate their preferred fund picks. Based on this FE produce a compilation ‘album’ of advisers’ favourite funds. A “Now That’s What I Call Funds”, if you will.
According to their website, “The FE Adviser Fund Index (FE AFI) is made up of the recommended portfolios of a panel of leading UK financial advisers. Based entirely on the funds actually recommended to clients, the FE AFI Aggressive, Balanced, Cautious portfolios carry real-life credibility, and provide insight in terms of the benefits of holding top quality funds.”
They do this across three different categories – Balanced, Aggressive and Cautious. No this is not psychiatric profiling of your exes(!), it’s really based on how much you are prepared to stomach possible short-term losses in the pursuit of longer-term gains.
Would you freak out if your £1,000 turned into £700 – in other words, if your portfolio fell by 30% in any one year? If so, Aggressive is not the place for you and you may be better off looking at the Cautious list of funds.
Here’s the so-called Adviser Fund Index Aggressive Portfolio. There are 118 funds within this portfolio.
Here’s the Adviser Fund Index Balanced Portfolio. This list contains 116 funds.
And finally, here’s the Adviser Fund Index Cautious Portfolio which should make for a slightly smoother ride. This list has 112 funds.
As with all of these things, I wouldn’t take this as absolute gospel, but it’s a very useful sense-check for what are considered mainstream, reputable funds which a lot of professionals use.
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I was lucky enough to inherit a significant sum from my father... currently in Alliance trust platform in 10 investment trusts. They have delivered well in the last 20 years. But they are UK equity based. And highly risky. Do you offer a sanity check service for confused individuals like myself? I don’t know what to do...
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I am 25 and starting to seriously financially plan out my future. I would really welcome a 'sense check' on my thinking as well as some help on which investment choices to make. My goals are: To invest for 15 years - my risk appetite is very high (i.e. I could afford to lose all my money). Goal 1 - More Important: To have an investment pot of £1,500,000. Goal 2 - Less Important: To be mortgage free. My plan is: 1) Open an annual Stocks and Shares ISA each of the next 15 years. 2) Open Share trading/dealing account. 3) Reduce my mortgage term to 6 years by 2025. I appreciate the above is a lot to go though, but I'd welcome any help and guidance.
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I have about two thirds of my ISA in funds with Charles Stanley Direct and about one third left with St James's Place. I was planning to transfer the remaining one third to Charles Stanley Direct. However the recent platform price increases seem to put me in the worst position possible. I also have a private St James's Place pension. Would I be correct in thinking the fees are also high on this, and I could do better elsewhere? Can I transfer into an SIPP for example?
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I invested my money in a St James's Place managed fund, split into ISAs and bonds, after advice from an adviser who was a St James's Place partner. My investments have done reasonably well, but I've read disturbing reports about St James's Place. Should I have concerns? Should I have found an independent financial adviser?
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I wanted an investment trust with an income, so I put £10,000 into The Investment Company. It delivers a reliable quarterly dividend but the capital value has dropped by 10% since I invested 2 years ago. What are your favourite investment trusts?
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Is there an average number of funds that one should ideally hold? I have in excess of 20. I am happy with my portfolio and coverage, but wonder if I have too many funds. The second part to the question is how long should you leave an underperforming fund?
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I am 73 and cautious. There are two areas that your advice would be helpful..what if you just spend thousands on buying the gold standard footsie companies like shell and the rest and keep them for five years and then cash them in ?
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I hope you can help. I recently consolidated two modest pensions into a SIPP in readiness to start UPFLS drawdown in May (2018). Whilst I was hoping for growth in my investments I wasn’t expecting it to rocket and now find I could well be looking at exceeding the lifetime allowance, possibly even before my first annual drawdown in May, and I’m unsure what, if anything, I should do.
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What are the differences between income and accumulation income funds? How do you declare income reinvested in a fund on your tax return?
C | 05/06/2018 | 0
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Can you recommend some very basic books for a 69-year-old widow who is now having to manage her money? Thanks
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Hi, I've got an old D.B. pension, approximate value £12k. I would like to invest & top up each month. Who would you recommend? Also I would like to make an investment, & don't know where to start? Thanks
Eve | 04/04/2018 | 5
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I am post-divorce with a good settlement which I have only partially invested. Are there any courses you can recommend? I have sat in a number of meetings with accountants and financial advisers feeling somewhat patronised! I am sure that there are plenty of women in a similar position to me (aged 55!).
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How can I find a good financial adviser?
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We have four grandchildren (2 English living in UK, and 2 Irish living in Eire). We have decided to start savings plans for their futures. Their ages are 18yrs, 11yrs, 8yrs and 4yrs respectively. My age is 75yrs, and my wife is a little older. What should we do, please?
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Given the recent poor performance in Woodford Equity Income, do you think I should sell it or wait for the fund to recover?
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I am getting long in the tooth at 79, a little forgetful and I am going through a painful divorce. This has shattered my confidence and I need help.
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I have just sold my house and have a significant sum of money I want to invest. I may want to draw some income but also want to achieve capital growth. Are there funds that aim to achieve both or should I just invest for growth and draw money as I need to for income?
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I am interested in the Fund piece that Holly refers to in today's Money Supplement in the ST’s with 'Lindsell Train Global Equity'. I am looking for a fund for myself (54 yrs old) but also my son (19 yrs old). Is this fund suitable for either of us with an investment strategy of 10 years +.
Richard | 22/01/2017 | 0
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I am confused about index funds, e.g. Vanguard Equity fund. Do they track an index or include the yield? In the case of Vanguard, their low cost is attractive but their portfolio is made up of other Vanguard funds. I assume these probably each carry a fee structure - is this correct?
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Is it worth using a financial adviser when it comes to switching pensions funds, or should I do the research and pick the funds myself? I am no expert in stocks and shares.
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I am looking for a fund for myself (54 yrs old) but also my son (19 yrs old). Is this fund suitable for either of us with an investment strategy of 10 years +.
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I use H&L and although they are a bit 'plumy' on the phone I quite like their website and the costs are OK. So I was thinking of H&L for [my son]. I would be telling him to open these two funds and regularly invest and forget about them for 10 years!
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Given the recent poor performance in Woodford Equity Income, do you think I should sell it or wait for the fund to recover?
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I have a bit of excess money to play around with and I have been looking at Investment funds. What is the typical % growth rate of an investment fund?
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What funds could my millennial children invest in?
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