In this quick Q&A session the Head of Sales for Enness Global, Toby Johncox, talks to Jordan Williams of Artorius about some of the advice he gives High Net Worth individuals (HNW) in terms of understanding and managing their wealth.
How does someone begin to organise their financial affairs?
The key thing is actually to ascertain and understand what it is you’ve got within your estate. So first of all, understanding what assets you have, where they’re held, and who’s actually in charge of those assets. When we’re working with families who come to us and ask exactly that same question, the first thing that we do is understand what their asset position looks like today, and what their objectives are for the future. And we then build a consolidated report whereby all the information relating to their estate can be captured. And by having that understanding of what you’ve got today, one can then analyse and assess concentration of risk, look at whether the mandates that you’ve got within your investment portfolios are appropriate to your circumstances, whether they’re actually going to achieve your stated objectives. So, first and foremost, it’s about understanding what you’ve got and what you want to achieve.
There is no one size fits all solution for this. Every family is different, every family is going to have a different objective as to what they want to achieve with their wealth. And so certainly, when families come to us, it’s our role to probe, in a nice way, to understand what it is they’re trying to achieve with their wealth, and understanding whether the measures they’ve got in place, are appropriate. Absolutely key to that is working with their existing advisors. And what we find is that with our involvement we work in collaboration and bring the team of advisors together. Because, so often, someone might have their tax advisor, their accountant, lawyer, and trusted mortgage brokers, but very rarely do they talk to each other. And so they have separate conversations with each of these advisors. But the key about how to start and organise their affairs, it’s about bringing all their advisors together to help devise a plan for the future.
What should I be investing in and where should I invest?
There is no one size fits all and everyone is different. What might be right and suitable for one client is not going to be right and suitable for another. So it’s about understanding what it is the client is trying to achieve, what they’re worth, what their investment horizon and what their risk profile is, what their return objectives are. Once we’ve ascertained that, then we can actually go about devising what the right investment strategy is.
What is the best way to monitor your wealth?
There are certainly the benefits that families have derived from having consolidated reporting across their affairs. Typically wealthy families will get portfolio evaluations and statements from their banks and other traditional wealth managers. But they’re in isolation, they’re just in relation to that particular relationship. But by having a consolidated report, that brings in all their different investment portfolios, and not just investment assets, but their property holdings and their holdings in yachts, and jets, and art and fine wine, and their depositions and other liabilities. Bringing all of that together into a consolidated report is a great way of actually understanding what the client’s overall wealth is on a month-to-month or quarter-to-quarter basis:
understanding their movements
understanding how different investments are performing
how investments are performing according to specific benchmarks that have been created
understanding the fees that the clients are paying
Having that oversight over your wealth leads to better decision making. And makes other key family members more informed about their wealth position.
There’s the monitoring side, which is having everything in one place in an easy-to-read format. But equally, taking the time to monitor. Ultra high net worth global citizens don’t have the time to go through bank statements, look through portfolios even if their different advisors are sharing those monthly with them. So it’s critical to have someone that can look after everything in one place.
It’s about optimising the positions that you have. And by identifying what savings can be made, identifying an investment strategy that might work better for you. So are you in the right investment strategy for what you’re trying to achieve. And by moving into something that’s more appropriate, hopefully, will enhance returns. So, again, you can’t do that if you’re not looking at things as a whole. If you’re doing it piecemeal it’s not going to be as effective.
What is the situation regarding London property?
It’s a really interesting time to buy real estate, but it’s still about buying the right property, the right real estate. The London residential market still has huge appeal to many. London still is, obviously, a global city, which has many attractions, and we’re still seeing people moving to the UK to send their kids to school here, wanting to start up businesses here. And I think the London property market has shown over many, many years to be resilient.
There have been undoubted challenges to the market, and numerous tax changes that have taken place; uncertainty over Brexit, uncertainty over changing government risk, but it has shown to be resilient. But it all goes back to buying quality. And if you’re buying the right property in the right location, and you can understand what the correct price is, there are still opportunities out there. I think things are changing in terms of what people want, undoubtedly people are going to want more outside space or access to local parks and other amenities. But I definitely think there are opportunities out there. And there are places in London which are still incredibly popular whereas some of the areas which had significant new build, they’re shown to be less popular now.
There are still very good value mortgage rates available to international clients, the dollar versus the pound still remains a good exchange so that makes it a really interesting time for people to buy real estate. But it’s buying quality that’s going to see good appreciation in the longer term.
Have you been trying to apply for a small business loan without any glimpse of success? If so, then you should know that thousands of others are undergoing similar experience across the globe. Actually, research shows that 74% of small business loan applications are rejected by many lending institutions especially the banks and some alternative small business loans lenders. This might be a high figure but not surprising at all. This is because, a couple of reasons exists to justify the reluctance of lending institutions to give loans to small businesses. Therefore, if you want to increase the odds of approval, you ought to familiarize with these reasons and how to lessen the risks.
Your business lacks a significant history
Lenders usually feel comfortable when extending loans to those enterprises which have been operating for a relatively long period. This way, the lender is able to assess the credit worthiness of a business as well as its ability to repay back. Therefore, for a new company, it is difficult to convince a lender with a word of mouth or a mere business plan without a compelling operation history. However, this should not discourage new entrepreneurs as they can seek funding from other sources which usually don’t dwell much on operation history. Some of such lenders include the Venture Capitalist Investors, crowdfunding, and many others.
2. Your business is in a high-risk industry
Traditional lending institutions have got strict rules which they usually prioritize while gauging the qualifications of loan applicants. One of such rules is the assessment of a business failure rate. This is whereby a bank will determine whether the business to be funded is likely to thrive or fail in future depending on various micro and macro economy factors as determined by the lender. Therefore, once a bank has considered your business to have high failure rate, the chances of receiving funding is almost zero. The solution to this is seeking alternative lenders and also seeking for recommendation from other entrepreneurs in the same industry.
3. Weak cash flow
When your business lacks a solid and strong cash flow, chances of having your loan approved are very minimal. The reason for this is that lenders will question the ability of your business to service the loan on full and also on time. Therefore, prior to delivering the application, make it your priority to assess the financial statements of your business and come up with a plan on how you will be repaying the loan on monthly basis. To boost the financial flow of your business, make sure all the goods or services delivered are paid on time if not promptly.
4. Poor Credit score
Lenders usually check the personal or business credit score to determine the worthiness of extending a loan. If the business is new, some lenders will go for the personal credit score especially if the business has no long history. Therefore, if the score happens to be below a certain acceptable threshold, then the chances of having loan approved is very low. To address this, usually check both personal and your business credit reports and ensure any existing anomaly is fixed before applying for a loan.
5. Lack of Plan
While applying for a small business loan, it is prudent to build a strong case which will remove doubts from a lender on your capability to repay. One of such ways of building a solid case is having a candid plan on how to use the loan as well as the repayment plan. If this plan lacks, or is not strong enough to convince the lender, then chances of approval are very low. Therefore, always develop a solid plan and perhaps let a friend have a look at it before you go for the loan.
6. Applying for very low amount
I know you are wondering how asking for too little will affect your chances of securing a loan. Well, it depends from where you are sourcing the loan. Usually, commercial banks prefer issuing large loans since they obtain more profits from them as opposed to the small ones. Since the resources and efforts required to service both the small and large loans are the same, banks will often be reluctant to offer a loan of less than $250,000. However, applying for a very large amount without a solid plan on how to repay will also get you rejected. Therefore, always purpose to understand the standard amount which you can get from the bank by perhaps asking friends.
Being aware of the above reasons why a small business loan application might fail is the first step towards securing a successful funding. Therefore, keep note of the above points and they will surely help you in your future small business loan application.
Are you a business owner and want to be prepared for any possible legal issues? Click here to find out what you should look for in a top-tier business attorney.
The average small business in the U. S. with a turnover of $1 million spends $20,000 on litigation every year.
At some point, companies expect to run into some legal trouble that will call for them to hire a business attorney. While a lawyer is necessary, the kind of lawyer you get can either be a money pit or an invaluable asset to your firm.
Read on to find out what factors make a business counsel a worthwhile investment.
Degree of Specialization
When you are considering looking for a business lawyer chances are you already have a particular legal need that you desire to resolve. The nature of your need should dictate the kind of lawyer you end up hiring.
For the regular business formation services, many business counselors can handle that for you. Other common services such as helping you negotiate for better contracts, drafting wills among others also fall under this category.
When you require specialized services you can’t go looking for general counsel. You need a lawyer who has domain experience in the particular area of expertise you require.
For example, if you are involved in a class action lawsuit your best bet would be talking to several class action lawsuit lawyers to find out who can best serve your need.
They are deeply versed in that area of expertise and they understand the nuanced dynamics of such cases that other lawyers may miss.
If you are looking for a general attorney who will work with your firm for the long-term then you should look for a lawyer who has experience in serving as general counsel.
Whenever you need a specialized lawyer they can offer recommendations and work with them.
Your business counsel is like your doctor. If you go to an oncologist when you have a toothache you will not receive much help.
Conversely, you should look for a lawyer who matches the legal needs of your business for you to get the best results.
A Top Business Attorney Brings Other Resources to the Table
Top-tier business lawyers bring much more than just legal services to the table and this an essential aspect you should look for.
For your company to get the best value, you need an attorney who can offer introductions to other clients, potential customers and even strategic partners.
If they have been in the business for a while they have likely developed a network that can help you in other ways. That is one distinguishing mark of a veteran business counsel.
The same point applies even in the legal aspect of things. A top-notch business counsel has ties to their legal fraternity that can be of help when you need to seek expertise in other areas.
Working with a lawyer who can get you quality recommendations is of great use in bringing a diversity of service to you.
Another salient feature of a high-quality business counsel is whether they offer their clients opportunities to network through special events.
Having a lawyer who offers this to your business provides extra value as you get to meet and learn from other entrepreneurs.
An Understanding of the Entrepreneurial Nature
The best business counsel is one who has been an entrepreneur or has a tangible understanding of entrepreneurship. There is simply no substitute for that.
If you are a small business looking for a small business attorney, then you would likely run into problems working with a lawyer who focuses on Fortune 500 firms.
The work of a business counsel is not to tell you what you shouldn’t have done but to help you chart a successful way forward for your business.
If your business counsel has a level of insight into how an entrepreneur thinks and what businesses need, they will serve you in a much better manner.
Their Billing Structure and Fees
Hiring attorneys for your business might not come cheap.
However, a good business lawyer will have a billing structure that works for you. They will know exactly what needs to be done and will charge you more accurately.
Versatility is also important when it comes to billing.
For example, they can give you flat fees when you need simple work done like drawing up contracts and the like. When there is more involving work they can bill by the hour.
When you are handling a lawsuit, the lawyer can work on a contingency basis such that you only pay if and when the result of the suit is favorable to you.
Their Firm Is the Right Size for You
Looking at the size of the lawyer’s firm in relation to your business is necessary for identifying how they can best serve you.
If you run a big corporation then a large law firm (or a more high profile lawyer) with all the resources that come with it will likely give you the most value.
A complex lawsuit, for example, will be better dealt with by a lawyer with many associates who can do the massive grunt work necessary.
If you run a small business then a small business lawyer will offer you better service since you will require more attention and personalized services.
A large law firm or a busy lawyer will likely not make you a high priority since they need bigger clients to meet their revenue targets.
If not that then they may end up giving your case to a relatively new lawyer who may not have as much experience.
The best lawyer for you is one who meets you at your point of need and devotes the necessary attention to you.
Get the Best Representation
Your business will need a lawyer at some point in its existence. The question isn’t whether to get a lawyer or not. It is what kind of business attorney you need to look for so that they can be an asset to your company.
Do you want to protect your business? Check out these legal issues that your business must be on the lookout for.
While there are several guidelines newcomers should follow when they invest, there are also certain practices they must absolutely avoid. Investing is not just about making the right or most reasonable decision, but it’s also about knowing how to avoid mistakes. As a new investor, you will face many challenges in your career, but by paying attention to a few pointers, overcoming these challenges would not be a problem.
Rushing to Invest Based on Anecdotes and “Tips”
Did you hear about the hot new stock or index fund with excellent returns that most people you know are raving about? You may be highly tempted to rush ahead and buy these super promising stocks before others do, but there’s some very simple advice for a person contemplating a decision like this: don’t. Investors, regardless of where they are putting their funds, should never rush to grab an asset. Some stocks or securities can be overhyped, often by pump-and-dump scammers who artificially inflate prices, therefore, be highly cautious when investing in hyped-up securities. Always research the company, its products, and check financial reports before spending your money.
Selling Stocks Hoping for Quick Millions
Time and time again, day trading has been presented as a wonderful, get-rich-quick opportunity for new investors. The practice refers to buying and selling stock in rapid succession, often within the span of a day. Whether daily stock trading is a legitimate practice or not really depends on who you ask. It’s important to understand that day trading is not a one-way ticket to making millions. Day traders do make money, but their earnings are not akin to winning the lottery, so if you do decide to become a day trader, start by understanding the possibilities and limitations of the practice. Get help from other experienced day traders in the beginning to master this particular art of investing. Lastly, finding a good tracker like Finviz stock screener can be helpful when you are looking at an abundant of ticker symbols.
Investing without a Qualitative Analysis
A qualitative analysis can be simply explained as a financial way of looking at the big picture. When you invest in the long term, especially in stocks, it’s vital to have an understanding of the sector as a whole. For example, imagine you were a tech investor in the late nineties. Back then, Blackberries were all the rage, but about a decade later, no one was interested in owning a Blackberry because nearly everyone wanted an iPhone. A qualitative analysis can show you where an investment is headed towards because it takes industrial factors into account. A company may have highly valued stocks, but you should also look at whether the stock value has gone up or down historically. Without this information, it’s simply not possible to make sound long-term investments.
Using Way Too Much Borrowed Money
Using margin, or borrowed money to buy stocks or shares should be done with caution. You may overvalue stock or underestimate the interest, thus ending up with worthless stock, or worse, massive debt. Margin should be used sparsely, if at all. Do a thorough calculation of how much returns you can expect considering the interest rate on the loan.
Since the emergence of computers in the 20th century, advances in technology have played a major role in changing the way we do things, including the way we make money.
These days, we have what investors call Robo-Advisers. Do not fret about the name; there is nothing metallic about these advisers. These are basically software programs created to make investment decisions for investors. How cool is that-knowing that you now do not have to pay expensive fees for investment advisory?
Robo-Advisers are only beginning to gain popularity in the UK, but in the US, it’s a common term. Robo-Advisers work by providing investment advice to investors based on their individual profiles. Tired of getting that template advice from your investment manager at a premium? Robo-Advisers are developed using complex algorithms that take into consideration various investing factors which may affect an investor’s decision.
Units Established for Robo-Advice Firms
Last year, UK’s financial regulators discussed in depth about the subject of Robo-Advisers and the FCA (Financial Conduct Authority) recently revealed that it will set up a specialised unit for Robo-Advice firms.
This move was confirmed in the regulator’s recent annual business plan; it revealed that it had accepted recommendation by the FAMR (Financial Advice Market Review) to develop a specialised unit for firms interested in launching Robo-Advice platforms.
Since last year several investment advice firms have launched Robo-Advice platforms while banks are also believed to be showing real interest in Robo-Advisers. This paradigm shift has not escaped criticism from wary investors as some worry about the risks involved in using such a platform to cater for their investment needs.
These fears were recently echoed by FCA Chair John Griffith when he said that the regulator was fully aware of the risks and potential rewards of Robo-Advisers.
‘Technology can drive down the cost of accessing products and services, and can push up the quality of service,” said Griffith, commenting on FCA’s recent annual business plan. ‘But it can present challenges to markets and regulators alike, including resilience, cyber-crime and financial exclusion.’
Not a Replacement for Comprehensive Investment Advice
This also implies that while costs are bound to be lower on Robo-Advice platforms, it would be premature to assume that Robo-Advisers will replace traditional investment advisers in their entirety.
This can be in the form of extended experience in the market as well as varying opinions from the advisory team. Therefore, Robo-Advisers can do some of the things that traditional investment advisers do, but they certainly cannot do everything.
With Robo-Advice, an investor fills in to the platform certain details about his/her investment profile including age, investment income, annual income, and risk appetite, among others from which the system draws conclusion on the best investments for the individual. As such, you could say that Robo-Advice works pretty much like WebMD, where patients input their health/injury profile to receive guidance on potential treatments. However, you never really get a prescription.
The same thing applies to Robo-Advice, the information you provide is used to generate leads on investments opportunities, but it never really invests on your behalf.
Conclusion
In summary, there are genuine concerns about the reliance on Robo-Advisers, but given the fact that these platforms are operated by fully regulated firms, it means that investors can at least be comfortable with their authenticity.
However, it is also good to note that Robo-Advice cannot be taken on face value and then directly implemented in an investment portfolio. Investors need to take into consideration all factors that may affect their investments decisions including those that cannot be put in a Robo-Adviser algorithm.
If you are married or are in a long term relationship, you have the potential to get your financial life in order like never before. Most of us don’t start out in the best of financial shape. But this doesn’t mean that you can’t improve with time – sometimes by many orders of magnitude! Some couples share financial responsibilities, but others do not. Traditionally, one member was an earner, the other the manager. Sometimes one person performed both of these roles. But if you want to maximize your long term financial potential as a couple, you’ve both got to be involved and invested. There are many financial incentives for married people. These aren’t reason enough to get hitched if you otherwise don’t want to. But if you are married, there’s no reason not to take advantage of these laws. For the rest of us, here’s how a long term relationship can be leveraged to improve both partners’ financial lives.
Housing. Housing is one of the biggest expenses you’ll pay over the course of your life. Wouldn’t it be great if you could reduce it? Well, you can. If you and your partner can manage to buy a home together, you’re likely to accrue wealth much faster than if you remained renters. Houses tend to increase in value by 4-5% per year. Also, through the equity process, you pay yourselves every month, not some landlord. Furthermore, your annual taxes may be written off and mortgage loan interest rates are subsidized to be lower than any other loan you could possibly get. Add to this the ability to secure cheap financing by borrowing against your home’s equity in the future, and you have a veritable wealth building machine, all made even more accessible through partnered finances.
Investment. If you clicked the link above, you understand marriage favors long term investment, even if one partner is not working. For short term investment, platforms like Forex allow you to see big returns in the shorter term. com provides many educational opportunities, in order to try your hand at this form of investment before you actually risk any real money. By planning your investment life together, in the short and long term, you can help ensure that you and your partner grow your wealth throughout your relationship.
Daily Spending. Through joint budgeting and general frugality, you and your partner can make sure you are living well beneath your means. This way, you won’t have to work endlessly to fund a lifestyle you have no time to enjoy. The average American couple wastes a lot of money. By organizing your spending behaviors, you’ll have a much better chance of achieving a sustainable and enjoyable lifestyle in the long term.
As you can see, relationships make it easier to get one’s finances in order. It just helps to have someone on your side, an extra hand to help figure some of this stuff out. It might take years to really see progress, but with steady work and good communication, you guys will figure it out.
Canada, a very large country, is a haven for real estate investors. The country is composed of ten provinces and three territories. If you are considering an investment in the real estate sector of the country, you can definitely expect a sizeable return of investment (ROI), taking into consideration the fact that Canada is a highly developed country, and there are plenty of investors who want to gain a foothold on the very promising Canadian Real Estate sector. Because of the very large expanse of land area comprising the territory of Canada, investors should have a very keen eye for the right real estate investments which will definitely net them a high return of investment.
A prospective real estate investor, before purchasing land, acreages for sale, or any vacant land, should take into consideration several factors. First, you have to calculate and have good data on the annual income of the real property. Likewise, you should know the cost of all potential taxes and mortgages relative to the property. These numbers will definitely give you an overall idea of the possible return of investment from buying the property.
The formula for this is quite simple. You have to calculate the total amount of income you will get from a property; then, you should divide this total by the sale price of the property.
Likewise, one should know the Debt Coverage Ratio (DCR) involved in a property. Usually, the Debt Coverage Ratio (DCR) is calculated by dividing the Net Operating Income by the Annual Mortgage Payments. The minimum acceptable DCR is 1.25.
There are other ways you can get an idea of the ROI, like calculating the Cash-on-cash return (COC) by dividing the Cash flow of the investment before taxes.
In order to diminish the risk involved in any prospective real estate investment in Canada, one should be able to mitigate the risks involved or do a risk management and evaluation. Say for instance, you would like to purchase a property in Toronto; then, you should be wary of the different risks involved in the investments to be able to mitigate the risks involved in your investment.
Some of the risks involved in purchasing a property include fraudulent sales, adverse possession, building component failures, cash shortfall, economic downturn, market decline, and many more. A good and wise prospective buyer would take into consideration all these potential risks to diminish and mitigate them, and at the same time, be able to recuperate a higher return of investment from the property which one wants to buy.
Bright prospect of Real Estate Property Sales in Canada
In the recent years, the sales of recreational real estates are definitely rebounding across B.C., while residential property in Greater Vancouver are cooling and slowing down. There is a remarkable 22% rise in sales of recreational property in B.C. While vacation home prices likewise are beginning to peak up.
National home sales in Canada rose more than 0.6% from the months of March to April. Likewise, the Canadian housing market still remains in balanced territory. Moreover, the national average sale price definitely rose 1.3% on April. These statistics are good indications of the gradual rise in the sales of real property in Canada.
In the past two years, Toronto had suffered a relatively 36% decline in new condominium sales. These years include 2011 and 2012. There were an estimated 144 skyscrapers which are under construction in the late February in Toronto, Canada, which is comparatively higher than in any other part of the world. Yet, there is a remarkable resurgence in the sales of new condo units in 2013, giving prospective investors a positive glimpse of what could be a recuperating process in the return of investments in real estate properties in Canada. However, we could not help but think that the previous weakening of Canada’s economy—which is highly touted as an example of stability—may be an indication that Canada’s economy is in the process of stalling.
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