Introduction
This report covers several topic areas in wealth management such as what it seeks to achieve, how a wealth management firm is authorised, who may use this service, the alternative options for a client and the macro-economic environment and legislative influences.
Wealth management
Wealth management is a practice that best describes the combination of personal investment management, finance advice, and financial planning for the benefit of high-net-worth clients. Robert J. McCann, former President of Global Wealth Management at Merrill Lynch was quoted describing wealth management addressing “every aspect of a client’s financial life in a consultative and highly individualised manner. “ (Financial Times Lexicon, 2014, Online)
Wealth management seeks to help grow a client’s investment portfolio size, provide an income from the portfolio, do a mixture of the two or it can seek to preserve a portfolio. Wealth management seeks to achieve these objectives using a number of different strategies based on the client’s personal or professional objectives. The services are unique to each client and personalised to meet the clients’ objectives. The aim of wealth management is not only to provide investment advice but to cater for the clients’ financial life. This is achievable through management, advice and planning around the clients objectives.
Authorisation & Remuneration
As a private bank, the regulatory authorisation is required. Authorisation must be gained by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to conduct any regulated activity. Promoting, selling, managing and advising on investments are regulated activities, which means firms involved must be authorised by the FCA. The FCA also ensures that many investment pr...
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Block, S. B., & Hirt, G. A. (2005). Foundations of Financial Management (11th ed). The
Portfolio Theory is not only used for budgeting, but is also used in investment strategies. Financial advisors create portfolios optimized to provide a certain rate of return at a certain level of risk. These portfolios can be comprised of a variety of financial instruments, like stocks, bonds, or mutual funds. In essence, the theory allows a client to build something to their specifications depending on how ag...
Gerald, J. M., Samuel, J. Y., W, B. H., & Rabin, J. (2005). How financial managers deal
Value Trust, an $11.2 billion mutual fund managed by Bill Miller III, and one of a family of funds managed by Legg Mason., a leading Global Asset Management Firm headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland has achieved uncanny success. The Fund invests primarily in large-cap equity securities, is benchmarked against the S&P 500, and as of 2005, has outperformed its benchmark for a record 14 consecutive years. This amazing streak has brought much attention to this highly rated fund and what exactly is behind its excellent success and management. An example of performance for 2001-2004 follows:
While traditional wealth management firms have their experts invest their client's capital, The Midas Legacy gives members a financial education, encouragement and lessons from successful traders and investors so that their members can make their own decisions. People who want their own business, those who want to buy and sell stocks and potential real estate moguls can choose their own path to wealth, with research services from The Midas Legacy helping them make wise choices. The Midas Legacy believes that anyone can learn the secrets of building wealth and then take charge of their financial
Classic finance theory assumes that people are rational, however a person does not have to look very far into that assumption to realize that is not always the case. A study conducted by Brad M. Barber and Terrance Odean highlights this anomaly. They found that from 1991 to 1996 the market returned an annual 17.9% verses the average household net return of 16.4%. The households that traded the most earned an annual return of only 11.4%. This strikingly debunks the theory that investors are rational. Investors act with emotion and overconfidence, not rationality as has been assumed in past theory (Barber and Odean). Across the country, financial planners and wealth managers are asking what behavioral finance looks like, what can they do with it. Most advisors have experienced the frustration of developing a sound plan for their clients, only to have their client make excuses or end up ignoring the plan. This paper will highlight the history of behavioral finance, describe biases commonly employed by financial planning clients, and give suggestions as to ways financial advisors and wealth managers can work with clients with these biases and use positive versions of the biases to help with client education and understanding.
This structure was beneficial for the decision-making and profit generation for the clients and gave incentive to the fund manager to get a good investment performance. If clients were solely focused on investment performance and the entire peer group also kept to adopt the traditional model, this approach proved effective to business growth.
Lateral Economic 2007, ‘Other people’s money II: Making Australia a supplier of funds management to the world’, Lateral Economic, vol. 2, no. 1, p. 2.
Developing a thorough financial plan is a process that comprises a comprehensive analysis of a particular individual’s financial position and their long-term commitment to apply and observe the set financial plan through one’s life. The plan includes but not limited to, how an individual spends, saves monies and invests his or her financial assets. It encompasses knowing how to budget, manage cash and taxes, borrowing of funds, the use of credit cards, minimizing risk, investing and planning for retirement. Such a plan also requires a vigilant thought process for the future so he/she can tweak their financial plans as needed due to changes in lifestyle and economy.
The country’s highly tuned legal regulatory framework has allowed it become Europe’s leading investment fund center. Due to this those that would like to market their investment funds on a global scale have turned to Luxembourg as the country focuses on the administration and cross-border distribution of investment funds. The types of investments that can be made include banking services (that focus in international loans and capital markets activity, financial engineering, structured products, private banking and financial services for large and medium-sized businesses), renminibi businesses, investment vehicles, Insurance & Pensions, and microfinance
According to Investopedia (Asset Allocation Definition, 2013), asset allocation is an investment strategy that aims to balance risk and reward by distributing a portfolio’s assets according to an individual’s goals, risk tolerance and investment horizon. There are three main asset classes: equities, fixed-income, cash and cash equivalents; but they all have different levels of risk and return. A prudent investor should be careful in allocating each asset class to his portfolio. Proper asset allocation is a highly debatable subject and is not designed equally for everybody, but is rather based on the desires and needs of the individual investor. This paper discusses the importance of asset allocation, the differences and the proper diversification within the portfolio.
Rappaport, Anna M. "Retirement Risks And Solutions In The Middle Market." Journal Of Financial Service Professionals 66.1 (2012): 45-55. Business Source Premier. Web. 25 Oct. 2013.
trends may be used to inform new investing decisions. The plans of the asset manager goes around his
Investing is a lot easier these days. There are more fund managers that can handle your money. This article will give you an insight about what fund management is all about. Things to remember and to be understand when dealing with a fund manager.
This assignment is concerned with your understanding of the key issues relative to portfolio analysis and investment. In completing this assignment you are to limit your scope to the US stock markets only. Use the Cybrary, the Internet, and course resources to write a 2-page essay which you will use with new clients of your financial planning business which addresses the following issues and/or practices: