fund advice

westy69

I'm looking for opinions/advice please i've got a standard life distribution fund and a deposit fund (previously property fund but swapped to curtail losses) and basically the same with Norwich Union.
Originally i invested 100K total fund value now is approx 80K or surrender value about 75k this was all invested 2 years ago, now i obviously want to avoid losing any more money and i appreciate that none of you can see into the future or have a crystal ball i dont need the money for anything at the moment hence i invested it long term but should i take it out and start again or just sit with my fingers crossed that things improve or alternatively should i remove just the sterling/deposit funds and put them elsewere

all advice and opinions would be greatly appreciated - thanks

Lokolo

You shoulda just posted back in the complaint thread, dunston will still read it.

Ummmmmm property? :D:D:D:D:D:D

dunstonh

I'm an IFA and westy said he didnt want advice from IFAs any more. Much better to get it from unknowns on an internet site.

Stavros_3

Who knows Westy, You entered the investment game when the markets were way above where they are now and in freefall. Has it bottomed out??, probably not. Should you exit?, well at the moment you haven't lost anything until you surrender. I retired last August, thought long and hard about my financial future, I had a fantastic tax free sum and without wanting to sound crude or crass was substantially higher than your investment. I was getting around 6.5% monthly interest but when the writing was on the wall regarding the devastation of interest rates so large scale cash deposits became a 'no-brainer'. Did a lot of research, called in an IFA to discuss my options. I wanted growth on my capital so in December I entered the scary world of investments through a London based fund supermarket, I have a huge diverse portfolio with only 16% in UK equities which thankfully are currently trading 17% up.
So back to your post, I am too in it for long term, I know what my risk exposure is and prepared for the losses as well as the gains. There is no-one can tell you or advise you, its down for you to risk assess, the only thing I will say is that if you do decide to exit you will have made a definate loss as apposed to a paper one. good luck

westy69

dunstonh wrote: »

I'm an IFA and westy said he didnt want advice from IFAs any more. Much better to get it from unknowns on an internet site.

LOL I'm after advice not orders i dont have to take the advice i am just intrested in peoples opinions, i thought i clarified in that thread how gratefull i was to you, if not let me say it again - thank you :beer: i had every intention of PMing you once it was all resolved.

Lokolo

To be honest, with interest rates low Corp Bonds are good idea, however as soon as interest rates start to rise they start losing value. I've still got another £1100 to invest before swapping my investments, which I would then go to bonds, but it will take me around 11 months for that so by that time itll most probably be too late for some good deals then... but thats just my opinion (bearing in mind I have only invested since the summer...)

97trophy

westy69 wrote: »

i appreciate that none of you can see into the future......
all advice and opinions would be greatly appreciated - thanks

You need to forget about the money that has been lost and start again.

You need to re-arrange your asset allocation into a properly diversified portfolio.

Checkout this excellent website: http://fundadvice.com/

Suggested ETF portfolios (or you can find UK equivalents of the US funds mentioned) can be found here:
http://www.fundadvice.com/portfolio.html


Articles on buy-and-hold investing can be found here:
http://www.fundadvice.com/fehtml/bhstrategies/index.html

jem16

westy69 wrote: »

LOL I'm after advice not orders i dont have to take the advice i am just intrested in peoples opinions,

The problem with opinions on here is that almost everybody will have a different opinion - how will you know which one would be best for you? No-one here knows your circumstances and that can make a big difference to what you should have in your investment.

You have had one bad experience with an IFA but rather than discount all of them perhaps you could try to find a better IFA. Instead of seeing one try to see a few. Avoid large salesforces and try to see smaller firms where you can deal with the owner/partner of the firm. Ask them what they would do with your investment. If they talk about organising a more diversified portfolio utilising more funds across different sectors then you will know you are heading in the right direction. If they feel it is necessary to change funds it could be done without surrendering the investment bond and paying a hefty £5k penalty. All it would require was a fund switch which with NU is free - don't know about Standard Life.

There seems no point in moving out of the frying pan into the fire by doing something suggested on an internet forum by people who don't know you.

westy69

Jem i appreciate what you are saying i do infact have an IFA at the moment so i am not that against them, i wouldnt just take my money out and move it on the advice of someone on a forum but i think its helpful to have as many opinions as possible and if something sounds like a good idea i can look into it further before taking any action.
essentially i dont need the money for the next 5 years or so possibly longer this was my inheritance from my parents which is why i value it so much and would live nothing more than to get it back to the original figure and put it in a bank i really wish i had done that in the first place but you live and learn eh

dunstonh

Is it the Standard life version of the bond or the Fidelity version of the standard life bond?

sabretoothtigger

Some of my best decisions have come from switching investments to take profits and 'start again'
I wish I had done this more if anything as its a false perspective to expect growth forever

However you invested at the market top and would be losing money for your original decision.
Have you now realised these investments were fundamentally bad, if its just the timing then dont repeat the mistake or capitalise on the mistake by taking money out after a fall


Some of the best advice I read was by a floor trader. Just basic stuff, forget your losses, your gains, your opinions and hopes just what is now happening, why and where will it go next, that is all that matters to your next decision.

So you havent lost anything, you start again with this investment by considering it right now, is it worth putting money in and if so leave it there