Your favourite tracker

darkidoe

Which platform do you get the Vanguard lifestrategy from? AXA doesn't do Vanguard LS.

masonic

darkidoe wrote: »

Which platform do you get the Vanguard lifestrategy from? AXA doesn't do Vanguard LS.

Most platforms do. Charles Stanley Direct would be an obvious choice for investors with relatively small sums of money invested.

Futuristic

masonic wrote: »

Most platforms do. Charles Stanley Direct would be an obvious choice for investors with relatively small sums of money invested.

What would be your interpretation of "relatively small sum" before other providers would be cheaper and how does it compare to say Cavendish (which is also aimed to "low" amounts)

I know Monevator on its cheapest brokers states these as "small funds only" but what would be the maximum amount before you would start to consider flat fee brokers?

masonic

Futuristic wrote: »

What would be you interpretation of "relatively small sum" before other providers would be cheaper and how does it compare to say Cavendish (which is also aimed to "low" amounts)

As a rule of thumb, I find it's worth starting to do sums when you're at the £30k level or thereabouts. Below that, the cheapest percentage-based fees will normally work out best. Above that level, some of the flat-fee platforms begin to look attractive.

Cavendish charges essentially the same as CSD IIRC.

Futuristic

masonic wrote: »

As a rule of thumb, I find it's worth starting to do sums when you're at the £30k level or thereabouts. Below that, the cheapest percentage-based fees will normally work out best. Above that level, some of the flat-fee platforms begin to look attractive.

Cavendish charges essentially the same as CSD IIRC.

Thanks, fees are the same. I'm currently with Cavendish but I might open one with CS before this tax year ends to try out. Might be better to diversify this way as well.

darkidoe

Just a thought, anyone had experience transferring funds between platforms before? What's the best way to go around doing this?

As not all funds are available between platforms, is the best way transferring those that are available on both platforms and selling and transferring the rest as cash or selling the whole portfolio and source new funds to buy on the new platform? I know there's not a straightforward answer to this as entry and exit charges, trading fees, etc come into play buy it would be interesting to hear some ppl's experience.

Mrs_Z

Thanks for your feedback, I shall take a look at the ones mentioned.

As for what other investments I have; most of my capital is tied up in property; residential, holiday home + BTL, plus decent amount in cash, some more with Ratesetter and the rest dabbled in S&S ISA. Currently the divide is as follows:

Newton Global Higher income £4k
Artemis Income £3k
Henderson Preference & Bond £2k
First state global listed infrastructure £1k
Jupiter India £4k
Jupiter Emerging European £1k
Alquity Africa £2k

And for next year, looking to put around £3k into a tracker. Just need to decide which one.

Re: platform - for that I'm with IWebSharedealing

masonic

darkidoe wrote: »

Just a thought, anyone had experience transferring funds between platforms before? What's the best way to go around doing this?

I transferred about a year and a half ago and all of the funds I held were available on my new platform. If a fund isn't available, then that fund would be automatically sold and transferred as cash.

It is worth some careful consideration, because, while transferring your funds in specie means that you are not out of the market, it is generally much slower and you won't have the ability to sell holdings while they are in limbo. Transferring in cash will tend to be a lot quicker, but you take on the risk of being out of the market - which could work in your favour or against you - and you have to balance possible trading charges vs. stock transfer charges.

masonic

Mrs_Z wrote: »

Currently the divide is as follows:

Newton Global Higher income £4k
Artemis Income £3k
Henderson Preference & Bond £2k
First state global listed infrastructure £1k
Jupiter India £4k
Jupiter Emerging European £1k
Alquity Africa £2k

And for next year, looking to put around £3k into a tracker. Just need to decide which one.

Why have you fixed your sights on a tracker to hold alongside all of those actively managed funds? It appears you do not object to paying for active management and £3k put in a tracker alongside those other funds is not going to materially reduce the percentage of your portfolio being paid out in fees.

Sam_J12

masonic wrote: »

Why have you fixed your sights on a tracker to hold alongside all of those actively managed funds? It appears you do not object to paying for active management and £3k put in a tracker alongside those other funds is not going to materially reduce the percentage of your portfolio being paid out in fees.

She has invested heavily in emerging economies and there are very good arguments for actively managed funds there.

I think the real issue goes back to what I mentioned before - why set sights on a tracker fund rather than decide what sector and market to invest money in, then decide on the most suitable way of doing it? It makes no sense to me. I think there is little point in an actively managed fund in US large cap for example, but if she wishes to invest further in emerging economies or small cap then actively managed funds become far more worthy of consideration.