Has 2017 Been good for you?

enthusiasticsaver

It has been a good year for us financially as we start to settle into retirement. My DH retired early at the end of 2016 (age 58) and we have invested his lump sum in stocks and shares isas and started up an income portfolio which is producing between 4-5% per annum to subsidise his DB pension. Our main investment portfolio spread over the isas and my SIPP and his DC pension is up around 8-10% but I think this is due to currency fluctuations more than anything.

I have just retired so should receive my lump sum in the early part of next year and we sold a 2nd property in September so 2018 will be mainly us adjusting to just pensions and investment income. I tracked our expenditure again this year and it is less than we will receive in DB pensions and investment income.

We have gifted considerable amounts from our property sale to our children this year which they have used for home improvements/paying down mortgages so our net worth has not increased by that much but we still have a considerable buffer to subsidise pensions. We keep 25% in cash and 75% is invested.

Alexland

Liffy99 wrote: »

Not quite the figures some others are posting but better than inflation and I am more of a passive investor than stock market activist.

Your investment results are probably more a result of your risk profile than the active versus passive debate. I am guessing you are invested in mixed assets with around 60% in the stock market? If so that's still a respectable result - you have beaten inflation and grown your money. In tougher years you should hold your value better and beat those of us who are taking higher risks and have seen better result this year.

Hope your operation(s) go well.

Alex

talexuser

2017 has been a very good year which makes me wonder when the next dip comes. I have more cash to invest unwrapped, only put off by the reduction in dividend allowance next April and hoping for a dip to buy cheaper. However with the Trump tax cuts and even with the Brexit uncertainties there may be some traction left. Still probably better off paying 7.5% than 20% tax on cash so I may take a little plunge after Xmas when the end of year rally goes down .

KeepOnKnitting

I would say that on paper my year looks like a financial wash as my savings are the same as last year, but actually feels really positive.

That is set against a difficult work year with 3 months unemployed and 9 months spent doing full time university study/placement (37 hours per week or thereabouts) alongside my part-time job. Then I had to replace my car which I have done with cash. I am in a better paying job, and am now set to make some headway in 2018.

Morphoton

A good year for me, YTD being up 9.5% in GBP although I am fairly defensively positioned.

Current overall allocation is:
33% Equities
17% With Profits Funds
15% Fixed Interest
15% Cash
9% National Savings Indexed Linked Bonds
8% VCTs
3% Gold ETF

My SIPP, which I run more agressively is up 18% in GBP (excluding cash) and is:
61% Equities
32% Fixed Interest
7% Gold ETF

bertpalmer

16.62% return for me. Happy with that, not a vintage year but up there...

seacaitch

I have a portfolio that's intended to be long-term resilient. Racey is not the goal.

Yet, 1yr: +17.1%, 3yr: +50.1%, 5yr: almost 100%

Conclusion: unusually favourable conditions! Tailwinds everywhere.

Some will have done better, others not so well. But regardless, there's a sizable cohort of investors who've really only ever known very favourable conditions throughout their investing "career" to date. It's not going to stay that way and feel so easy.

As TBC15 said up-thread, "stick with the program". For a fair few years that's been almost as easily done as said, but that will all change.

Doshwaster

bertpalmer wrote: »

16.62% return for me. Happy with that, not a vintage year but up there...

With a few days to go I'm up 12.9% across all investments which range from +37% in one stock to disappointing -15% in GSK which was supposed to be one of my safest shares

In terms of funds most are in the +10% to +25% range with smaller companies doing especially well.

I'm a bit light on cash reserves at present as I changed my car a few months ago so one of my main priorities for 2018 will be to build that buffer back up.

Puddylove

Hi all.
I feel like a pauper in comparison to all the rich people posting here but...

2017 has been the year I sorted my finances out more fully, particularly my pension provision. I've worked out when I'll get paid my TPS pension, and been able to finally understand my USS pension. This new understanding is in part due to the USS website actually providing information now, and partlly due to the helpful people from MSE (thank you).

I've now realised that I'll be ok financially, although I've started paying more into the DC part, and paying a teeny bit into a S&S ISA too.

My savings are more organised, and I have started to plan further ahead.

So thank you, everyone who gave advice.

Thrugelmir

Doshwaster wrote: »

to disappointing -15% in GSK which was supposed to be one of my safest shares

No dividend increase for several years with none to come either until dividend cover has been rebuilt. Somewhat limits the upside.