Develop an investing plan

Your game plan

‘Plan your life, live your plan.’ Yes, it’s a cliché. But when it comes to investing your money, it makes a lot of sense to have a plan.

Putting a plan together involves developing strategies and choosing the right investments.

What to do before you make an investment plan

Be clear about your current finances

The starting point is getting an accurate picture of your current financial situation. Use the MoneySmart budget planner to get a snapshot of your income and expenses and the asset stocktake calculator to work out what you own and what you owe.

Confirm your goals

Goals will become the backbone of your investment plan. Write them down, with a timeframe for each goal. See our section on goals and risk tolerance for more information.

Understand risk

Understand how much risk you want to take to achieve those goals by reading our article on risk and return. Your plan will be the pathway you take to achieve your goals. The course you take will be shaped by where you are now and where you want to get to.

Short-term investment goals (1-3 years)

Here are some strategies that someone with a short-term goal could consider:

• Pay off credit cards and personal loans first to free up additional cash to save

• Save a fixed amount each pay period – do a budget to ensure your money is going towards the important things

• Choose a cash investment with good security and easy access such as a high-interest savings account or term deposit

Work out how long it will take to meet your savings targets.

savings goals calculator

Medium-term investment goals (4-6 years)

David has just bought a new car for the first time in his life. Over the last 20 years he’s bought a few cars that have ended up costing him a lot of money. David has decided he will buy a new car every 5 years, about when the new car warranty expires. He expects the changeover cost to be $25,000.

David has decided to:

• invest in a managed fund that allows him to get started with just $1,000

• choose a balanced portfolio, as he wants better returns than a bank savings account, without being too aggressive

• contribute $100 to the fund each week.

Because he has planned carefully, David knows that in about 5 years’ time his investment will be enough to buy a new car. There will also be enough to pay any capital gains tax he incurs as a result of the investment. If markets are down at the time, he will wait until they pick up before buying the car.

Long-term investment goals (7+ years)

Making extra supernnuation contributions can be a great way to invest over the long term.

High and middle-income earners can benefit from making contributions out of pre-tax earnings – this is known as salary sacrifice.

Lower-income earners can benefit from making after-tax contributions that attract government co-contributions.

A balanced or growth option will grow your money faster over the long term, provided you can handle your balance taking a dive every now and then.

If you are saving for a pre-retirement goal you will need to invest outside super – a balanced or growth option in a low-cost managed fund would be a suitable investment.

A good financial plan will outline your needs and goals and set out the best strategies for achieving them. Once you’ve developed your investment plan, your next challenge will be to choose your investments.

Please contact us on 02 9150 9555 if you seek assistance on this topic.

Source : ASIC Moneysmart November 2019 

Reproduced with the permission of ASIC’s MoneySmart Team. This article was originally published at www.moneysmart.gov.au/investing/invest-smarter/develop-an-investing-plan

Important note: This provides general information and hasn’t taken your circumstances into account.  It’s important to consider your particular circumstances before deciding what’s right for you. Although the information is from sources considered reliable, we do not guarantee that it is accurate or complete. You should not rely upon it and should seek qualified advice before making any investment decision. Except where liability under any statute cannot be excluded, we do not accept any liability (whether under contract, tort or otherwise) for any resulting loss or damage of the reader or any other person.  Past performance is not a reliable guide to future returns.

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