Busting the myths that stop you investing in your future

One of the most common questions we receive is whether now is a good time to invest. People raise any number of issues when talking to us about timing their investments, including political uncertainty, concern over valuations, and negative stories they see in the newspapers or wider media.

People naturally tend to think that cash is a safer bet. After all, for much of the past thirty years, banks paid an interest rate above the rate of inflation, meaning savers could put their money away knowing that it would steadily increase in value over time.

Gemma Woodward, Director of Responsible Investment at Quilter Cheviot, reveals the questions she often gets asked about how we can incorporate our client's ethical concerns into portfolios without compromising on principles.

Relatively few people consider themselves to be ‘wealthy’. We generally tend to assume that wealthy is a label applied to other people, with surveys suggesting ‘wealthy’ is only applicable to someone with a net worth of around £10m.

Changes in pension regulation over the past ten years mean that the majority of people in the UK will be saving for a pension in one form or another. But as any financial adviser will tell you, saving for a pension doesn’t necessarily mean you are putting away enough for retirement.

When it comes to retirement, many people are tempted to simply rely on their house. After all, a house is often your most valuable single asset, with property accounting for 35% of total household wealth in the UK.

Of all the life events to plan for, you should spend the longest on preparing for retirement. You might plan a wedding in months, spend a year or two preparing for a family, or spend several years saving for a house; preparing effectively for retirement, by contrast, can take several decades.

Investing does not necessarily stop at retirement; we believe it is beneficial to continue through and into retirement.