Investment Advice

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  1. #31

    There has to be some serious tenical improvement of this website otherwise it gets reall irritated to make any post..................................


  2. #32
    Quote Originally Posted by freeier:
    which unfortunately is not true because u are losing the inflation and time value of money
    The safest not the best..............ok???

    Depreation can happend in anytime, any place, any form of investment..........given totally incapable, its better stick to the safest plan.

  3. #33

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    so your safest plan is to keep money in cash under your bed ? that's what you are advocating by not investing.

    do note that even a fixed deposit it technically a bond of the bank that u are buying. in the stated currency and stated tenor.


  4. #34

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    Lighten up guys (and girls). For your information I've unsubscribed myself from this rivetting thread.


  5. #35

    Dear Matt,

    My name is Guy, and I am a Business Manager/Financial Consultant in the Prudential Assurance Co.

    I got my Economics Degree in the U.S and my expertise is personal financial planning, especially funds investment. I could give you some ideas!

    My contact # 66842460.

    Blessings,


  6. #36

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    On the topic of asset allocation, bonds etc. keep in mind that with the USD continuing to weaken, and inflation, most bonds actually give a negative yield at the moment, especially if you use EUR as your benchmark instead of USD.

    An alternative to bonds if you have a mortgage is to make extra mortgage payments. It's a risk free return, the interest you'll save on you mortgage is high (7.25% in my case), which is equivalent to getting a 7.25% return on an investment tax-free!

    If you can setup a mortgage offset account, you can also redraw the cash if you need it, something that is more difficult with bonds that tend to fluctuate in value depending on how the stock market is doing.


  7. #37

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    Well for non-Americans, we don't pay tax at home, only in HK, so the topic is happily moot

    Quote Originally Posted by freeier:
    note those 401 thingies are for the yankees (in contrast to Gwai lo, is this term ok? hahaa)..

    so anyone reading this might want to check out what are the potential tax savers they get under their country's regime.

  8. #38

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    Hi Matt,

    I really recommend you get some good basic books and read. You'll learn alot, and it will help you to make informed decision about what is ultimately going to be your future. After all, if you save nothing, then you're basically working for free. If I'm working for free (ie. just to support myself and putting nothing away), then I'd rather just go on welfare and surf all day

    So working without investing is, at least for me, pointless.

    Quote Originally Posted by mattstewart:
    so its tough to say what to do....and since i have no clue to begin with...this is why i feel i need assistance in begining. After i am more comfortable...i would have no problem doing it alone

  9. #39

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    ya, and well, didn't want to say it, but a financial consultant with one of the insurance houses will ultimately recommend u to their products. so just be very beware...


  10. #40

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    Hehe,

    I would put it another way, if you don't invest you're going to be working till you die, which I would define as failure.

    If you invest you may fail, but it's also possible you will succeed.

    So at least, by my definition, a chance of success, through investing, no matter how small, is safer than doing nothing.

    Put it this way, say you want to retire on $40k USD p.a. in today's dollars when you're 65, and live till 85. Assuming inflation of 3%, and a current age of 30, you'll need $150k USD p.a. when you're 75. Of course, this assumes the USD will not get any weaker (it will), oil prices wont go up (they will) etc.

    150k p.a. over 20 years of retirement means you'll need 3 million USD to retire on. Now, given that you have 35 working years left, you need to save 85k USD p.a. to be able to retire off savings.

    That sounds like a risky plan to me

    Quote Originally Posted by beachgirl:
    The safest not the best..............ok???

    Depreation can happend in anytime, any place, any form of investment..........given totally incapable, its better stick to the safest plan.