‘Warnings of market correction ahead’; ‘The bubble’s burst’; ‘The stock market is crashing’; ‘Not seen such market volatility since the 1987 crash’; ‘Stock market closing at an all-time high’.

Don’t be concerned, these are just samples taken at any point in time. But you know what it’s like—you open a newspaper and read one thing, then listen to the radio and hear the complete opposite! You go on social media and read all sorts of different views and opinions. You chat with friends and colleagues in the pub who’ve got as many different pieces of advice as there are types of beer on sale.

Noise, noise, noise!

Everyone’s expressing their view and telling you what to do. Everyone’s an expert! But how do you know who to trust?

The good news is that if you’re working with a financial planner, you don’t need to listen to all that hullabaloo around you. The right planner will help you understand what you can control and give you a sense of perspective.

For instance, a recent study revealed that investors value the following from their relationships with their planners:

• 35% sense of security/peace of mind;
• 23% knowledge of personal financial situations;
• 20% progress towards their goals; and
• 14% investment returns

As financial planners, we’re only too aware that markets will go up and down over time, but we can help you take a long term view. By gaining a comprehensive understanding of your goals, dreams and objectives in life, we can give you peace of mind and reassurance over short term market movements. We’ll discuss your risk profile with you and tweak it as your own particular circumstances and market conditions change over time. The regular forward planning meetings we’ll have with you will keep your plan on track. Accordingly, you’ll find that because your decisions are now part of a strategic financial route map instead of isolated choices, you won’t feel so overwhelmed by every single news item.

By working with a financial planner, you’ll know that we can cut through the mixed messages and help you see past the headlines to the hard facts you need. It’s our job to be able to give you a sense of control when the markets may seem in chaos. So when others may be flummoxed into making abrupt withdrawals or changes, we’ll give you the reassurance to stay invested. On the other hand, when it’s right to alter, we’ll give you the confidence to move. It’s this kind of discipline that can make all the difference in terms of investment performance.

So rather than being influenced by sensationalist headlines or being worried by market fluctuations, use your financial planner as a sounding board and to help you ‘keep your head when all about you are losing theirs’.

Past performance is not an indication of future performance. Your investment can fall as well as rise. You are not guaranteed to make a profit.

If you have any questions around this topic, please feel free to get in touch with us directly on 01789 263888 or email hello@charterswealth.co.uk.