Individuals who have some wealth
and are not quite sure how to handle it would do well to take advice from a financial services
consultant. There are many types of financial instruments in the market, each
solving a different purpose. In some cases, individuals believe they are saving
or planning for the future but in reality might not be doing so. That is why
seasoned advisers like Eric James Viveros bring in all their experience to portray to an
individual how to invest wisely and when to take a step back and reassess the
finances.
There is a huge difference in
investing and in paying premiums for an insurance policy. Then there is the
question of how you are saving. In other words, a professional personal
financial adviser can help you look at three different tiers. There are fixed
deposits where you get a small interest but also the assurance that the cash is
there for your time of need. Then there is the tier of investing in securities,
mutual funds and other financial instruments. Although, you expect to make
money out of these instruments, you can never be fully assured of what gains
you are going to make.
It is important to use a
component of your money to make more money. However, for higher gains, there is
always an element of risk associated with it. A different tier is that of insurance,
whether it is permanent life insurance or term life insurance that could be for
10 years or 20 years. The premiums could be fixed or could increase with time.
They also depend on the risks and liabilities you face. They have a sum assured
amount at maturity that would be handed over to you. But, in truth, they can
neither be considered an investment nor as saving.
Insurance
policies act as parachutes to deal with unforeseen events of life. For
example, you may have a house loan that you can pay back in 20 years. In the
worst case scenario of your death or if you lose your ability to earn, you
wouldn’t want this liability to be transferred to your dependents. That is what
insurance will help you achieve. Some policies do have a cash value where it is
invested in money market funds to make more money. However, there is
unpredictability of returns even for that component.
It is important to discuss your
needs and your family’s needs with a financial consultant who can draw lines on
how much insurance you need and what savings you ought to have. Too much
insurance will mean very little saving by the time you reach policy maturity.
Too many savings could still mean your money could be wiped out in one
unforeseen event. The financial consultant will try to strike a balance between
the two scenarios. There are annuities and depository receipts, collectibles
and corporate bonds, mutual funds and municipal bonds along with a wide array
of other instruments. Understanding each of them needs expert intervention and
clarification.