On 30th April an online session was conducted by Anthony Heredia CA, MD & CEO, Mahindra Manulife Mutual Funds and Take Charge Mentor, for our mentees and the larger public which was attended by over 150 people. He stresses that investment is not that complicated, but the Emotional Quotient should prevail over the Intelligent Quotient – go with your gut.
He focused on 3 major areas:
● Importance of financial planning
● Key investment concepts
● Importance of allocation
Everyone knows the importance of money, especially in today’s times. He spoke about salaried employees, who want to create wealth. He also spoke about Influencers, the top businessmen, how do they make money. It is also important to do sensible stuff with the money you earn. He spoke about a typical life cycle and future dreams, stressing on the importance of money to get you there – from building wealth to using it to preserving it.
Inflation:
There are various types of Investment, Equity, Debt, Insurance etc. Investment can be made in Gold, FDs, stocks, etc. but is your investment able to beat inflation that is constant around 5% to 7% and in present times is rising. In times of major and prolonged crisis like we just experienced with the Covid pandemic are you able to pull through, because you made valuable investments when the going was good, that have appreciated over time. So many notes and coins that we used in the past are extinct now as their value has depreciated eg. 25p, 50p, 1Re, 2Rs. 5Rs. etc.
Power of Compounding
The price you pay by coming in and out of an investment and staying on is amazing. A Systematic Investment Plan (SIP), forces you to save money, however small the investment is for starters, then you can slowly increase the amount as you earn and learn more on the subject.
There are various funds – debt, liquid, equity etc.
Cost of Delay
Through a practical example, he shared the difference between a person investing at an early age eg 25 and a person investing at an older age eg. 45 An early start is vital.
The effects of delayed investment is seen in the additional amount that has to be put in the later you start and the returns are still lower. Every 5 years delay doubles monthly outflow
Importance of Asset Allocation
There are many types of assets – Equity, Debt, Cash Equivalent, Real Estate, Gold, Commodities
It is very important to invest in the right companies and assets, and know when to exit based on the market research. Depending on the age the choice needs to be made. At a younger age a 70/30 with emphasis on Equity and less on Debt/ Fixed assets as it is easier to take risks at a younger age. For seniors the reverse would apply as the earning capacity has gone down.
Asset Allocation is very important – Do not put all your eggs in one basket. Keep abreast of the market and observe the trends/ changes.
Timing is crucial – know when to get in and when to step out.
Keep your dream and goal in mind and build your finances to help attain it. It is very important to be Disciplined, Consistent, Invest for the long term, stick to it as this will help sustain you.
Invest in an Index Fund. Do not get swayed by friends and the market. You are in it for the long haul.
Savings for Emergencies – It's advisable to have a Health Insurance, start young as the premiums are smaller. Hospital bills can be draining and erode your finances.
Recommended Reading:
● The Psychology of Money by Morgan Hansel
● Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki
A very interesting and interactive session that helped us all learn so many new concepts and motivated us to start investing right away. Thanks so much to Anthony Heredia for sharing his knowledge with us and giving us practical tips to start on the investment journey, for Money Matters!
Kommentarer