Skip to main content

Ready for your Portfolio to Make a Difference?

Interest in making an impact with one’s investments has grown in recent years, which means many investors may have an increased interest in environmentally or socially focused investments as well. In fact, impact investments account for $502 billion of managed investments worldwide, with 58% held in North America. Curious to learn more about impact investing? Read on.1

What Are Impact Investments?

Impact investments are made with a measurable or tangible goal for social change in mind. From there, the criteria may differ depending on your own values and focuses. For example, you may choose to invest in a company that commits to planting a certain number of trees per year or another organization that provides resources to school districts in low-income communities.

You may hear other phrases used in conjunction with impact investing, such as socially responsible investing (SRI) or environmental, social, and governance investing (ESG). These investment models follow more specific criteria and guidelines such as ethical business practices, environmental conservation, and local community impact.2

Impact Investments, SRI and ESG investments have certain risks based on the fact that the criteria exclude securities of certain issuers for non-financial reasons and, therefore, investors may forgo some market opportunities and the universe of investments available will be smaller.

Setting Expectations

Making a difference in the world is only one consideration with impact investing. In a 2020 survey of impact investors, 88% indicated that the financial performance of their investments was either in line with or outperformed their expectations.3

Tips For Impact Investing

Here are a few concepts to keep in mind with Impact Investing:

  • Your values: What specific areas of impact are you hoping to make with your investments? Are you focused on sustainability, social justice, your religion, or another area? Deciding what you’re looking to accomplish can help narrow your focus.
  • Types of investments: There are a variety of investments that are structured to help pursue your goals when it comes to Impact Investing. As you define your values, the types of investments may become clearer.
  • Impact reports: Impact reports are designed to provide information that breaks down how the company is making a difference and what measurable goals they’re following. Impact reports are one factor to consider as you evaluate opportunities.

Impact investing can help keep your investments aligned with your personal beliefs. As you consider whether this choice may be appropriate for you, don’t hesitate to reach out. We may be able to provide some information or identify some resources that you may find insightful.

To learn more about CapSouth Wealth Management visit our website at www.capsouthwm.com or www.capsouthwm.com/services/financial-estate-planning/

1. TheGIIN.org, April 2019
2. CFAinstitute.org, April 2021
3. TheGIIN.org, 2020

Investment advisory services are offered through CapSouth Partners, Inc., dba CapSouth Wealth Management, an independent registered Investment Advisory firm. Information provided by sources deemed to be reliable.  CapSouth does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information.  This material has been prepared for planning purposes only and is not intended as specific tax or legal advice.  Tax and legal laws are often complex and frequently change.  Please consult your tax or legal advisor to discuss your specific situation before making any decisions that may have tax or legal consequences.

This article contains external links to third party content (content hosted on sites unaffiliated with CapSouth Partners). The policies and procedures governing these third-party sites may differ from those effective on the CapSouth company website, as outlined in these Disclaimers. As such, CapSouth makes no representations whatsoever regarding any third-party content/sites that may be accessible directly or indirectly from the CapSouth website. Linking to these third-party sites in no way implies an endorsement or affiliation of any kind between CapSouth and any third party, including legal authorization to use any trademark, trade name, logo, or copyrighted materials belonging to either entity.

Retirement Seen Through Your Eyes

How do you picture your future? Some see retirement as a time to start a new career. Others see it as a time to travel. Still others plan to spend more time with family and friends. With that in mind, here are some things to consider.

What do you absolutely need to accomplish? If you could only get four or five things done in retirement, what would they be? Answering this question might lead you to compile a “short list” of life goals, and while they may have nothing to do with money, the financial decisions you make may be integral to pursuing them.

What would revitalize you? Some people retire with no particular goals at all. After weeks or months of respite, ambition may return. They start to think about what pursuits or adventures they could embark on to make these years special. Others have known for decades what dreams they will follow … and yet, when the time to follow them arrives, those dreams may unfold differently than anticipated and may even be supplanted by new ones.

In retirement, time is really your most valuable asset. With more free time and opportunity for reflection, you might find your old dreams giving way to new ones.

Who should you share your time with? Here is another profound choice you get to make in retirement. The quick answer to this question for many retirees would be “family.” Today, we have nuclear families, blended families, extended families; some people think of their friends or their employees as family.

How much do you anticipate spending? We can’t control all retirement expenses, but we can manage some of them. The thought of downsizing your home may have crossed your mind. One benefit of downsizing is that it can potentially lead to no mortgage or a more manageable mortgage payment.

Could you leave a legacy? Many of us would like to give our kids or grandkids a good start in life, but leaving an inheritance can be trickier than many realize. Tax laws are constantly changing, and the strategies that worked years ago may have more limited benefits today.

How are you preparing for retirement? This is the most important question of all. If you feel you need to prepare more for the future or reexamine your existing strategy in light of recent changes in your life, conferring with a financial professional experienced in retirement approaches may offer some guidance.

To learn more about CapSouth Wealth Management visit our website at www.capsouthwm.com or www.capsouthwm.com/services/financial-estate-planning/

Keep in mind this article is for informational purposes only and is not a replacement for real-life advice, so make sure to consult your tax or legal professional before modifying any part of your overall estate strategy.

Investment advisory services are offered through CapSouth Partners, Inc., dba CapSouth Wealth Management, an independent registered Investment Advisory firm. Information provided by sources deemed to be reliable.  CapSouth does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information.  This material has been prepared for planning purposes only and is not intended as specific tax or legal advice.  Tax and legal laws are often complex and frequently change.  Please consult your tax or legal advisor to discuss your specific situation before making any decisions that may have tax or legal consequences.

This article contains external links to third party content (content hosted on sites unaffiliated with CapSouth Partners). The policies and procedures governing these third-party sites may differ from those effective on the CapSouth company website, as outlined in these Disclaimers. As such, CapSouth makes no representations whatsoever regarding any third-party content/sites that may be accessible directly or indirectly from the CapSouth website. Linking to these third-party sites in no way implies an endorsement or affiliation of any kind between CapSouth and any third party, including legal authorization to use any trademark, trade name, logo, or copyrighted materials belonging to either entity.

Building a Solid Financial Foundation

When you read about money matters, you may see the phrase, “getting your financial house in order.” What exactly does that mean? What does building a solid financial foundation mean?

To some, when your financial “house is in order,” it means it is built on a solid financial foundation. It means that you have the “pillars” in place that are designed to support your long-term financial well-being.

#1: A banking relationship. Having a relationship with a bank can play a role in many financial strategies. You have many different choices when deciding on which bank is right for you. Some banks are larger and nationally based, while others are smaller and community-based. Different banks may have unique advantages and disadvantages, so it’s important to look around and see what each one can offer you.

#2: An emergency fund. You know that label you see on fire extinguisher boxes – “break glass in case of emergency?” Only in a financial emergency should you “break into” your emergency account. What is a financial emergency? Everyone’s definition varies, but it can range from a broken water heater to major car repairs to unemployment help.

#3: A workplace retirement strategy. At some point, you may want to consider when the right time is to start saving for retirement. Workplace retirement plans can offer you a convenient way to get started if one is available.

#4: An eye on Insurance. Like the other decisions you’ll need to make while building your financial foundation, choosing the appropriate insurance program is going to be influenced by your own individual life circumstances. For example, if you’re supporting a family, you may want to look into an insurance program that is designed to protect you in the event that something happens to you or prevents you from working for a period of time.

#5: Estate Strategy. It’s never too early to start thinking about your legacy. For some, this can mean providing some financial support to your loved ones. For others, it might mean creating a program that supports charities and organizations. Whatever your aspirations, it’s important to ensure that your assets transition smoothly in accordance with your wishes.

To learn more about CapSouth Wealth Management, visit our website at www.capsouthwm.com or to learn more about financial planning, visit capsouthwm.com/services/financial-estate-planning/

Investment advisory services are offered through CapSouth Partners, Inc., dba CapSouth Wealth Management, an independent registered Investment Advisory firm. Information provided by sources deemed to be reliable.  CapSouth does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information.  This material has been prepared for planning purposes only and is not intended as specific tax or legal advice.  Tax and legal laws are often complex and frequently change.  Please consult your tax or legal advisor to discuss your specific situation before making any decisions that may have tax or legal consequences.

This article contains external links to third party content (content hosted on sites unaffiliated with CapSouth Partners). The policies and procedures governing these third-party sites may differ from those effective on the CapSouth company website, as outlined in these Disclaimers. As such, CapSouth makes no representations whatsoever regarding any third-party content/sites that may be accessible directly or indirectly from the CapSouth website. Linking to these third-party sites in no way implies an endorsement or affiliation of any kind between CapSouth and any third party, including legal authorization to use any trademark, trade name, logo, or copyrighted materials belonging to either entity.

Help us keep you informed!

Let us do the work and keep you updated! Sign up for the CapSouth financial updates.

You have Successfully Subscribed!