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Tag: Portfolio

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.

The Investment Risk No One’s Ever Heard Of

 

Knowledgeable investors are aware that investing in the capital markets presents any number of risks – interest-rate risk, company risk, and market risk. Risk is an inseparable companion to the potential for long-term growth. Some of the investment risks we face can be mitigated through diversification.[i]

As an investor, you face another, less-known risk for which the market does not compensate you, nor can it be easily reduced through diversification. Yet, it may be the biggest challenge to the sustainability of your retirement income.

This risk is called the sequence-of-returns risk.

The sequence-of-returns risk refers to the uncertainty of the order of returns an investor will receive over an extended period of time. As Milton Friedman once observed, you should, “Never try to walk across a river just because it has an average depth of four feet.”[ii]

Sequence of Returns

Mr. Friedman’s point was that averages may hide dangerous possibilities. This is especially true with the stock market. You may be comfortable that the market will deliver its historical average return over the long term, but you can never know when you will be receiving the varying positive and negative returns that comprise the average. The order in which you receive these returns can make a big difference.

For instance, a hypothetical market decline of 30% is not to be unexpected. However, would you rather experience this decline when you have relatively small retirement savings or at the moment you are ready to retire – when your savings may never be more valuable? Without a doubt, the former scenario is preferable, but the timing of that large potential decline is out of your control.

Timing, Timing, Timing

The sequence-of-returns risk is especially problematic while you are in retirement. Down years, in combination with portfolio withdrawals taken to provide retirement income, have the potential to seriously damage the ability of your savings to recover sufficiently, even as the markets fully rebound.

If you are nearing retirement or already in retirement, it’s time to give serious consideration to the “sequence-of-returns risk” and ask questions about how you can better manage your portfolio.

 

Visit www.capsouthwm.com for more information about CapSouth Wealth Management.

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.

[i] https://www.kiplinger.com/article/retirement/T047-C032-S014-is-your-retirement-income-in-peril-of-this-risk.html

 

[ii] https://quotefancy.com/quote/868218/Milton-Friedman-Never-try-to-walk-across-a-river-just-because-it-has-an-average-depth-of

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