
Show Notes
Most investors worry about taking too much risk. But what if the bigger problem is that you are not taking enough? Choosing how much risk to take with your money can have a huge impact on what your investments are able to do for you. Get it wrong and you could either expose yourself to losses you are not prepared for, or spend years investing only to find you have made it much harder to reach the goal you were aiming for. And the answer is not as simple as picking conservative, balanced or growth. Your timeframe matters. Your goals matter. Your behaviour when markets fall matters. Even where the money is invested can completely change what an appropriate level of risk looks like. In this episode, Paul unpacks the factors that can change the answer, the common ways investors misjudge their own risk tolerance and why the portfolio that feels safest may not always leave you in the strongest financial position. Inside this episode: The risk many cautious investors do not realise they are taking
Why your risk-profile questionnaire could be giving you only part of the answer
The scenario that can reveal whether your portfolio is actually too risky for you
Why being a growth investor does not mean all of your money should be invested for growth
The timeframe mistake that can make an otherwise sensible investment strategy completely inappropriate
What can happen when you and your partner have very different ideas about money and risk
Why someone approaching retirement may need to rethink a strategy that has worked for decades
The surprising reason a conservative investor may still choose an aggressive investment option
How to find the point between protecting what you have and giving your money enough opportunity to grow
If you have ever wondered whether you should be taking more risk, less risk, or whether your current portfolio actually matches what you are trying to achieve, this episode will give you a much better way to think about the decision. WANT PERSONALISED ADVICE FOR YOUR INVESTMENT STRATEGY? Book your appointment here. WANT TO STAY ACROSS WHAT'S MOVING THE MARKETS?: Subscribe to GainingCHOICE, our weekly email unpacking the key headlines and what to pay attention to.
GOT A FINANCE QUESTION FOR PAUL?: Send it to [email protected], and it could be featured in his Ask an Expert column each Sunday in The Age and Sydney Morning Herald.
You can also find all our links here.
General advice disclaimer
More from Financial Autonomy
UPDATED: This episode was originally published with the wrong episode audio; it has been republished with the correct audio. Thanks for your patience!
You've worked hard, built up your savings and investments, and spent years making sensible financial decisions. But when was the last time you gave yourself permission to actually enjoy the money you've earned? It's easy to tell yourself you'll take that big holiday, make that purchase or finally start doing the things you've dreamed about once you retire. But what if waiting comes at a cost you haven't considered? In this episode, financial adviser Paul Benson explores one of the trickiest decisions when it comes to building wealth: how much should you put towards your future, and how much should you enjoy today? Through real client conversations and a spending dilemma of his own, Paul challenges the idea that the financially smartest decision is always the best one. And why getting the balance wrong could leave you with regrets that money can't fix. Inside this episode: Why being disciplined with money can sometimes work against you
You're earning good money, paying down your mortgage and doing all the right things. But are you missing an opportunity to build wealth along the way?
You've spent decades building your super and retirement is finally within reach. But what if the sharemarket crashes just as you're preparing to stop work? Could you still retire as planned? Would you need to scale back your lifestyle? And could a few bad years in the market affect how long your money lasts? In this episode, Paul Benson explores a retirement risk many people overlook. He reveals why two people with identical savings and investment returns could end up with vastly different outcomes, and what you can do to prepare. Inside this episode: Why the timing of a market downturn matters more as retirement approaches
You want to retire while you're young enough to enjoy it, with enough money to say yes to the trips, the experiences and more time with the people you love. But how do you feel confident spending your savings when you don't know how long they need to last?