We understand that building an investment portfolio that meets your specific needs is no easy task. There are a few fundamental principles that we consider when advising you in this regard.
First of all, the aim in building a portfolio is not about “picking winners”, as this is a sure-fire recipe for disaster! Instead a portfolio needs to be constructed with an asset allocation that fully reflects your appetite for risk. This is why we spend time at the outset clearly establishing your own appetite for risk and then help you to build your portfolio from there.
Secondly we are firm believers in the importance of diversification in a portfolio, the concept of not having all of your eggs in one basket. The merits and de-merits of all asset classes need to be considered when building the portfolio. This brings us to the subject of deposits and their place in a portfolio today.
Deposit accounts have their (limited) place
There’s no doubt that deposits always merit some consideration when building a portfolio. They used to be considered risk free, however this notion was tested somewhat during the financial crisis as some banks teetered on the brink! However they are generally recognised as a very low risk investment vehicle, which is attractive to some investors. They also are extremely liquid. You can walk into a bank, and if your money is in a demand account you can withdraw it all on the spot. Deposits also make a lot of sense if your investment horizon is very short.
Never forget about diversification
However there are also issues with deposits that cannot be ignored. Some savers simply put all of their money in the bank and leave it there. This may be a mistake for a number of reasons. First of all, this approach may not suit your appetite for risk and it completely undermines the merits of diversification. Depending on your investment timeframe and risk appetite, you may be better served by also considering other asset classes in order to achieve your investment objectives. Yes, there is very often merit in having some of your money on deposit, however it often makes more sense when your money is split between deposits and other asset classes.
Timing markets is folly
Of course some people like to keep their money on deposit while they wait for the markets to fall, with a view to jumping in when investment assets are cheaper. From our experience this is folly, as trying to time the markets is not much different to trying to pick winners. Typically when investors try to time markets, they miss the peaks (to sell out of markets) and the troughs (to buy into markets) to the detriment of their investment portfolio. And they end up constantly questioning themselves, “Is now the time to buy / sell”? Statistics have shown time and time again that successful investors stay invested through good times and bad. They make sure that their portfolio reflects their risk appetite and as a result, they can live with the swings and roundabouts of the markets as they take a longer-term view of their investments.
Coming back to the title of this article, seasoned investors recognise that market volatility is simply a feature of investment markets. They learn to accept it, once they have a risk-based portfolio in place that reflects their own appetite for risk. If deposits have a place in that risk-based portfolio, then they should be included. Removing volatility altogether is not the answer.
Negative interest rates?
And then of course, you just can’t ignore the really poor interest rates that are being offered on deposits. We’ve recently seen one of Ireland’s main banks starting to charge corporate customers for the pleasure of holding their money, rather than paying interest! And while this trend hasn’t carried through to consumer deposits as yet, already a number of the banks are paying 0% or very close to it to consumers on demand deposit accounts, meaning your hard earned savings are simply treading water. And then to cap it all off, DIRT (deposit interest retention tax) has been increasing over recent years and now stands at 41%. It’s hard to win with deposits!
In summary, deposits always warrant consideration and often make sense as part of an overall investment portfolio. However tying all of your money up in deposit accounts may not be the wisest strategy.