Why Advice

Communicating in a Crisis

April 19, 2020

Over at Dimensional’s blog, they recently included a post on how financial advisory firms are communicating with clients during COVID-19. The responses are varied. “We can’t communicate with clients enough” from Jeff Buckner at Plancorp, to “many of our clients don’t worry until they hear from us” from Mike Davis at Resource Consulting Group. Along […]

The Lens

April 15, 2020

There’s no need to run a poll. Trust in the medical profession is at an all time high. Doctors and nurses are treating the sick. Dealing with things up close we can’t imagine. They’re risking their lives doing so. Our local hospital has been the epicenter of an outbreak.  In contrast, your average financial adviser […]

The Chiefs

April 12, 2020

Thought leaders gravitate towards crisis. Many of us out here want to listen. Many up there on stage want to be heard. The big dudes are making regular appearances right now. Heads on the TV. Columns in the newspaper. Extra interviews. The best quotes are hopefully being minted. No one wants a spooked populace. Someone […]

COVID Update

April 9, 2020

First published 9 April 2020 for Mancell Financial Group It’s been pleasing that governments and central banks around the world have done their best to offer a response that may mitigate the economic fall out as much as possible. No stimulus will or can be perfect, and there will be economic casualties. This is the […]

Now Youse Can’t Leave

April 8, 2020

Right now is an ugly time. People are out of jobs. Whole societies are cooped up in houses. Minds are wandering. Where does this end? For some, the descent into conspiracy is proving easy. The behaviour of some leaders, government agencies and international organisations hasn’t helped. No wonder people are confused. In fraught times liquidity […]

The Worst Time

April 4, 2020

Could there be a worse time to start a website advocating the benefits of financial advice? Financial markets down 30%. Volatility at record highs. Seems a weird time when people are panicking. Talking about the next depression. Running to cash. Watching their previously indestructible investment strategies blow up. For some it’s a challenge, but it’s […]

The Weight of Evidence

April 1, 2020

First published 1 April 2020 for Mancell Financial Group Risk-free is a single, predictable outcome. Risk is the opposite, all the things that might happen and the odds that they will. So begins chapter four of Alison Schrager’s book ‘An Economist Walks into a Brothel’. In the book Schrager finds herself in all manner of […]

First published 26 March 2020 for Mancell Financial Group You might remember it. Though it seems so long ago right now. There was a big kerfuffle. It was about franking credit cash refunds. In short, former Labor leader Bill Shorten was going to do away with them. In response, Australia’s self-funded retirees made it their […]

COVID-19 Market Update

March 18, 2020

First published 18 March 2020 for Mancell Financial Group We’re deep in a global pandemic. The positive? Governments are responding. Unprecedented times call for unprecedented measures. Interest rates to near zero. Governments putting money into bank accounts. Financial support for business. Government quickly realised the time for half measures was over. President Trump especially. He’s […]

First published 9 March 2020 for Mancell Financial Group When the market falls 7% in a day… There’s no sugar coating it. It’s very painful. What now? We’ve been through this many times before. Our experience tells us to do nothing. With every previous market fall there has been a recovery. Every financial adviser has […]