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31 January 2019 | www.moneymarketing.co.za
First for the professional personal financial adviser
WHAT’S INSIDE
YOUR JANUARY ISSUE
FINANCIAL SERVICES COMPLIANCE: NINE TOP TIPS FOR 2019
WHY YOU SHOULD REMAIN INVESTED IN RISKY ASSETS
This is going to be an interesting year.
Equities are the only asset class that can grow an investor’s wealth in excess of inflation in a meaningful way.
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WHY VOLATILITY MATTERS FOR LIVING ANNUITY INVESTORS One of the biggest risks pensioners face is running out of money.
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Consistency paves the way to success Ascor, the Pretoria-based independent wealth manager, won three out of the six awards at the 2018 International Adviser Best Practice Adviser Awards ceremony held recently in Cape Town. MoneyMarketing spoke to Ascor’s CEO Wouter Fourie about this splendid accomplishment.
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ourie puts Ascor’s scooping planning tools and robo-advisers, of the 2018 Excellence in Fourie believes that Ascor has been Client Service, Excellence in able to stand out due to the ethos that Professional Development and the nothing can compare with or replace very coveted Best Regional Adviser the personal and trusted relationship Firm Awards down to his team’s between a professional financial sterling work. adviser and his or her clients. “Instead of putting themselves first, “We also believe in creating unique they consistently put the wellbeing and highly personal plans for each of of our clients’ wealth, retirement, our clients, which is not something a health and financial planning at the tool or algorithm can do, especially forefront of what we do every day,” when it comes to understanding he says. each client’s hopes, aspirations and In 2017, Ascor won the Excellence personal relationship to money. in Investment Planning award “We use tools where sensible and in 2016 won no less than four and we believe that many of awards – Excellence in Social Media, Excellence in Use of Technology, Excellence in WE ALSO BELIEVE Marketing and Communication IN CREATING and the overall regional award UNIQUE AND HIGHLY as Best Adviser Firm. In a market that is constantly PERSONAL PLANS FOR being challenged on all sides EACH OF OUR CLIENTS by easily accessible financial
the robo-advice products help to sensitise new investors to the idea of financial planning. Many of these clients end up at an independent wealth manager like Ascor after they have started their journey on their own and then realised that they need to go to the next level of advice and personalised planning.” Fourie explains that the role of financial advisers is undoubtedly changing. “We have invested a lot of time and funds in the past year in behavioural finance and financial coaching. We want to help our clients best create, manage, protect and ultimately transition their wealth. This requires more than just financial planning and also demands a level of sophistication from our clients. This is where coaching comes in.”
He adds that his team has also learned that a good understanding of behavioural finance helps advisers hold frank discussions about wealth building and management with their clients. “These discussions shed some light on every client’s personal fears, preferences and assumptions about money, which ultimately leads to a better personal wealth plan.” Looking back at 2018, when markets were characterised by a sometimes volatile environment leading to anxiety for clients, Fourie says, “We always joke and say that, as a financial adviser, you did your job well when your phone doesn’t ring during turbulent times in the market.” Continued on page 3