I’m proud to serve on The Debt Panel of The National newspaper in the UAE, but it can be depressing. Almost every question is from someone who has over-loaded themselves with debt and cannot see a way out. This week’s question was a classic example of this.
Who would benefit from this post? Share here: Share on facebook Share on linkedin Share on twitter Share on whatsapp Share on email The end of service gratuity is a relic of the old UAE that, along with the one/two rent cheque, hasn’t quite gone the way of the dinosaurs yet. Before we get to …
UAE: gratuities, allowances and what makes a good employee saving scheme Read More »
Who would benefit from this post? Share here: Share on facebook Share on linkedin Share on twitter Share on whatsapp Share on email Listen to Steve debating the trustworthiness of financial advisors… with the king of financial advisors. Recently the CFA Institute (which oversees the Chartered Financial Analyst qualification) released an interesting survey suggesting …
Here’s a complete overview of investing by yourself, from mindset to transaction fees. If you go it alone, you’re going to have to find some knowledge and discipline. It’s worth it though, to avoid the hidden fees and exit penalties in the plans sold by most UAE banks and financial advisors. It has never been easier to invest cheaply and effectively by yourself.
This week, I explain how to invest with index funds and ETFs. There’s only space for 300-400 words, so this is probably the most concise guide I will ever produce. I had to leave a lot out, but what you’re getting here is exactly “the essentials”.
Reader question – what to do if you find yourself trapped in a long-term savings plan.
Having invested into equity and bond funds over the last two years I can no longer put money regularly into my savings plan. I have some US$100,000 invested. What should I do?
This is a great article from Thomson Reuters Regulatory Intelligence featuring us and many other voices of reason in the UAE market. It discusses some of the problems with the selling of personal savings plans here and why there is reason for cautious optimism about the future.
Financial advisors are often trying to get expats to invest in long-term savings plans. They sound good in theory but 99% of the time they are completely inappropriate. You will probably either make unimpressive gains or lose money. So just say no and tell your friends to say no too. Here’s why. Almost no financial advisor on commission is going to tell you this, which is why I have to.