8
ASK
ASK MAILI
SPRING 2 0 1 8
Maili
A COLUMN TO HELP YOU
ANSWER YOUR FINANCIAL
WELLNESS QUESTIONS
"WHAT IS A REASONABLE RATE OF RETURN TO
EXPECT ON MY PORTFOLIO?"
– JAMIE S.
DEAR JAMIE, it really depends on
many factors such as your objectives, risk
tolerance and your overall financial picture.
As well, consider the relationship between
return and risk. While many investors seek
higher return, they often forget to consider
the risks that go along with it (i.e. market
volatility and risk of losing one’s capital).
Instead of selecting investments based on
what did well recently, resist the urge of
"SHOULD I MANAGE MY INVESTMENTS ON MY OWN
OR USE A PROFESSIONAL FINANCIAL ADVISOR?"
– RYAN R.
MAILI WONG, CFA, CFP, FEA
Maili Wong is a Vancouver-based
First Vice-President and Portfolio
Manager with over 17 years of
experience in helping clients
achieve their financial purpose and
goals. Maili was born and raised
in Vancouver, and worked on Wall
Street in New York City for five
years, during which she helped
manage over $5 billion in assets
for a global investment fund. In
2006, she returned to Vancouver
to help individuals and families find
a better way to invest. She has
been the recipient of numerous
awards including her nomination
as a YWCA Women of Distinction
in 2017, as a TedX Speaker in 2016,
and as a winner of the Business of
Vancouver's Top 40 Under Forty
Award in 2012. Respected and
recognized for her progressive
investment methodologies, she is one
of few women who rank among the
top financial advisors in this country.
She is a best-selling author of the
book, Smart Risk: Invest Like the
Wealthy to Achieve a Work-Optional
Life that launched in Times Square
New York in 2016 which became a
bestseller on Amazon (find out more
at smartriskinvesting.com).
Connect with Maili. To submit any
of your questions to the “Ask Maili”
column in the next issue, feel free
to email your questions to
[email protected].
chasing past performance. Focus forward-
looking on your priorities to determine
the best asset mix (proportion of stocks,
bonds and other assets). This is where
having a Financial Plan that outlines your
key goals and tolerance for withstanding
the market’s ups and downs can help you
create a suitable Investment Plan that uses
a disciplined approach to target a risk and
return profile that fits your needs.
DEAR RYAN, advisors range in expertise
and may charge a fee for services, but
often the value outweighs the cost. A
professional financial advisor can offer
expertise and guidance to help you focus
on actions that add value beyond what one
could accomplish on their own, including:
•
•
Creating a financial plan that
includes retirement, insurance
and estate planning, to fit your
needs and risk tolerance.
Providing financial education and
helping you overcome behavioral
tendencies or biases that may
prevent you from achieving optimal
financial results on your own.
• Structuring an investment
portfolio along the factors that
lead to higher expected returns.
• Diversifying globally while keeping
costs, turnover, and taxes low.
• Helping you stay focused and
disciplined through market
swings so that you can achieve
your long-term goals.
"WHAT IS AN INVESTMENT PHILOSOPHY AND WHY IS
IT IMPORTANT?"
– SAMUEL K.
DEAR SAMUEL , an “investment
philosophy” is a set of guiding principles
that inform and shape an individual's
investment decision-making process. It’s
important to have one that you can stick
with. Why? Because volatile markets can
be stressful for investors. But volatility
also can be viewed in a more positive light.
Rapid price changes show that markets
are working as they quickly incorporate
new information. Once you have a robust
investment philosophy that allows you to
stack the odds of success in your favour,
you may have greater confidence in taking
a long-term view of investing and tune-
out the daily noise. Sooner or later, the
markets will test your resolve. Just as a
personal philosophy helps you deal with
adversity in other areas of life, a sound
investment philosophy can help you
withstand the ups and downs and stay the
course to achieve the long-term benefits.