Stashaway discussion thread
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tesarise
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Stashaway is recommending reoptimization of general portfolio. Anyone else got it, must be for all. Any thoughts? Mine is 12% risk, now actually positive +1.79% (meanwhile my syfe portfolio - which got auto-reoptimized dont know many times - is still on red). Just wondering if people stick to their old one.
Mine is 18% risk and this is the ETF Stashaway selected for me. I have used Stashaway for two years now. Over time, they re-balance my portfolio twice, selling and buying a number of ETFs during that period.
-Equity US-
Small Cap IJR -17.47%
Healthcare XLV +12.5%
Consumer Discretionary XLY + 17.08%
-International Equities-
China Tech KWEB +1.13%
-Corporate Bonds-
Ex-US Corporate Bonds BNDX +0.19%
-Government Bonds-
Emerging Market Local Govt EMB -4.52%
-Commodities-
Precious metals (GLD) +35.84%
silverbomb
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after 2 years, what's the profit or percentage in the green/reds now?
Not the previous poster, but I started a 20% risk index portfolio in Jan 2018, before the higher risk portfolios were available, so I think that's about 2 years and 4 months -- in SGD terms right now, time-weighted +16.11%, money-weighted +19.73% (probably mostly from the small correction in Dec 2018).
There's a poster who has several comparison threads, might be useful too, though the older one (StashAway vs Smartly) which should be at higher risk index than this, but changed portfolio a couple times.
now money-weighted return is ~13%. Not too shabby.
Mr. Wood
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https://www.straitstimes.com/business/invest/keep-investing-even-when-the-going-gets-tough-says-entrepreneur
anyone subscribe to premium? can sic?
usually I will go library but now is close.
anyone subscribe to premium? can sic?
usually I will go library but now is close.
@Mr Wood
There you go. Just some standard promo article, imo.
The coronavirus crisis might seem like a good time to pull back from the market, but entrepreneur Michele Ferrario believes it is important to keep investing with a long-term view.
Mr Ferrario is the co-founder of digital wealth management platform StashAway, which started in Singapore in 2016.
The company employs around 80 people in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok.
Mr Ferrario, 39, says the company is still seeing good investment inflows despite the coronavirus outbreak.
"In the first quarter of 2020, we continued to see strong growth as of March 31, with our accumulated net deposits growing 47 per cent from Dec 31 last year," he says.
Most clients also continue to stick with investment plans, although he adds that some have paused or, in some cases, liquidated their portfolios, as with any market crash.
–– ADVERTISEMENT ––
Staff are also working fully from home and they continue to monitor client portfolios and recommend changes in asset allocations if required.
The firm also continues to hold its Web seminars to keep clients up to date on the markets and the economic landscape.
Mr Ferrario's own investment strategy during this period is to continue systematic investing and dollar-cost averaging in order to hedge against risks.
He also diversifies across asset classes and timings, but urges investors to keep an emergency fund for short-term cash needs.
Mr Ferrario was previously the group chief executive of Zalora, which is an e-commerce website.
He is an Italian who has lived here for several years and is married with three children, the oldest of whom is six.
He has a master's in business administration from Columbia Business School.
Q WHAT'S IN YOUR PORTFOLIO?
A When StashAway went live in July 2017, my investment portfolio was 99.9 per cent cash, plus a bicycle that I used to go to the train station in the morning.
Since then, I have invested most of my cash through a two-year dollar-cost-averaging strategy, so that I'm left with approximately 20 per cent cash, 65 per cent in StashAway's portfolios and 10 per cent in one small apartment in Melbourne, as well as 5 per cent in angel investments and alternatives.
The StashAway portfolio I have for retirement has 45 per cent of its assets in US equities, 15 per cent in non-US equities, 15 per cent in gold and 25 per cent in government bonds.
I also hold two university funds for my two older children as the youngest is still under a year old.
I have a long-term fund which is made up of 72 per cent US equities and 28 per cent non-US equities.
I also have some US dollars and euros in a multi-currency bank account.
In terms of asset returns, the Melbourne apartment gives about 4 per cent yield. The "retirement plan" and university funds made 19.4 per cent returns in the last financial year, while the long-term fund made 30 per cent returns.
Q WHAT ARE YOUR IMMEDIATE INVESTMENT PLANS?
A Now that most of my net worth is invested, I'll continue to dollar-cost average with my monthly savings, in the same portfolios mentioned above. In the next two years, I may reduce my cash holdings further.
The only change I'm planning is that I need to start a university fund for Luce, my youngest child.
I have 18 years to put together enough money to be able to afford to send her to any school she wants to go to.
Q HOW DID YOU GET INTERESTED IN INVESTING?
A I studied business in my undergraduate years and did a master's in business administration.
In addition, I started my career at consultancy firm McKinsey, where I worked mostly for financial services clients, including wealth managers.
I then left McKinsey and went into private equity, where my interest for investing crystallised.
When I moved to Singapore for my previous job as group chief executive of Zalora, I did not have time to manage my own investments and I wanted more professional advice.
Unfortunately, my experience with the two banks I have opened accounts with has been horrific, as I realised I was simply being pitched very expensive products such as unit trusts and structured notes.
That is why in 2016, I started thinking about building a wealth management platform, not only to solve my investing issue, but also, at the same time, help other people build their wealth.
Related Story
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Me & My Money: Luxury retailer has almost 60 bags worth $1.9m and says they give healthy returns
Q DESCRIBE YOUR INVESTING STRATEGY.
A I have a long-term view for most of my goals, and therefore, I take quite a bit of risk in my overall portfolio.
I like the idea of earmarking money for different goals, as it shows me clearly what I am saving and investing for.
Q HOW ARE YOU PLANNING FOR RETIREMENT?
A I am 39 years old and retirement is far away. To be honest, I do not know if I will continue to work during retirement.
What I do know is that I want to have the choice not to work during retirement, and that is why I'm saving and investing to be able to fund a long retirement for me and my wife.
As I have been working internationally, I do not have the benefits of government-sponsored pension plans, and therefore I need to take care of my retirement 100 per cent independently.
Q MONEYWISE, WHAT WERE YOUR GROWING-UP YEARS LIKE?
A I grew up in an upper-middle-class family in northern Italy.
For most of his career, my father was a senior manager in a few mid-sized Italian companies, primarily in the fashion industry, and spent a few stints as an entrepreneur.
He is now semi-retired, still working 50 per cent to 60 per cent of his time. My mother was a high school teacher, but is also now retired.
I have two siblings. My older sister Chiara is a medical doctor and lives in Switzerland with her three children, while my younger brother Luca is a tech entrepreneur, and lives in Italy close to my parents with his wife and their son.
We grew up in a large house outside Milan and my parents never made money an issue.
I later found out that my father did have difficult financial times during my teenage years, but it was amazing how he managed to keep everyone serene.
Q WHAT DOES MONEY MEAN TO YOU?
A Money means peace of mind to me. I want to have enough savings to know that my family will be fine, whatever happens to me. This idea gives me tranquillity.
Related Story
Me & My Money: Vet clinic owner puts her eggs in different baskets
Related Story
Me & My Money: Veteran private banker invests for the future
Q HOME IS NOW...
A Home is a rented apartment in a condominium in Sixth Avenue, where we rent a small three-bedroom apartment that is around 1,250 sq ft.
It is now a bit too small for the five of us and we are looking forward to moving to a larger apartment as soon as the lease expires.
Q I DRIVE ...
A I don't drive because cars in Singapore are incredibly expensive, and public transportation is fantastic.
My wife and I prefer buses and MRT. We spend less than $50 a month on cabs.
WORST AND BEST BETS
Q What has been your biggest investing mistake?
A My biggest investment mistake has been having most of my savings in cash until my mid-30s.
If I had started investing more aggressively a few years earlier, I would definitely have a higher net worth.
When I was in Italy, working in private equity, I invested the (little) savings I had in a portfolio of exchange-traded funds. When I moved to Singapore, I got too busy and stopped investing.
My savings increased significantly during this period, but I did not invest because I kept procrastinating as it was never "urgent".
My advice is to not make the mistake I did and spend a bit more time to find the right platform to invest and do it in a systematic way: Every month, your savings should be invested in a diversified portfolio, targeting whatever long-term goals you might have.
It takes less than $500 a month to build a $1 million portfolio in 40 years (from 25 years old to 65), while it takes close to $1,000 a month to achieve the same in 30 years and over $2,000 a month in 20 years, assuming 6 per cent net returns per annum. Compounding works incredibly hard for you so you need to start early.
Q And your best investment?
A So far, my best investment has been in StashAway, both as a shareholder as well as a customer.
To me, StashAway is, by far, the professional endeavour I am most proud of - we have built a world-class product that is helping a significant number of people improve the way they manage their money, which will ultimately improve their lives.
I am also very proud of the quality of the team we have built.
There you go. Just some standard promo article, imo.
The coronavirus crisis might seem like a good time to pull back from the market, but entrepreneur Michele Ferrario believes it is important to keep investing with a long-term view.
Mr Ferrario is the co-founder of digital wealth management platform StashAway, which started in Singapore in 2016.
The company employs around 80 people in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok.
Mr Ferrario, 39, says the company is still seeing good investment inflows despite the coronavirus outbreak.
"In the first quarter of 2020, we continued to see strong growth as of March 31, with our accumulated net deposits growing 47 per cent from Dec 31 last year," he says.
Most clients also continue to stick with investment plans, although he adds that some have paused or, in some cases, liquidated their portfolios, as with any market crash.
–– ADVERTISEMENT ––
Staff are also working fully from home and they continue to monitor client portfolios and recommend changes in asset allocations if required.
The firm also continues to hold its Web seminars to keep clients up to date on the markets and the economic landscape.
Mr Ferrario's own investment strategy during this period is to continue systematic investing and dollar-cost averaging in order to hedge against risks.
He also diversifies across asset classes and timings, but urges investors to keep an emergency fund for short-term cash needs.
Mr Ferrario was previously the group chief executive of Zalora, which is an e-commerce website.
He is an Italian who has lived here for several years and is married with three children, the oldest of whom is six.
He has a master's in business administration from Columbia Business School.
Q WHAT'S IN YOUR PORTFOLIO?
A When StashAway went live in July 2017, my investment portfolio was 99.9 per cent cash, plus a bicycle that I used to go to the train station in the morning.
Since then, I have invested most of my cash through a two-year dollar-cost-averaging strategy, so that I'm left with approximately 20 per cent cash, 65 per cent in StashAway's portfolios and 10 per cent in one small apartment in Melbourne, as well as 5 per cent in angel investments and alternatives.
The StashAway portfolio I have for retirement has 45 per cent of its assets in US equities, 15 per cent in non-US equities, 15 per cent in gold and 25 per cent in government bonds.
I also hold two university funds for my two older children as the youngest is still under a year old.
I have a long-term fund which is made up of 72 per cent US equities and 28 per cent non-US equities.
I also have some US dollars and euros in a multi-currency bank account.
In terms of asset returns, the Melbourne apartment gives about 4 per cent yield. The "retirement plan" and university funds made 19.4 per cent returns in the last financial year, while the long-term fund made 30 per cent returns.
Q WHAT ARE YOUR IMMEDIATE INVESTMENT PLANS?
A Now that most of my net worth is invested, I'll continue to dollar-cost average with my monthly savings, in the same portfolios mentioned above. In the next two years, I may reduce my cash holdings further.
The only change I'm planning is that I need to start a university fund for Luce, my youngest child.
I have 18 years to put together enough money to be able to afford to send her to any school she wants to go to.
Q HOW DID YOU GET INTERESTED IN INVESTING?
A I studied business in my undergraduate years and did a master's in business administration.
In addition, I started my career at consultancy firm McKinsey, where I worked mostly for financial services clients, including wealth managers.
I then left McKinsey and went into private equity, where my interest for investing crystallised.
When I moved to Singapore for my previous job as group chief executive of Zalora, I did not have time to manage my own investments and I wanted more professional advice.
Unfortunately, my experience with the two banks I have opened accounts with has been horrific, as I realised I was simply being pitched very expensive products such as unit trusts and structured notes.
That is why in 2016, I started thinking about building a wealth management platform, not only to solve my investing issue, but also, at the same time, help other people build their wealth.
Related Story
Me & My Money: Organic food firm a health mission, not just a business
Related Story
Me & My Money: Luxury retailer has almost 60 bags worth $1.9m and says they give healthy returns
Q DESCRIBE YOUR INVESTING STRATEGY.
A I have a long-term view for most of my goals, and therefore, I take quite a bit of risk in my overall portfolio.
I like the idea of earmarking money for different goals, as it shows me clearly what I am saving and investing for.
Q HOW ARE YOU PLANNING FOR RETIREMENT?
A I am 39 years old and retirement is far away. To be honest, I do not know if I will continue to work during retirement.
What I do know is that I want to have the choice not to work during retirement, and that is why I'm saving and investing to be able to fund a long retirement for me and my wife.
As I have been working internationally, I do not have the benefits of government-sponsored pension plans, and therefore I need to take care of my retirement 100 per cent independently.
Q MONEYWISE, WHAT WERE YOUR GROWING-UP YEARS LIKE?
A I grew up in an upper-middle-class family in northern Italy.
For most of his career, my father was a senior manager in a few mid-sized Italian companies, primarily in the fashion industry, and spent a few stints as an entrepreneur.
He is now semi-retired, still working 50 per cent to 60 per cent of his time. My mother was a high school teacher, but is also now retired.
I have two siblings. My older sister Chiara is a medical doctor and lives in Switzerland with her three children, while my younger brother Luca is a tech entrepreneur, and lives in Italy close to my parents with his wife and their son.
We grew up in a large house outside Milan and my parents never made money an issue.
I later found out that my father did have difficult financial times during my teenage years, but it was amazing how he managed to keep everyone serene.
Q WHAT DOES MONEY MEAN TO YOU?
A Money means peace of mind to me. I want to have enough savings to know that my family will be fine, whatever happens to me. This idea gives me tranquillity.
Related Story
Me & My Money: Vet clinic owner puts her eggs in different baskets
Related Story
Me & My Money: Veteran private banker invests for the future
Q HOME IS NOW...
A Home is a rented apartment in a condominium in Sixth Avenue, where we rent a small three-bedroom apartment that is around 1,250 sq ft.
It is now a bit too small for the five of us and we are looking forward to moving to a larger apartment as soon as the lease expires.
Q I DRIVE ...
A I don't drive because cars in Singapore are incredibly expensive, and public transportation is fantastic.
My wife and I prefer buses and MRT. We spend less than $50 a month on cabs.
WORST AND BEST BETS
Q What has been your biggest investing mistake?
A My biggest investment mistake has been having most of my savings in cash until my mid-30s.
If I had started investing more aggressively a few years earlier, I would definitely have a higher net worth.
When I was in Italy, working in private equity, I invested the (little) savings I had in a portfolio of exchange-traded funds. When I moved to Singapore, I got too busy and stopped investing.
My savings increased significantly during this period, but I did not invest because I kept procrastinating as it was never "urgent".
My advice is to not make the mistake I did and spend a bit more time to find the right platform to invest and do it in a systematic way: Every month, your savings should be invested in a diversified portfolio, targeting whatever long-term goals you might have.
It takes less than $500 a month to build a $1 million portfolio in 40 years (from 25 years old to 65), while it takes close to $1,000 a month to achieve the same in 30 years and over $2,000 a month in 20 years, assuming 6 per cent net returns per annum. Compounding works incredibly hard for you so you need to start early.
Q And your best investment?
A So far, my best investment has been in StashAway, both as a shareholder as well as a customer.
To me, StashAway is, by far, the professional endeavour I am most proud of - we have built a world-class product that is helping a significant number of people improve the way they manage their money, which will ultimately improve their lives.
I am also very proud of the quality of the team we have built.
Mr. Wood
Banned
- Joined
- Oct 4, 2013
- Messages
- 26,961
- Reaction score
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thks mate.
yah. looks like some normal interview only.
Ironic that my lowest risk 6.5% portfolio is the only one that is making losses.
When did you start? Is it partly due to starting at the peak of usd/sgd?
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https://www.straitstimes.com/business/invest/keep-investing-even-when-the-going-gets-tough-says-entrepreneur
anyone subscribe to premium? can sic?
usually I will go library but now is close.
u can read the newspapers for free @ nlb until end of June: https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/main/sphnewspapers
- Joined
- Nov 27, 2000
- Messages
- 29,623
- Reaction score
- 8,753
I tried stashaway in jan 2020 and it is making some profits, better than endowus where it is in the red.
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