MONEY MANAGEMENT: WHAT IS ASSET ALLOCATION?
Asset Allocation: 1. the process of intelligent decision-making regarding the placement of financial assets for investment purposes. 2. the ability to move financial assets from one investment class to another, based on prudent risk/reward evaluations and individual investor objectives. 3. the critical decisions that savvy independent investors must make regarding where to put their money and in their proper amounts in order to play Wall Street Craps successfully over time.
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Effective money management is the process of maximizing after-tax earnings, spending money wisely, saving or budgeting for predetermined expenses, and investing funds for future needs and desires. In regards to the investing part, the financial industry commonly uses something called the “asset allocation model” to help investors understand the concept of where to distribute their money in regards to risk tolerance (how much uncertainty an investor can handle in regards to financial loss) and investment objectives.
Typically, asset allocation models start by dividing a person’s funds into three separate investment classes which are stocks, fixed income (bonds, notes, preferred stocks), and cash equivalents (saving accounts, money market funds, or Treasury bills). A simple example of asset allocation strategies based on an investor’s tolerance to risk would include the following:
• Conservative: 20% Stocks – 50% Fixed Income – 30% Cash Equivalents
• Moderate: 60% Stocks – 35% Fixed Income – 5% Cash Equivalents
• Aggressive: 95% Stocks – 0% Fixed Income – 5% Cash Equivalents
The stock portion can also be further divided into three sub-classes: large-cap equity (stocks of large companies), small-cap equity (stocks of small companies), and international equity (stocks of foreign-based companies).
Asset allocation models are often illustrated with pie diagrams. That way, investors can develop a clear visual image of where to put their money based on the risk level that best suits their own individual situation.
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“Avoid greed and fear. These are the investor’s Achilles heels. Keeping all your money in the bank earning 1% interest is just as foolish as dumping your entire savings into the market thinking you’ll make a quick buck.”
Nancy Dunnan