INSIGHTS

Published in MiNDFOOD magazine.

Tara's Story 

Tara understands that it is a privilege to be able to invest money and wants her daughters to understand this and eventually how to best maximise their returns – that’s why she’s started investment portfolios for her two daughters.

When lawyer Tara and her husband returned from living overseas, their priorities were to buy a property and begin an investment portfolio. The house came first, and when it was time to seek advice on their remaining funds, they turned to Craigs Investment Partners.

Hamilton-based adviser Chantal Baxter empowers Tara to evaluate her requirements ongoing, assess her appetite for risk and invest accordingly. “Chantal understands that we’re investing not only for our own retirement, but for our daughters’ futures as well. Specifically for them – a portfolio that is not hampered by conditions of access.”

Tara wants her daughters to mature with their portfolios so they learn how savings can grow when managed well. Chantal agrees that starting the girls early is an excellent way of “building a nest egg for them, giving them exposure to different investments as well as allowing them to learn along the way.”

Tara acknowledges that it’s not all smooth sailing and the family are seeing first-hand how portfolios can be impacted by market dips. “Craigs has been proactive in allaying any concerns that are natural when investing,” says Tara. “They understand that it can be a stressful time for investors and I appreciate that about them.”

At the same time, Chantal is making sure Tara – and her other clients – are aware of the opportunities that exist during a market downturn. “It’s actually a great time for women to take ownership of their financial future and buying quality companies at a lower price tends to be more appealing than buying at near all time highs,” explains Chantal. “We aim to make the process simple to anyone new to investing, and explain the ins and outs so that everything is very clear.”

Chantal understands that we’re investing not only for our own retirement, but for our daughters’ futures as well. Specifically for them – a portfolio that is not hampered by conditions of access.

Chantal’s deep knowledge is what makes Tara so certain that being with a Craigs adviser is the right choice. “In my opinion, the purpose of a managed portfolio is having the benefit of both regular research and targeted advice to provide sound guidance for our investment decisions and help ensure we get good returns.”

Tara is also a regular at Craigs’ Women’s Wealth seminars, where women are invited to listen, learn and ask questions of one of 50 female Craigs advisers located throughout the country. “I enjoy the camaraderie and the stimulating learning environment.”

Hopefully, the girls will one day have an interest in coming along, too. “Once they get to 18, they’ll start managing their own investment portfolios,” says Tara. “Our goal is to provide them with a great start, and some accessible funds for needs (not wants) that we might not have projected for when they have left home.”

Sarah's Story 

Working with an adviser at Craigs Investment Partners has helped Sarah with three financial goals: retirement, university, and a sabbatical. Sending a child to university, investing for retirement, and planning a 50th birthday sabbatical can be big hills to climb. But project manager Sarah says sound investment advice has set her on the path to savings success.

Sarah started investing in her 20s in Auckland but when she moved to another part of the country, she sought an adviser near her new home – specifically a female adviser. The 48-year-old single parent wanted to grow her nest egg, and she knew that bank deposits wouldn’t produce the returns she was seeking. “Because I was investing my life savings, I wanted someone I could talk to who could give me some personalised advice.” Sarah says that she felt comfortable after meeting with Craigs adviser Maria Heslop.

I related to her because she is a parent who understands that investing and saving can be challenging as a single mum, but she also recognises that women can be good with money.

The pair teamed up to chart a course for Sarah that involved not only saving for retirement, but also setting up two shorter-term investment portfolios: one for her son’s university, the other for a six-month sabbatical after she turns 50. “I wanted to get to the point where I could confidently take time off from work,” says Sarah.

It all started by assessing Sarah’s financial situation, which included income, debt, assets, family needs, and goals. Maria says investing with a female adviser can provide a supportive environment for women, especially after life changes such as starting a new job, a business, after a relationship breakup or a loss of a partner. “Investing opens up so many different options. It can be easy and even fun when you’re working with an adviser. For us it’s about listening first, then planning how best to bring goals to fruition through a well constructed portfolio,” says Maria.

An adviser’s role is to offer a sense of comfort, a listening ear, and tailored advice to assist with creating a solid financial foundation. Craigs Investment Partners invests time and effort into building long-term relationships with clients, to understand who they are and what they need to ease concerns. Craigs is one of New Zealand’s leading investment advisory firms, with more than 180 qualified investment advisers across 19 branches from Kerikeri to Invercargill.

Chantal Baxter and Maria Heslop are part of Craigs’ Women’s Wealth, a nationwide adviser-led programme empowering women to achieve financial freedom through increased knowledge and confidence.

To learn more about Craigs’ Women’s wealth programme and discover what Craigs can offer, visit craigsip.com/womens-wealth or phone 0800 272 442.

Client names have been changed for privacy reasons. This article is general in nature and is not financial advice. It does not take into account your financial situation, objectives, goals, or risk tolerance. All investments involve risk and can go down as well as up. The Craigs Investment Partners Limited Financial Advice Provider Disclosure
Statement can be viewed at craigsip.com/tcs .