Business leaders and individuals are advised to seek expert advice on wealth management. It is a complex discipline whose importance is sometimes misunderstood. Find out what it is and how to adapt the services to your profile for optimal results.
What are assets?
By definition, wealth refers first and foremost to all the assets you own. It is therefore a concept that refers to both tangible and intangible assets. Land and real estate are at the top of the list of assets. Houses are therefore as much a part of your assets as land.
This is followed by business assets, shares in non-trading companies (SCM) and all other forms of professional property. Add to this all financial investments, patented inventions and copyrights. Assets also include collectors’ items and works of art, as well as vehicles, furniture and other physical property.
They are often overlooked, yet liabilities are also considered assets. They refer to a set of obligations, such as loans taken out and not yet fully repaid.
Assets are not fixed in time. Depending on the situation of the owner, it can increase or decrease.
What does it mean to manage assets?
The aim of good management is to reduce liabilities and increase assets. However, it is not easy to keep track of all the different elements that contribute to the evolution of the assets.
In concrete terms, management consists of building up private assets, separate from professional assets. The strategies adopted must also make it possible to identify the appropriate development levers according to the nature of the assets to be developed and the profile of the owner. Furthermore, it is essential that the management contributes to generating income from the assets. It is all of these aspects of wealth management that enable assets and liabilities to be passed on to successors and beneficiaries.
Who can manage an estate?
Asset management should be entrusted to professionals with the necessary skills in this field. The tasks vary according to the profession carried out by the person involved. The solutions presented are therefore also variable. It is therefore advisable to obtain information beforehand in order to ensure that your assets are properly managed.
Bankers can intervene if your assets consist of cash and/or if you have a project requiring financing. However, their field of competence is limited by the range of products they offer their clients.
Like bankers, insurers can provide support within the limits of the products they market. Their role focuses on provident and social protection, as well as on pension issues.
Insurance brokers perform similar functions to insurers in the context of asset management. However, they have the advantage of offering a wider choice as they can put you in touch with different providers whose offers may differ.
Notaries, on the other hand, use their wealth management skills in the context of an inheritance, a donation, a property purchase or a change in marital status.
If you are a company director who wants to have a global and detailed view of your company’s situation, a company like DSO can accompany you during your various growth phases.
The CGP (wealth management advisors) and CGPI (independent wealth management advisors) carry out a rigorous analysis of your profile and the specificities of your assets in order to enhance them. It should be noted that the solutions presented by the IFA may be limited if you are an employee of a bank or insurance company.
Asset management: preparing for the future
By entrusting the management of your assets to a competent professional, you benefit from neutral advice before making any decisions. The support offered is adapted to your situation, with a view to protecting your interests. In other words, wealth management offers you the opportunity to prepare for your future and that of your loved ones with peace of mind.
Wealth management: think about the right strategies
Wealth management firms work on a case-by-case basis. It is therefore essential to draw up your wealth assessment beforehand and to establish your profile.
These preliminary steps will help identify the right approach to making assets grow, as well as directing you towards the investment prospects that suit you. It is not just a question of preparing for your retirement, but of making a profit from the assets you have, while taking care to avoid the pitfalls that can increase liabilities at the expense of assets.
Wealth management: make the most of it!
Wealth management requires specialist knowledge. You need to have a solid understanding of taxation and law, master the workings of the stock market, understand the financial markets, but not only that!
In addition to being complex, the discipline requires a lot of time. This is why it is wise to entrust the management of your professional and/or personal assets to experts who guarantee objectivity and transparency. The choice of strategies proposed is based on an analysis of your situation. If your situation changes, the approaches can be readjusted with a view to preserving and growing your assets.
Seeking the expertise of a specialist wealth management firm is the most advantageous option so that you can concentrate on your activities while ensuring the security of the assets you have built up. This solution also offers you the possibility of diversifying your assets with complete peace of mind.