/ 16 October 2020

Expert financial advice still recommended – especially in uncertain times

Liberty

There’s plenty of evidence to prove that a Financial Adviser in your life dramatically increases your ability to manage your finances, especially in challenging circumstances.

According to the research company Columinate, 70% of people using an adviser are more confident about their financial situation.

Having an expert adviser is more than just moving money around, it’s about making a realistic plan when unexpected events threaten your wellbeing; a financial adviser helps you create strategies for eliminating financial risk and building and protecting wealth over the long term.

“Expert Financial Advisers can help you prioritise what’s important and find ways to be more efficient with money. Against the backdrop of Covid-19 and an economic downturn, where most people have suffered some kind of financial shock, an expert adviser can help stretch whatever income you have. They can also help protect your insurance or investment products by using the relief options available,” says Johan Minnie, Group Sales Director at Liberty.

Backed by organisations whose business is to understand what happens if your income takes a knock, expert advisers offer invaluable opinions and guidance in times of uncertainty. Minnie says that everyone finds themselves in some uncertainty at the moment.

“This pandemic has proven that our financial security is more fragile than we thought. Fortunately, expert advisers have trained for such times, and Liberty advisers have been further empowered with digital tools that allow them to guide South Africans who need financial advice,” he says.

While the economic and health uncertainty brought about by this pandemic will linger for a while, working on your finances need not wait. A conversation with an adviser can address practical issues such as:

  1. Reviewing your monthly budget
  2. Working out a plan for your survival if you have had a financial shift
  3. Prioritising what you really need
  4. Getting you the help you need
  5. Setting new goals or reviewing current ones.

Anyone can also use the Liberty Quick Connect tool — a smart holistic assessment that evaluates your whole context, from how you’re holding up mentally during the Covid-19 pandemic to a quick online financial wellness test to see how well you’re managing your budget, emergency savings and retirement, plus how vulnerable your finances are to disruptions such as a critical illness or disability.

Working out a financial plan with the assistance of an expert financial adviser is the first step on your road to financial freedom, where dreams become practical and achievable goals. The research shows that this is especially true in times of uncertainty.

About Liberty

Liberty is an established and growing Pan-African financial services group, with a presence in 18 countries. It offers an extensive, market-leading range of products and services to help retail and corporate customers build and protect their wealth and lifestyle. These include life and health related insurance; financial support for retirement; and investment management provided through its sub-brand STANLIB. Liberty is part of the Standard Bank Group, which has a 53.6% stake, and has been operational for more than 60 years. Liberty Holdings is listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange as well as the Nairobi Stock Exchange in Kenya.

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