Investors today are dealing with strong macro winds. It is not about the war in Ukraine, earthquakes or the divides in politics - those are all areas of concern to be addressed in other forums - it is about the persistent rise in interest rates. A wise and tenured investment manager was asked what his prediction was on rates and his response was that no one can really predict two things, inflation and interest rate direction. Recall the smart minds at the central banks calling “inflation transitory” not too long ago?
Even Albert Einstein, a man with a brain capable of solving the most complex physics equations, stumbled when it came to taxes. “The hardest thing in the world to understand,” he said, “is the income tax.” These days, tax advice is everywhere. TV ‘experts’, newspaper columnists and social media influencers will dispense tips on how to keep more of your money, but these brush strokes, at best, aren’t suitable for everyone and, at worst, perpetrate damaging misconceptions about certain benefits and how to use them.
