In an interview with Pooja Chopra Goel of Myiris.com, Abhishek Gupta, Founder & Director, Moat Wealth Advisors, explains the services they offer and shares his views on the markets & what investors should do in present times.
Can you tell us about `Moat Wealth Advisors` and its mission & services? What services do you offer?
Moat Wealth Advisors is a financial planning and wealth management firm. We have a good number of HNI and retail clients. Our mission is to provide unbiased investment advice to help our clients achieve their long term goals through long term investing and take advantage of the `magic of compounding`. We offer financial planning solutions such as comprehensive financial plan, single goal planning, tax planning and wealth management solutions through mutual funds, deposits.
What led you to choose financial planning as a career? How has your journey been so far?
Mis-selling was rampant in the industry when we started. Investors were led to buying products which met the needs of the advisor/distributor rather than the investor. We saw an opportunity for providing unbiased investment advice which kept the investor and his goals as the sole focus. Since people are used to free advice and cash back from distributors, it has been difficult to convince people to pay advisory fees. But, we are seeing a change gradually where investors are paying.
With so many sources of information out there and access to the markets through internet, why does a person need a financial advisor?
Internet is just a tool to buy and sell. It does not know your goals and your financial position. This is where a financial advisor comes in. His job is to guide the investor to which products suit his requirements and are in line with his long term/short term goals.
What is the one financial mistake nearly everyone makes?
Investing in insurance is the most common mistake. We advise our clients to keep insurance and investment separate. Take term and invest the rest.
Has the no-load regime affected your business?
There has been no impact as we charge advisory fees.
How many fund houses do you deal with? In which fund house do you have the maximum AUM ((in terms of percentage)? Tell us your favourite all-time MF schemes and fund managers.
We deal with 8-9 fund houses. We have a good AUM with HDFC, DSP Blackrock, Franklin Templeton. We like HDFC Equity Fund, DSP Blackrock Small and Midcap Fund and Templeton India Growth Fund.
What is your take on current market situation? What are the key factors that will drive the stock markets in 2011? What is your advice to retail investors now?
I don`t know where will the market go in the next 1-2 years, but equities will outperform all asset classes in the next 6-7 years. All retail investors should stick to mutual funds and stay away from people who promise a high return in a short period of time. If your horizon is less than 3 years, don`t even think of equity. In any market situation, SIPs/STPs work best for long term returns in equity.
**You can get in touch with Abhishek Gupta at: abhishek7@gmail.com
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