{"data":{"tab":"Learning","hideFromSearch":false,"keywords":"","pageCategory":"Help and Support","headerActionButtons":[{"url":"/start-investing","name":"Open an account","target":""},{"url":"/start-investing","name":"Transfer an account","target":""}],"sidebar":[{"content":{"subtitle":"Our friendly team can help with any concern you have about your investments","title":"Speak to an expert","contentType":null,"key":"a4be8b6a-a0f5-4cd4-a01c-bd6d057818b3","properties":null},"settings":{"purpleBlockStyle":false,"contentType":null,"key":"992283bc-fe70-4fdf-a97f-da12648c4e18","properties":null},"blockType":"contactUsBlock"},{"content":{"subtitle":"Receive the latest updates straight to your inbox.","termsConditions":"
By clicking the following button you are agreeing to our website conditions.
","thankYouText":"Thank you for signing up.
","title":"Get insights and events via email","contentType":null,"key":"d33b3885-84b1-48a2-a407-1ff139824a69","properties":null},"settings":{"purpleBlockStyle":false,"contentType":null,"key":"33fda0c2-32bc-417a-9108-8be64b51db02","properties":null},"blockType":"newsletterSignUpBlock"}],"twitterTitle":"Building an investment portfolio","twitterDescription":"Discover how to build the right investment portfolio for your needs with this handy Bestinvest guide. Learn why asset allocation is so important.","twitterImage":null,"ogTitle":"Building an investment portfolio","ogDescription":"Discover how to build the right investment portfolio for your needs with this handy Bestinvest guide. Learn why asset allocation is so important.","ogImage":null,"metaTitle":"How To Build an Investment Portfolio","pageDescription":"Free investment tutorial І Lesson 5: building an investment portfolio І Learn 3 different ways you can invest and the benefits of rebalancing a portfolio. ","canonicalURL":null,"hideFromSitemap":false,"pageTitle":"Lesson five","navigationTitle":"","umbracoNaviHide":false,"blockModules":[{"content":{"standardRiskWarnings":{"body":"The value of your investments and the income from them may go down as well as up, and you could get back less than you invested.
","notes":"","title":"","contentType":null,"key":"e3d0402d-d19e-40a9-aa67-f4d859c9f63d","id":5283,"name":"3. Value of your investments","urlSegment":"3-value-of-your-investments","sortOrder":1,"level":3,"path":"-1,3039,5282,5283","creatorId":-1,"createDate":"2024-11-13T17:21:02Z","writerId":-1,"updateDate":"2024-11-19T13:53:57.087Z","cultures":{"":{"culture":"","name":"3. Value of your investments","urlSegment":"3-value-of-your-investments","date":"2024-11-13T17:21:02Z"}},"itemType":2,"parent":{"contentType":null,"key":"0ed2e80c-238d-4987-809c-90f617cb611d","id":5282,"name":"Risk Warnings","urlSegment":"risk-warnings","sortOrder":2,"level":2,"path":"-1,3039,5282","creatorId":-1,"createDate":"2024-11-13T15:36:27Z","writerId":-1,"updateDate":"2024-11-19T13:53:56.6Z","cultures":{"":{"culture":"","name":"Risk Warnings","urlSegment":"risk-warnings","date":"2024-11-13T15:36:27Z"}},"itemType":2,"parent":{"contentType":null,"key":"351bc456-be72-459b-a1fe-e9bc58c76472","id":3039,"name":"Repos","urlSegment":"repos","sortOrder":3,"level":1,"path":"-1,3039","creatorId":-1,"createDate":"2024-03-13T10:54:19Z","writerId":-1,"updateDate":"2024-04-18T14:27:21.313Z","cultures":{"":{"culture":"","name":"Repos","urlSegment":"repos","date":"2024-03-13T10:54:19Z"}},"itemType":2,"children":[{"contentType":null,"key":"383af845-1c71-44b9-b9b1-9c8ac0264491","id":3040,"name":"Modals","urlSegment":"modals","sortOrder":0,"level":2,"path":"-1,3039,3040","creatorId":-1,"createDate":"2024-03-13T10:54:32Z","writerId":-1,"updateDate":"2024-04-18T14:27:22.157Z","cultures":{"":{"culture":"","name":"Modals","urlSegment":"modals","date":"2024-03-13T10:54:32Z"}},"itemType":2,"children":[{"modalWidth":500,"text":"Modal body text
","contentType":null,"key":"94cdc483-7832-491b-9450-b1b126bbb866","id":3041,"name":"First Modal","urlSegment":"first-modal","sortOrder":0,"level":3,"path":"-1,3039,3040,3041","creatorId":-1,"createDate":"2024-03-13T10:55:08Z","writerId":2,"updateDate":"2025-05-16T09:22:26.523Z","cultures":{"":{"culture":"","name":"First Modal","urlSegment":"first-modal","date":"2024-03-13T10:55:08Z"}},"itemType":2,"children":[],"childrenForAllCultures":[],"properties":null}],"childrenForAllCultures":[{"modalWidth":500,"text":"Modal body text
","contentType":null,"key":"94cdc483-7832-491b-9450-b1b126bbb866","id":3041,"name":"First Modal","urlSegment":"first-modal","sortOrder":0,"level":3,"path":"-1,3039,3040,3041","creatorId":-1,"createDate":"2024-03-13T10:55:08Z","writerId":2,"updateDate":"2025-05-16T09:22:26.523Z","cultures":{"":{"culture":"","name":"First Modal","urlSegment":"first-modal","date":"2024-03-13T10:55:08Z"}},"itemType":2,"children":[],"childrenForAllCultures":[],"properties":null}],"properties":null}],"childrenForAllCultures":[{"contentType":null,"key":"383af845-1c71-44b9-b9b1-9c8ac0264491","id":3040,"name":"Modals","urlSegment":"modals","sortOrder":0,"level":2,"path":"-1,3039,3040","creatorId":-1,"createDate":"2024-03-13T10:54:32Z","writerId":-1,"updateDate":"2024-04-18T14:27:22.157Z","cultures":{"":{"culture":"","name":"Modals","urlSegment":"modals","date":"2024-03-13T10:54:32Z"}},"itemType":2,"children":[{"modalWidth":500,"text":"Modal body text
","contentType":null,"key":"94cdc483-7832-491b-9450-b1b126bbb866","id":3041,"name":"First Modal","urlSegment":"first-modal","sortOrder":0,"level":3,"path":"-1,3039,3040,3041","creatorId":-1,"createDate":"2024-03-13T10:55:08Z","writerId":2,"updateDate":"2025-05-16T09:22:26.523Z","cultures":{"":{"culture":"","name":"First Modal","urlSegment":"first-modal","date":"2024-03-13T10:55:08Z"}},"itemType":2,"children":[],"childrenForAllCultures":[],"properties":null}],"childrenForAllCultures":[{"modalWidth":500,"text":"Modal body text
","contentType":null,"key":"94cdc483-7832-491b-9450-b1b126bbb866","id":3041,"name":"First Modal","urlSegment":"first-modal","sortOrder":0,"level":3,"path":"-1,3039,3040,3041","creatorId":-1,"createDate":"2024-03-13T10:55:08Z","writerId":2,"updateDate":"2025-05-16T09:22:26.523Z","cultures":{"":{"culture":"","name":"First Modal","urlSegment":"first-modal","date":"2024-03-13T10:55:08Z"}},"itemType":2,"children":[],"childrenForAllCultures":[],"properties":null}],"properties":null}],"properties":null},"children":[{"body":"The specific securities identified and described are for informational purposes only and do not represent recommendations.
","notes":"","title":"","contentType":null,"key":"a61b2ca9-4e47-45c0-9f88-b37bd14c50ad","id":5284,"name":"9. Specific securities","urlSegment":"9-specific-securities","sortOrder":2,"level":3,"path":"-1,3039,5282,5284","creatorId":-1,"createDate":"2024-11-14T10:25:23Z","writerId":-1,"updateDate":"2024-11-19T13:53:57.29Z","cultures":{"":{"culture":"","name":"9. Specific securities","urlSegment":"9-specific-securities","date":"2024-11-14T10:25:23Z"}},"itemType":2,"children":[],"childrenForAllCultures":[],"properties":null},{"body":"SIPPs are not suitable for everyone as they may be more expensive than other types of pensions. They may not be right for you if you don’t want to invest across different asset classes or don’t think you will make use of the investment choices available to you. The Best SIPP is designed for people looking to invest at least £10,000 through any combination of one-off investments, regular contributions or transfers from other providers, over a short time frame.
","notes":"","title":"","contentType":null,"key":"7e27a9a5-560f-43ff-9a3d-2aae0cbfff00","id":5287,"name":"16. Sipps","urlSegment":"16-sipps","sortOrder":5,"level":3,"path":"-1,3039,5282,5287","creatorId":-1,"createDate":"2024-11-15T16:22:15Z","writerId":-1,"updateDate":"2025-02-03T10:55:30.657Z","cultures":{"":{"culture":"","name":"16. Sipps","urlSegment":"16-sipps","date":"2024-11-15T16:22:15Z"}},"itemType":2,"children":[],"childrenForAllCultures":[],"properties":null},{"body":"Transfer considerations. Transfers should only be considered for pensions which do not offer any guaranteed or safeguarded benefits - not final salary or defined benefit schemes or pensions that offer particular annuity rates and other promises. You should ensure that by transferring you are not incurring unnecessary penalties, losing any benefits or features, and have considered any increase in pension charges.
","notes":"","title":"","contentType":null,"key":"ef005e57-13ee-4235-b529-6f516f67dff5","id":5288,"name":"15. Transfers","urlSegment":"15-transfers","sortOrder":6,"level":3,"path":"-1,3039,5282,5288","creatorId":-1,"createDate":"2024-11-15T16:30:51Z","writerId":-1,"updateDate":"2024-11-19T13:53:58.383Z","cultures":{"":{"culture":"","name":"15. Transfers","urlSegment":"15-transfers","date":"2024-11-15T16:30:51Z"}},"itemType":2,"children":[],"childrenForAllCultures":[],"properties":null},{"body":"The value of your investments and the income from them may go down as well as up, and you could get back less than you invested.
\nTax treatment depends on the individual circumstances of each client and may be subject to change in the future.
","notes":"","title":"","contentType":null,"key":"cb98df25-73ed-4559-9947-d1b5ca6d169f","id":5289,"name":"4. Value and Tax","urlSegment":"4-value-and-tax","sortOrder":7,"level":3,"path":"-1,3039,5282,5289","creatorId":-1,"createDate":"2024-11-18T12:34:21Z","writerId":-1,"updateDate":"2024-11-27T15:39:16.84Z","cultures":{"":{"culture":"","name":"4. Value and Tax","urlSegment":"4-value-and-tax","date":"2024-11-18T12:34:21Z"}},"itemType":2,"children":[],"childrenForAllCultures":[],"properties":null},{"body":"As with all stock market investments the value of the Junior ISA can fall as well as rise and you may get back less than has been paid in.
Tax treatment depends on individual circumstances and may be subject to change in the future.
With pension investment, both the money you invest and the income from it can fall in value.
Before transferring, see Transfer considerations.
The value of investments can fall as well as rise and that you may not get back the amount you originally invested.
\nNothing in these briefings is intended to constitute advice or a recommendation and you should not take any investment decision based on their content.
\nAny opinions expressed may change or have already changed.
","notes":"","title":"","contentType":null,"key":"8e5ca4b2-4f3d-4f21-87ef-773fb88b2d56","id":5292,"name":"5. Professional advice","urlSegment":"5-professional-advice","sortOrder":10,"level":3,"path":"-1,3039,5282,5292","creatorId":-1,"createDate":"2024-11-19T14:48:27Z","writerId":-1,"updateDate":"2024-12-27T09:35:39.857Z","cultures":{"":{"culture":"","name":"5. Professional advice","urlSegment":"5-professional-advice","date":"2024-11-19T14:48:27Z"}},"itemType":2,"children":[],"childrenForAllCultures":[],"properties":null},{"body":"Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. View full risk warning.
","notes":"","title":"","contentType":null,"key":"6d90fc31-9d2a-43ea-be14-cbb782b0d88c","id":5293,"name":"6. Full risk link","urlSegment":"6-full-risk-link","sortOrder":11,"level":3,"path":"-1,3039,5282,5293","creatorId":-1,"createDate":"2024-11-19T14:50:00Z","writerId":-1,"updateDate":"2025-03-04T14:44:19.81Z","cultures":{"":{"culture":"","name":"6. Full risk link","urlSegment":"6-full-risk-link","date":"2024-11-19T14:50:00Z"}},"itemType":2,"children":[],"childrenForAllCultures":[],"properties":null},{"body":"Before transferring, see Transfer considerations.
","notes":"","title":"","contentType":null,"key":"b0f77c3b-ed35-490e-a324-94a0929c4e63","id":5314,"name":"1. Transfer notice","urlSegment":"1-transfer-notice","sortOrder":12,"level":3,"path":"-1,3039,5282,5314","creatorId":-1,"createDate":"2024-11-20T12:26:52Z","writerId":-1,"updateDate":"2024-11-20T12:27:04.63Z","cultures":{"":{"culture":"","name":"1. Transfer notice","urlSegment":"1-transfer-notice","date":"2024-11-20T12:26:52Z"}},"itemType":2,"children":[],"childrenForAllCultures":[],"properties":null},{"body":"Tax treatment depends on the individual circumstances of each client and may be subject to change in the future.
","notes":"","title":"","contentType":null,"key":"694047db-9565-48fe-89cb-948cb96431fa","id":5455,"name":"27. Tax","urlSegment":"27-tax","sortOrder":13,"level":3,"path":"-1,3039,5282,5455","creatorId":2,"createDate":"2024-11-27T11:18:40Z","writerId":2,"updateDate":"2025-07-01T11:37:26.693Z","cultures":{"":{"culture":"","name":"27. Tax","urlSegment":"27-tax","date":"2024-11-27T11:18:40Z"}},"itemType":2,"children":[],"childrenForAllCultures":[],"properties":null},{"body":"The value of your investments and the income from them may go down as well as up, and you could get back less than you invested.
Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results.
ETFs can be high risk and complex and may not be suitable for retail investors, so you should make sure you understand all the risks involved before investing.
The value of your investments and the income from them may go down as well as up, and you could get back less than you invested.
The value of a pension can go down as well as up – and you could get less than the amount that's been put in.
You should consider charges, investment choices and any valuable benefits that could be lost before combining any pensions.
The decision to access your pension is an important one and will affect your income and possibly your standard of living for years to come.
Therefore we recommend that before any decision is made you receive regulated financial advice or get free guidance from Pension Wise.
Pensions are long-term investments. You may get back less than you originally paid in because your capital is not guaranteed and charges may apply.
","notes":"","title":"","contentType":null,"key":"fa9a27d7-45d7-4318-b03a-41ad577dadd8","id":5321,"name":"21. Long term","urlSegment":"21-long-term","sortOrder":18,"level":3,"path":"-1,3039,5282,5321","creatorId":-1,"createDate":"2024-11-29T16:56:27Z","writerId":-1,"updateDate":"2024-11-29T16:56:37.853Z","cultures":{"":{"culture":"","name":"21. Long term","urlSegment":"21-long-term","date":"2024-11-29T16:56:27Z"}},"itemType":2,"children":[],"childrenForAllCultures":[],"properties":null},{"body":"Income drawdown is complex and not suitable for everyone. Your pension remains invested so your income will be affected by the value and performance of underlying assets which may fall; make sure you understand the risks and costs before you go ahead.
","notes":"","title":"","contentType":null,"key":"65982c9d-78b6-4d4d-96d5-47fc3591ea1c","id":5322,"name":"22. Income drawdown","urlSegment":"22-income-drawdown","sortOrder":19,"level":3,"path":"-1,3039,5282,5322","creatorId":-1,"createDate":"2024-11-29T16:57:54Z","writerId":-1,"updateDate":"2024-11-29T16:58:02.393Z","cultures":{"":{"culture":"","name":"22. Income drawdown","urlSegment":"22-income-drawdown","date":"2024-11-29T16:57:54Z"}},"itemType":2,"children":[],"childrenForAllCultures":[],"properties":null},{"body":"SIPPs are not suitable for everyone as they may be more expensive than other types of pensions. They may not be right for you if you don’t want to invest across different asset classes or don’t think you will make use of the investment choices available to you.
Tax treatment depends on the individual circumstances of each client and may be subject to change in the future.
VCTs are higher-risk investments designed for UK resident taxpayers with an investment time horizon of greater than 5 years, which is the minimum holding period to qualify for income tax relief.
Tax reliefs depend on individual circumstances and may change. They may be difficult to sell at a price close to the value of the underlying assets or at the time of your choosing. They should only form a small part of an investor’s portfolio.
You should read the relevant prospectus before making any decisions.
The information and guidance provided by the coaches is not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
","notes":"","title":"","contentType":null,"key":"e427eb8c-de84-4e4f-81f7-8be7d22376fc","id":5331,"name":"28. Coaches","urlSegment":"28-coaches","sortOrder":22,"level":3,"path":"-1,3039,5282,5331","creatorId":-1,"createDate":"2024-12-09T11:45:13Z","writerId":-1,"updateDate":"2024-12-09T11:45:23.713Z","cultures":{"":{"culture":"","name":"28. Coaches","urlSegment":"28-coaches","date":"2024-12-09T11:45:13Z"}},"itemType":2,"children":[],"childrenForAllCultures":[],"properties":null},{"body":"Venture Capital Trusts (VCTs) are high-risk investments and you may get back less than invested.
","notes":"","title":"","contentType":null,"key":"da526787-844e-434d-a14e-3f3eee3464bc","id":5379,"name":"29. VCTs (Short)","urlSegment":"29-vcts-short","sortOrder":23,"level":3,"path":"-1,3039,5282,5379","creatorId":-1,"createDate":"2025-01-28T15:33:58Z","writerId":-1,"updateDate":"2025-03-04T10:09:37.15Z","cultures":{"":{"culture":"","name":"29. VCTs (Short)","urlSegment":"29-vcts-short","date":"2025-01-28T15:33:58Z"}},"itemType":2,"children":[],"childrenForAllCultures":[],"properties":null},{"body":"VCTs are higher-risk investments designed for UK resident taxpayers with an investment time horizon of greater than 5 years, which is the minimum holding period to qualify for income tax relief. The value of investments can fall as well as rise and you may get back less than invested.
\nVCTs should only be considered by experienced investors once other financial planning solutions have been fully explored and should only form a small part of your portfolio.
With pension investment, both the money you invest and the income from it can fall in value.
The specific securities identified and described are for informational purposes only and do not represent recommendations.
","notes":"","title":"","contentType":null,"key":"a61b2ca9-4e47-45c0-9f88-b37bd14c50ad","id":5284,"name":"9. Specific securities","urlSegment":"9-specific-securities","sortOrder":2,"level":3,"path":"-1,3039,5282,5284","creatorId":-1,"createDate":"2024-11-14T10:25:23Z","writerId":-1,"updateDate":"2024-11-19T13:53:57.29Z","cultures":{"":{"culture":"","name":"9. Specific securities","urlSegment":"9-specific-securities","date":"2024-11-14T10:25:23Z"}},"itemType":2,"children":[],"childrenForAllCultures":[],"properties":null},{"body":"SIPPs are not suitable for everyone as they may be more expensive than other types of pensions. They may not be right for you if you don’t want to invest across different asset classes or don’t think you will make use of the investment choices available to you. The Best SIPP is designed for people looking to invest at least £10,000 through any combination of one-off investments, regular contributions or transfers from other providers, over a short time frame.
","notes":"","title":"","contentType":null,"key":"7e27a9a5-560f-43ff-9a3d-2aae0cbfff00","id":5287,"name":"16. Sipps","urlSegment":"16-sipps","sortOrder":5,"level":3,"path":"-1,3039,5282,5287","creatorId":-1,"createDate":"2024-11-15T16:22:15Z","writerId":-1,"updateDate":"2025-02-03T10:55:30.657Z","cultures":{"":{"culture":"","name":"16. Sipps","urlSegment":"16-sipps","date":"2024-11-15T16:22:15Z"}},"itemType":2,"children":[],"childrenForAllCultures":[],"properties":null},{"body":"Transfer considerations. Transfers should only be considered for pensions which do not offer any guaranteed or safeguarded benefits - not final salary or defined benefit schemes or pensions that offer particular annuity rates and other promises. You should ensure that by transferring you are not incurring unnecessary penalties, losing any benefits or features, and have considered any increase in pension charges.
","notes":"","title":"","contentType":null,"key":"ef005e57-13ee-4235-b529-6f516f67dff5","id":5288,"name":"15. Transfers","urlSegment":"15-transfers","sortOrder":6,"level":3,"path":"-1,3039,5282,5288","creatorId":-1,"createDate":"2024-11-15T16:30:51Z","writerId":-1,"updateDate":"2024-11-19T13:53:58.383Z","cultures":{"":{"culture":"","name":"15. Transfers","urlSegment":"15-transfers","date":"2024-11-15T16:30:51Z"}},"itemType":2,"children":[],"childrenForAllCultures":[],"properties":null},{"body":"The value of your investments and the income from them may go down as well as up, and you could get back less than you invested.
\nTax treatment depends on the individual circumstances of each client and may be subject to change in the future.
","notes":"","title":"","contentType":null,"key":"cb98df25-73ed-4559-9947-d1b5ca6d169f","id":5289,"name":"4. Value and Tax","urlSegment":"4-value-and-tax","sortOrder":7,"level":3,"path":"-1,3039,5282,5289","creatorId":-1,"createDate":"2024-11-18T12:34:21Z","writerId":-1,"updateDate":"2024-11-27T15:39:16.84Z","cultures":{"":{"culture":"","name":"4. Value and Tax","urlSegment":"4-value-and-tax","date":"2024-11-18T12:34:21Z"}},"itemType":2,"children":[],"childrenForAllCultures":[],"properties":null},{"body":"As with all stock market investments the value of the Junior ISA can fall as well as rise and you may get back less than has been paid in.
Tax treatment depends on individual circumstances and may be subject to change in the future.
With pension investment, both the money you invest and the income from it can fall in value.
Before transferring, see Transfer considerations.
The value of investments can fall as well as rise and that you may not get back the amount you originally invested.
\nNothing in these briefings is intended to constitute advice or a recommendation and you should not take any investment decision based on their content.
\nAny opinions expressed may change or have already changed.
","notes":"","title":"","contentType":null,"key":"8e5ca4b2-4f3d-4f21-87ef-773fb88b2d56","id":5292,"name":"5. Professional advice","urlSegment":"5-professional-advice","sortOrder":10,"level":3,"path":"-1,3039,5282,5292","creatorId":-1,"createDate":"2024-11-19T14:48:27Z","writerId":-1,"updateDate":"2024-12-27T09:35:39.857Z","cultures":{"":{"culture":"","name":"5. Professional advice","urlSegment":"5-professional-advice","date":"2024-11-19T14:48:27Z"}},"itemType":2,"children":[],"childrenForAllCultures":[],"properties":null},{"body":"Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. View full risk warning.
","notes":"","title":"","contentType":null,"key":"6d90fc31-9d2a-43ea-be14-cbb782b0d88c","id":5293,"name":"6. Full risk link","urlSegment":"6-full-risk-link","sortOrder":11,"level":3,"path":"-1,3039,5282,5293","creatorId":-1,"createDate":"2024-11-19T14:50:00Z","writerId":-1,"updateDate":"2025-03-04T14:44:19.81Z","cultures":{"":{"culture":"","name":"6. Full risk link","urlSegment":"6-full-risk-link","date":"2024-11-19T14:50:00Z"}},"itemType":2,"children":[],"childrenForAllCultures":[],"properties":null},{"body":"Before transferring, see Transfer considerations.
","notes":"","title":"","contentType":null,"key":"b0f77c3b-ed35-490e-a324-94a0929c4e63","id":5314,"name":"1. Transfer notice","urlSegment":"1-transfer-notice","sortOrder":12,"level":3,"path":"-1,3039,5282,5314","creatorId":-1,"createDate":"2024-11-20T12:26:52Z","writerId":-1,"updateDate":"2024-11-20T12:27:04.63Z","cultures":{"":{"culture":"","name":"1. Transfer notice","urlSegment":"1-transfer-notice","date":"2024-11-20T12:26:52Z"}},"itemType":2,"children":[],"childrenForAllCultures":[],"properties":null},{"body":"Tax treatment depends on the individual circumstances of each client and may be subject to change in the future.
","notes":"","title":"","contentType":null,"key":"694047db-9565-48fe-89cb-948cb96431fa","id":5455,"name":"27. Tax","urlSegment":"27-tax","sortOrder":13,"level":3,"path":"-1,3039,5282,5455","creatorId":2,"createDate":"2024-11-27T11:18:40Z","writerId":2,"updateDate":"2025-07-01T11:37:26.693Z","cultures":{"":{"culture":"","name":"27. Tax","urlSegment":"27-tax","date":"2024-11-27T11:18:40Z"}},"itemType":2,"children":[],"childrenForAllCultures":[],"properties":null},{"body":"The value of your investments and the income from them may go down as well as up, and you could get back less than you invested.
Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results.
ETFs can be high risk and complex and may not be suitable for retail investors, so you should make sure you understand all the risks involved before investing.
The value of your investments and the income from them may go down as well as up, and you could get back less than you invested.
The value of a pension can go down as well as up – and you could get less than the amount that's been put in.
You should consider charges, investment choices and any valuable benefits that could be lost before combining any pensions.
The decision to access your pension is an important one and will affect your income and possibly your standard of living for years to come.
Therefore we recommend that before any decision is made you receive regulated financial advice or get free guidance from Pension Wise.
Pensions are long-term investments. You may get back less than you originally paid in because your capital is not guaranteed and charges may apply.
","notes":"","title":"","contentType":null,"key":"fa9a27d7-45d7-4318-b03a-41ad577dadd8","id":5321,"name":"21. Long term","urlSegment":"21-long-term","sortOrder":18,"level":3,"path":"-1,3039,5282,5321","creatorId":-1,"createDate":"2024-11-29T16:56:27Z","writerId":-1,"updateDate":"2024-11-29T16:56:37.853Z","cultures":{"":{"culture":"","name":"21. Long term","urlSegment":"21-long-term","date":"2024-11-29T16:56:27Z"}},"itemType":2,"children":[],"childrenForAllCultures":[],"properties":null},{"body":"Income drawdown is complex and not suitable for everyone. Your pension remains invested so your income will be affected by the value and performance of underlying assets which may fall; make sure you understand the risks and costs before you go ahead.
","notes":"","title":"","contentType":null,"key":"65982c9d-78b6-4d4d-96d5-47fc3591ea1c","id":5322,"name":"22. Income drawdown","urlSegment":"22-income-drawdown","sortOrder":19,"level":3,"path":"-1,3039,5282,5322","creatorId":-1,"createDate":"2024-11-29T16:57:54Z","writerId":-1,"updateDate":"2024-11-29T16:58:02.393Z","cultures":{"":{"culture":"","name":"22. Income drawdown","urlSegment":"22-income-drawdown","date":"2024-11-29T16:57:54Z"}},"itemType":2,"children":[],"childrenForAllCultures":[],"properties":null},{"body":"SIPPs are not suitable for everyone as they may be more expensive than other types of pensions. They may not be right for you if you don’t want to invest across different asset classes or don’t think you will make use of the investment choices available to you.
Tax treatment depends on the individual circumstances of each client and may be subject to change in the future.
VCTs are higher-risk investments designed for UK resident taxpayers with an investment time horizon of greater than 5 years, which is the minimum holding period to qualify for income tax relief.
Tax reliefs depend on individual circumstances and may change. They may be difficult to sell at a price close to the value of the underlying assets or at the time of your choosing. They should only form a small part of an investor’s portfolio.
You should read the relevant prospectus before making any decisions.
The information and guidance provided by the coaches is not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
","notes":"","title":"","contentType":null,"key":"e427eb8c-de84-4e4f-81f7-8be7d22376fc","id":5331,"name":"28. Coaches","urlSegment":"28-coaches","sortOrder":22,"level":3,"path":"-1,3039,5282,5331","creatorId":-1,"createDate":"2024-12-09T11:45:13Z","writerId":-1,"updateDate":"2024-12-09T11:45:23.713Z","cultures":{"":{"culture":"","name":"28. Coaches","urlSegment":"28-coaches","date":"2024-12-09T11:45:13Z"}},"itemType":2,"children":[],"childrenForAllCultures":[],"properties":null},{"body":"Venture Capital Trusts (VCTs) are high-risk investments and you may get back less than invested.
","notes":"","title":"","contentType":null,"key":"da526787-844e-434d-a14e-3f3eee3464bc","id":5379,"name":"29. VCTs (Short)","urlSegment":"29-vcts-short","sortOrder":23,"level":3,"path":"-1,3039,5282,5379","creatorId":-1,"createDate":"2025-01-28T15:33:58Z","writerId":-1,"updateDate":"2025-03-04T10:09:37.15Z","cultures":{"":{"culture":"","name":"29. VCTs (Short)","urlSegment":"29-vcts-short","date":"2025-01-28T15:33:58Z"}},"itemType":2,"children":[],"childrenForAllCultures":[],"properties":null},{"body":"VCTs are higher-risk investments designed for UK resident taxpayers with an investment time horizon of greater than 5 years, which is the minimum holding period to qualify for income tax relief. The value of investments can fall as well as rise and you may get back less than invested.
\nVCTs should only be considered by experienced investors once other financial planning solutions have been fully explored and should only form a small part of your portfolio.
With pension investment, both the money you invest and the income from it can fall in value.
Your investment portfolio is simply a collection of your different investments. In the past a portfolio was often a big ol’ folder full of paper share certificates, but nowadays your portfolio is usually held in an online account that you log in to in the same way as a bank account.
\nBefore you can build an investment portfolio, the first step is to decide on an asset allocation. All it means is how you spread your money across different investments. So what proportion of your money will you keep in shares, bonds, property or cash? How will you spread your money between the UK, Europe and the rest of the world?
\nAsset allocation can have a big impact on how well or not well your portfolio performs. In fact, it’s likely to make more of a difference to your overall returns than your choice of individual investments. Famous academic research has shown that it is responsible for 90% of the differences in investment returns*.
\nYou can find more information about the different types of investments in lesson four.
","contentType":null,"key":"2620a30f-adc4-4c72-9ac7-4f4d9170e404","properties":null},"settings":{"purpleBlockStyle":true,"contentType":null,"key":"9213cc32-0d8c-4fc1-afb4-15653f37159e","properties":null},"blockType":"fullTextBlock"},{"content":{"movieId":"kYsUtWp3WZA","movieTitle":"Asset allocation and diversification","contentType":null,"key":"8d8ebcad-1a78-456c-88ca-38d4e87028c8","properties":null},"settings":{"purpleBlockStyle":false,"contentType":null,"key":"98818a18-3121-41ed-b345-e03123aa5756","properties":null},"blockType":"fullWidthVideoBlock"},{"content":{"text":"As with most big decisions, you need to think about a few things to decide what’s right for you, such as:
\nWhen it comes to investing there’s usually a strong relationship between risk and reward. For example, investments considered riskier, such as shares, have historically given people much higher returns than less risky investments, such as Government bonds.
\nObviously, there’s no guarantee that shares will definitely make you more money – otherwise they wouldn’t be risky! This is why you need to think about how much risk you’re happy to take and how much money you want to try make.
\nWhen you’re having a great time thinking about investment risk *cough* it’s also important to think about how long you’re investing for. This is known as your time horizon. Generally, the longer you plan to stay invested, the more risk you can take. This is because you have more time to ride out the ups and downs of the market with less chance of having to withdraw your money when your investments are at a low point.
\nYou can find out more about the impact of time on investments in our lesson.
","contentType":null,"key":"b094e2d0-3f41-41ee-80bb-32a6fb7156ef","properties":null},"settings":{"purpleBlockStyle":true,"contentType":null,"key":"f6e67626-5bd1-4a30-95ed-820193499530","properties":null},"blockType":"fullTextBlock"},{"content":{"movieId":"Vba3d1RI7Ic","movieTitle":"Compounding The 8th Wonder of the World","contentType":null,"key":"8630892d-e5a2-45c3-9beb-f0bf6d74d3f5","properties":null},"settings":{"purpleBlockStyle":true,"contentType":null,"key":"41178aff-e08a-4d39-92b6-de5e037e9f17","properties":null},"blockType":"fullWidthVideoBlock"},{"content":{"text":"Diversification is an important part of asset allocation. Spreading your money across different types of investments, such as bonds, cash, shares, and between different sectors in the world, UK, US, Europe, means you are less susceptible to falls in the market. You know how it goes ‘you shouldn’t keep all of your eggs in one basket’…
\nA diverse portfolio is considered less risky because different investments and markets in different geographical areas behave differently – usually they don’t move up and down at the same time.
\nIf you think researching and picking dozens of individual investments sounds like a lot of hard work, you’re dead on the money. It’s why many people choose to invest through funds, where a fund manager does the leg work for you.
\nOnce you have decided where you want to put your money and how much of it, you will need to pick your investments. To put it bluntly, there are thousands to choose from. Luckily, you have several options for narrowing down the list and finding those that would be best for you.
\nMost investment companies will have an investment search on their website that you can use to narrow down your choices. You will usually be able to search for a particular investment or company name, as well as filter by investment type, geographical region, performance and charges.
\nMany companies also produce lists of ‘rated’ funds that you can use for inspiration – they’re the funds that the company’s analysts believe are the most likely to do well. Check out The Best™ Funds List**; it’s got a complete list of our rated funds from every sector across the world.
\nBy far the easiest option is to choose a Ready-made Portfolio that’s created and looked after by professionals. At Bestinvest our ranges of Ready-made Portfolios give you an easy way to invest. Each one is designed for a different type of investor. Bet you’re wondering which one you are now…
\n(Unfortunately) The work doesn’t stop once you have created your portfolio – it’s important to review it every so often as the fortunes of your investments can change over time.
\nYour personal circumstances might also change. You may receive a humungous pay rise (here’s to hoping, right?) and decide that you can afford to take a lot more risk with your investments.
\nIt perhaps goes without saying that over time different areas of your portfolio will do better or worse than others. These differences in performance can actually cause your asset allocation to shift gradually, as certain investments grow more quickly than others and take up a bigger portion of the overall portfolio.
\nIt’s a good idea to ‘rebalance’ your portfolio every six months or so. This just means selling some of your current investments and putting the money back into other types of investments to bring your portfolio back in line with how you originally placed your money (your asset allocation).
\n* Brinson, Hood & Beebower (1986); Ibbotson & Kaplan (2000)
\n** The Best™ Funds List is a trademark of Bestinvest
","contentType":null,"key":"bd7d8e61-f8b8-4906-8a7c-67241afdfb50","properties":null},"settings":{"purpleBlockStyle":false,"contentType":null,"key":"4342b0fc-629a-4aeb-baa2-eaa4ebed3795","properties":null},"blockType":"fullTextBlock"}],"breadcrumbs":[{"name":"Home page","url":"/"},{"name":"Investments explained","url":"/investments-explained"},{"name":"How to invest","url":"/investments-explained/how-to-invest"},{"name":"Lesson five","url":"/investments-explained/how-to-invest/building-an-investment-portfolio"}],"subnavigation":{"items":[{"name":"Lesson one","url":"/investments-explained/how-to-invest/what-is-investing"},{"name":"Lesson two","url":"/investments-explained/how-to-invest/where-do-i-start-with-investing"},{"name":"Lesson three","url":"/investments-explained/how-to-invest/accounts-a-home-for-your-money"},{"name":"Lesson four","url":"/investments-explained/how-to-invest/what-can-i-invest-in"},{"name":"Lesson five","url":"/investments-explained/how-to-invest/building-an-investment-portfolio"},{"name":"Lesson six","url":"/investments-explained/how-to-invest/investing-versus-cash-savings"},{"name":"Lesson seven","url":"/investments-explained/how-to-invest/charges-fees-and-costs"},{"name":"Lesson eight","url":"/investments-explained/how-to-invest/regulation-the-many-commandments"},{"name":"Lesson nine","url":"/investments-explained/how-to-invest/the-impact-of-time-compounding-explained"},{"name":"Lesson ten","url":"/investments-explained/how-to-invest/what-is-risk"}],"current":{"name":"How to invest","url":"/investments-explained/how-to-invest"},"parent":{"name":"Investments explained","url":"/investments-explained"}},"subPageNavigationControls":{"prev":{"name":"Lesson four","url":"/investments-explained/how-to-invest/what-can-i-invest-in"},"next":{"name":"Lesson six","url":"/investments-explained/how-to-invest/investing-versus-cash-savings"}}},"pageType":"subPage","pageUrl":"/investments-explained/how-to-invest/building-an-investment-portfolio","published":"2024-11-29T12:01:35.777Z","pageId":1311}