In your wealth-building journey, managing your finances effectively is very crucial. Beyond traditional saving, asset management takes your financial well-being some steps further. It’s the calculated process of maximizing the worth of your assets, which will eventually help you in achieving your financial objectives.
In this article, we will delve into the concept of asset management, and its importance, empowering you to take control of your financial future.
What is Asset Management?
Asset management refers to the professional management of investments and other assets on behalf of individuals, institutions, or organizations. It involves making strategic decisions to maximize the value of assets while balancing risk and return.
The core objective of asset management is to maximize the return on your investments while minimizing associated risks.
Types of Asset Management
- Financial asset management: This focuses on managing financial investments like stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and real estate.
- Physical asset management: This involves managing tangible assets like buildings, equipment, and infrastructure.
- Intangible asset management: This focuses on managing non-physical assets like intellectual property, brand reputation, and customer data.
However, in this article, we’re focused on financial asset management.
Importance of Asset Management
Wealth Growth: Effective asset management can help individuals and organizations grow their wealth over time by carefully allocating resources to investments with potential returns.
Risk Mitigation: Diversifying investments across different asset classes can help spread risk and lessen the effect of market volatility on the portfolio as a whole.
Financial Security: Properly managed assets provide a financial safety net, allowing individuals and organizations to weather economic downturns or unexpected expenses.
Retirement Planning: Asset management plays a crucial role in building a retirement nest egg, ensuring a comfortable lifestyle after retirement.
Goal Achievement: Asset management helps individuals and organizations achieve their financial goals, whether it’s buying a home, funding education, or starting a business.
Overall, asset management is essential for optimizing financial resources, mitigating risks, and achieving long-term financial success.
Is Asset Management the same as Banking?
No, asset management is not the same as banking. Banking primarily involves financial services such as deposit-taking, lending, facilitating transactions, offering credits, and other related services.
On the other hand, Asset Management focuses on managing investments and financial assets on behalf of individuals, institutions, or organizations. This includes activities such as investment planning, portfolio management, risk assessment, and financial advising.
Difference between Asset Management and Wealth Management
The main goal of asset management is to oversee financial assets and investments on behalf of people, businesses, or other entities. It entails tasks including risk assessment, portfolio management, and investment planning.
On the other hand, wealth management is a broader and more all-encompassing approach that includes financial planning, estate planning, tax planning, retirement planning, and other personalized services catered to high-net-worth individuals or families in addition to asset management.
What do Asset Managers invest in?
Some common types of investments that asset managers may allocate funds to include but are not limited to:
- Stocks
- Bonds
- Commodities
- Mutual Funds
- Cash Equivalents
- Alternative Investments
- Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs)
- Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)
How much do Asset Management services cost in Nigeria?
The cost of asset management services varies depending on several factors, including the asset manager’s fee structure, the size of the portfolio being managed, the range of services provided, etc. Generally, asset management fees are calculated as a percentage of assets under management (AUM) or a flat fee.
However, typical fees range from 0.25% to 2% of AUM annually. Additionally, there may be other fees associated with specific investment products or transactions.
Example of an Asset Management firm in Nigeria
Cowrywise is a perfect example of an asset management firm in Nigeria. Cowrywise is a digital-first asset management company that has been providing asset management services to over a million customers, and businesses in Nigeria through the Cowrywise app, with a user-friendly interface and different innovative savings and investment products.
“Cowrywise also allows you as a business owner to save or invest idle business cash and generate interest on these funds through Sprout by Cowrywise.
As a company, Cowrywise leverages technology to provide financial planning tools, access to mutual funds, and investment tips, making it a popular choice among young investors, and the first-choice savings and investment app among over a million users. You should enjoy these services too, get started here.
