Whether or not you have attained financial independence you need to ensure your investments, pensions funds, ISAs, insurance bonds etc are managed optimally to ensure they are all focussed on delivering for you what you need.
The stock market rose for five years to October 2007. This was one of the longest periods of rises on record. Then, it fell by around 50% (by March 2009) right back to 2003 levels. Are the falls over? We do not believe so. For how long will the downtrend continue? Well, in the 1930s, stock markets fell eventually by c 80%! In our view, the economic position of our country is as dire as during the 1930s. Ask us why.
Have you thought about whether your holdings ought to be reviewed?
Have you considered what would happen to your investment and pension holdings if/when oil were to start rising again? Or what if house prices restart their crash to 2013/14 as we have forecast? Or how will you be on your retirement? Will your funds be robust enough to take on most events which could come along? Do you still need, in retirement, to be growing capital or perhaps you should reduce your risk exposure? Or, perhaps your holdings are too cautious to produce real long term growth, particularly if we move to high inflation, as we forecast.
How do you know how good your current investment manager is? What does s/he do for his/her charges? Does s/he make you money? Does s/he ensure your hard-earned and saved funds are working for you but without taking undue risks with your money?
If you are a high earner (> £100k) are you making the most of investment funds? Venture Capital Trusts, for example, give you 30% tax relief but you need to invest before 5th April.