Understanding Risks. There is more cash held on deposit at the banks today than before the 2008 credit crunch. Many savers keep their savings in cash, not because they are worried that the sky will fall in, but because they don’t understand investments. Helping savers understand the risks will help reduce the barriers that stop them from making their first steps into investing.

Inflation. Is very stealthy during your working life, but removes its invisibility cloak at retirement. Once you stop work most peoples’ incomes do not keep pace with the rising costs of living. With many people living to well into the 80s these days, this is leading to poverty in the later part of retirement. Protect yourself from inflation!

Having Goals. Set a goal or objectives, before and after retirement. Your goal needs to be realistic for the amount of capital you have and the risk that you are willing and, more importantly, able to take. If you don’t need to take a risk, why take it? If you are not willing to take some risk and you are behind schedule, you may need to accept that you may not reach your objectives. Set realistic goals.

Emotion. Investing is easy during the good times, but emotions cause some investors to bail out at low points in the market cycle. Many never regain the confidence to re-enter the markets. When it is your own money on the line; emotions can get the better of you during difficult times. Most investors would benefit from being able to discuss their investments with an experienced investment professional. Seek help when you need it.

Long Term Investments. Investments fluctuate, some more than others. Regardless of your risk profile, you are more likely to gain better results by investing for the longer term. Unless you know you are terminally ill don’t prevaricate by saying I don’t know how long I have left. More often than not, not making a decision is worse than making a bad decision. Investments can be transferred to the next generation, don’t let your age be a barrier to gaining better returns.

Ownership Investments. Most of us own or seek to own a property, some own their own business, so why do some people say ‘I don’t want shares’? Houses and private businesses rise and fall in value, you just don’t see it because there is no ticker tape or media source reporting on it minute by minute. Stocks and shares, property, commodities and antiques are all ownership investments and have the potential to beat inflation over the longer term. Stocks and shares have outperformed most assets classes this year and have the potential to provide a rising income overtime.

Active Management. If you are going to invest, make sure that someone is managing your investment. Select the investments that help you reach your goal, don't just buy the market because you don't know what to buy. If you need income buy dividend paying investments, if you want growth buy companies that are reinvesting their profits to expand. If you are going to buy the market, make sure you don't pay the same as an active managed fund or buy a synthetic passive fund without being aware of the counterparty risks.

Consolidating. Don't have your investments with 15 different providers [unless you're breaching the FSCS deposit limit]. Consolidating your ISAs and other investments onto one platform will help build a balanced portfolio over a number of accounts. Some companies will buy the same 20 investments in each account, why not save costs by buying each investment once? Each account may be out of balance, but, once brought together, work in harmony. Consolidating will improve performance monitoring and will benefit from consolidated tax reporting.

Diversity. The start of this article makes it clear that although the news and prevailing opinions were bad for the equity markets this year, yet they have turned out to be the best place to be. Never swing from one asset class to another, make small adjustments if and when necessary. If you had been out of equities ahead of the Brexit vote, you will have lost out on a lot of the upside swing afterwards. Keep your portfolio well diversified at all times.

Buy, Hold, and Review. Buy to keep for the long term, don't go in and out of the markets. Only buy an investment you are aiming to keep for 5 years. This does not mean we should keep it for the whole term regardless of what happens or that you should not sell all or some if you make a profit. Buy quality investments with the long term in mind.

Tax Efficiency. There is no point making loads of money and then losing it to the tax man. Some investments fit better with ISAs, others are better in an open architecture off-shore bond or general investment accounts. Tax can reduce your returns on investment by as much as 45% if you use the wrong product. Why pay tax if you don't have too?

Regular Reviews. Lastly, make sure that you stay on track to meet your goal or that your investments have not become riskier than you had planned. Regular reviews and occasional rebalances will ensure that you will reach the lifestyle that you desire.