Real Assets vs. Stocks: Which Is Right for Your Portfolio?

Investing in stocks can be a part of a diversified retirement strategy, offering the potential for higher returns compared to more conservative investments like bonds. However, the suitability of stocks depends on your risk tolerance, investment timeline, and financial goals. It’s often recommended to reduce exposure to stocks as you approach retirement age to decrease risk.

Risk tolerance is a critical factor in wealth management that helps determine the appropriate level of investment risk a client is willing and able to take. Wealth managers assess clients’ risk tolerance through questionnaires, discussions, and analysis to create investment portfolios that align with their comfort level, financial goals, and time horizon, balancing risk and return to achieve optimal outcomes.

Real assets offer investors tangible assets like real estate, commodities, and natural resources that can provide income, capital appreciation, and inflation protection. Real assets often have low correlation with traditional assets, making them valuable for diversification and portfolio risk management.

Real assets are physical or tangible assets that have intrinsic value due to their substance and properties. Examples include real estate, commodities, natural resources (like timber and oil), and precious metals. Real assets often serve as a hedge against inflation and provide portfolio diversification.

Real estate is a popular alternative investment that offers income generation, capital appreciation, and portfolio diversification. Real estate investments can take various forms, including direct ownership of properties, real estate investment trusts (REITs), real estate crowdfunding, and real estate funds.

Alternative investments include a wide range of asset classes outside of the traditional areas of stocks, bonds, and cash. These can include private equity, hedge funds, real estate, commodities, tangible assets, and more. They are known for their complexity, limited regulation, and unique inclusion in investment portfolios.

Growth stocks are shares in companies expected to grow at an above-average rate compared to their industry or the overall market, but they often do not pay dividends. Value stocks are shares in companies that appear to be undervalued by the market and are characterized by low price-to-earnings ratios and high dividend yields.

Alternative investments can offer diversification benefits to a portfolio, potentially reducing risk and enhancing returns. They often have a low correlation with traditional asset classes, which can help protect against market volatility. Additionally, some alternatives, like private equity, may offer higher return potential, albeit with higher risk and longer investment horizons.

Owning physical commodities can present challenges such as storage costs, insurance, and physical security. For perishable commodities, there's also the risk of spoilage. Additionally, physical assets can be less liquid, making it potentially difficult to sell quickly at market value.

Blue-chip stocks are shares in well-established, financially stable companies with a history of reliable performance. These companies are typically leaders in their industry, have a strong market presence, and are considered safe investments with a track record of consistent dividend payments.