Investment Strategies for High Earners: How to Make Your Money Work Harder

1. Diversify your portfolio 

While diversification does not assure a profit or protect against market loss, spreading your investments is a fundamental principle of investing, and it becomes even more crucial if you’re a high earner. Spreading your investments across different asset classes, such as stocks, bonds, real estate, and alternative investments, can reduce some risks and potentially improve returns. In some cases, part of your compensation may even come from company stock. It’s vital to have a strategy to deal with issue so you don’t end up with your paycheck, your nest egg, and financial wellbeing all tied to one company.

2. Take Advantage of Tax-Efficient Investments

It should come as no surprise that affluent individuals often face higher tax burdens. If you are among the group, you already know the pain. One way to mitigate this is by incorporating tax-efficient investment strategies. Maximize your contributions to tax-advantaged accounts like 401(k)s, IRAs, and HSAs (Health Savings Accounts). These accounts offer tax benefits, including deferred taxes on contributions or tax-free growth, which can help lower your taxable income and boost your long-term wealth accumulation. You may also be limited in how much you can put away in retirement plans, so tax loss harvesting strategies and other ways to reduce what you owe on your investment gains can make a big difference over time. Remember, it is not how much you earn or make, but how much you keep of what you earn and make that matters.

3. Explore alternative investments & real estate 

This is an area that has really become popular in the last many years. Real Estate in particular has drawn the attention of individuals and institutional investors as prices rose rapidly fueled by low interest rates and supply/demand constraints. Real Estate provides additional diversification options, but it also has its own risks. You should be sure to do your due diligence or seek out the help of a trusted adviser to help you evaluate the risks and any potential benefits it might provide.

Affluent investors may have the ability to invest in alternative assets beyond traditional stocks and bonds. Alternative investments, such as private equity, venture capital, hedge funds, and commodities, can offer unique opportunities for diversification and can have potential benefits. However, be aware that alternative investments can carry higher risks. Just like with Real Estate, be sure to seek out a trusted Adviser to help you evaluate the risks and potential benefits.

4. Consider philanthropic strategies

For affluent investors looking to make a meaningful impact and potentially receive tax benefits, philanthropic investments are worth exploring. Among other strategies, Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs) allow you to contribute to charitable causes while potentially receiving an immediate tax deduction. 

5. Continuously educate yourself

The investment landscape is ever-evolving, and it's essential to stay informed about new opportunities and market trends. Don’t believe all the hype just because it sounds amazing. Do your homework. Anything that sounds too good to be true, probably is. Affluent investors should dedicate time to continuously educate themselves about investment strategies, market conditions, what factors into the return you should expect from an investment based on the risks associated with it, and emerging technologies. Attend investment conferences, read books, follow financial news (and not those guys that pay to be on the major financial news networks for marketing), and consider making an appointment with us for a complementary second opinion of your overall situation.