Life stage and investing
If you are younger, working full-time and not reliant on your investment to generate income, you may feel more comfortable with higher risk investments. Assuming you’re investing for the long term, your investment has longer to recover from any downturns, which means you can probably afford to take more risks.
If you are middle aged, have built up a sizable portfolio and paid off a large proportion of your major debts, you will be looking to consolidate your investments and avoid too much risk.
If you are only a few years away from retirement, or if you rely on your investment to generate income, you’ll probably feel more comfortable with a more conservative investment option.
Typical characteristics at each life stage:
| Life stage | Accumulation | Consolidation | Spending |
| Age | 20s and 30s | 40s and 50s | 55+ |
| Employment | Employed | Employed | Retired |
| Debit burden | University, first home mortgage, car loan | Mortgage, investment property, renovation costs | Debt free |
| Assets | Few assets | Moderate-substantial portfolio | Substantial portfolio |
| Investment horizon | Long term | Medium term | Short term |
| Risk tolerance | High | Moderate | Low |
| Investment style | Growth | Balanced-growth | Conservative (income based) |
| Investor profile | Aggressive | Moderate | Conservative |
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As at 30th March 2011, AXA Asia Pacific Holdings Limited and all of its Australian and New Zealand subsidiaries ceased to be members of the Global AXA Group and became members of the AMP Group.
