Before investing in a Forex Managed Account there are a number of vital factors to consider in order to make sure that your experience is a profitable one. Failing to grasp any one of these fundamentals could put you on the road to a costly and unpleasant experience.
The Managed Forex Company
The company you invest with is perhaps the most critical factor. The company needs to able to provide a good, honest and responsive level of service. They should be able to provide you with a point of contact and be able to address your questions and concerns swiftly and transparently.
Initial Capital Requirements
What is the companies minimum balance requirement? Are you realistically able to find the minimum starting balance affordable without having to borrow funds to do it? Remember that any funds for forex trading should be considered as “risk capital” so that any losses of said funds does not adversely effect the economic well being of you or your family. That is only risk what you are prepared to lose. If you are not prepared to lose these funds, leave them in the bank.
Past Performance
There is no doubt that the first thing you usually look for in a managed account provider is their results. It is tempting to look for the highest monthly profit figures you can find and go with them. But like everything in this world if the figures look too good to be true then they probably are. Getting long term sustainable profits simply isn’t compatible with getting big monthly returns. No matter what the provider tells you, big returns equals big risk. Making 50% a month and then losing it the next month isn’t a sustainable approach to investment eventually the draw down will get you, almost like one of the laws of physics.
Costs And Commissions
Before you invest you also need to make sure you know exactly what the costs are in terms of commissions and fees you have to pay. Typically you will be asked to pay a commission consisting of a percentage of profits gained, anywhere from 15-50 percent of new profits. On top of this percentage it is possible you may have to pay an annual fee based on a percentage of the balance as well as a fee based on turnover or volume. Make sure you have a thorough understanding of what the fees are, how they are applied and whether or not they are based on rewarding actual performance or simply based on the volume of trading. Obviously you want to make sure that the money manager has some incentive for good performance rather than for simply making large numbers of trades, otherwise known in the industry as “churning”. I would suggest a performance fee of up to 30% based on achieving new profit highs is reasonable.
Absolute Control of Your Funds
One of the most important factors with Forex Managed accounts is being in control of your money at all times. When it comes to the actual funds for trading deal directly with a reputable broker and do not send your funds directly to any money manager, no matter how qualified or honest they appear. Any bona fide managed account provider will provide this functionality and not ask you to send funds directly to them.
Capital in Trade
By knowing exactly how much a particular money manager has in trade it gives you a fairly reasonable indication as to whether they have a well established business or not. If a fund manager has over $50 million in trade it is a good indication that they have been able to establish a level of trust with some astute investors. Of course this in itself gives no absolute guarantees it does indicate that the company is a serious investment company.
Trading Style and Money Management
Money managers can use any number of trading methodologies or strategies. Whatever their trading style you need to make sure that you are comfortable with it and it suits your risk profile. Long periods of holding negative trades and periods of draw down can make investors very nervous, so get a good idea of their methodology before you invest. If you are not completely comfortable with their trading style do not invest with them.
Broker
Don’t overlook the role that the broker plays in the overall managed account process. A good, responsive broker can make a huge difference to whether or not you have a favorable outcome from your managed forex experience. Do some due diligence on the broker recommended by your provider and make sure that they are able to offer competitive spreads and fees and also give you fast and accurate trade execution and speedy deposits and withdrawals. If they take weeks to process transactions this can end up costing you a lot in terms of time and lost trading opportunities.
For more information regarding Managed Forex Performance. Brendan is also associated with Managed Forex Performance. Managed Forex Trader provides information and services to people interested in investing in Forex this can be viewed at Forex Managed Account Services.
