Whether the goal is to achieve capital preservation or aggressively generate growth, a successful retirement savings plan requires establishing an appropriate asset allocation strategy. Putting all your retirement funds into a savings account can be safe, but in order to build meaningful wealth, investors need to find an account that can deliver a return above the current rate of inflation. On the other hand, investing in assets other than cash can be an effective way to outperform inflation and generate regular income. Alternative investments, one such asset category, have the potential to generate attractive returns with the added benefit of protecting a portfolio from market volatility.

DEFINING ASSET TYPES

Assets can be broadly categorized into two different types: traditional and alternative. Stocks, bonds, cash and cash equivalents comprise traditional assets. Alternative investments consist of investment strategies such as private equity, ventur