Wealth is a combination of rights and obligations — your assets, such as real estate, shares, or savings, and your liabilities, such as debts or loans. Managing it properly means adopting a comprehensive approach that integrates financial, tax, and legal aspects. Without this balance, even a strong portfolio can lose value or efficiency over time.

The 8 Key Points to Manage Your Assets Effectively

To manage your wealth efficiently, you should diversify your investments across asset classes like stocks, bonds, and real estate. Take advantage of existing tax schemes such as life insurance, PEA, or PERin. Define a long-term strategy based on your projects and goals, plan for retirement and inheritance, and seek professional advice if you lack experience. Always check an advisor’s independence and whether they work with multiple partners instead of being tied to one bank. Ideally, choose an independent MIF II-certified advisor who operates on a fee-only model with no kickbacks. Finally, select an advisor who collaborates with accountants and legal professionals. The higher your net worth, the greater the potential savings and efficiency that professional wealth management can bring.

Diversify Your Investments Across All Asset Classes

Diversification is the cornerstone of a strong portfolio. To optimize your risk-to-return ratio, you should spread your investments across the main asset categories. Bonds include money market funds, euro funds, and bond funds; equities include mutual funds, ETFs, or private equity; real estate includes rental properties and REITs. You can also consider a small percentage of alternative investments such as gold, crowdfunding, or cryptocurrencies, but limit these to no more than 10% of total assets. The rule is simple: never put all your eggs in one basket. Each asset class behaves differently depending on economic cycles. For instance, in some years, stock markets rise while real estate prices drop. Even within one class, diversification matters — for example, owning multiple REITs across sectors like logistics, offices, and hotels in different regions ensures balance and resilience.

Take Advantage of Tax Mechanisms

Effective wealth management means optimizing taxes, not just chasing returns. Many countries offer tax-efficient vehicles such as the PEA, PERin, and life insurance plans that allow your investments to grow with reduced taxation. For example, gains within a PEA opened for more than five years are exempt from income tax, though social contributions may still apply. Similar benefits exist with retirement and life insurance products, where taxes are deferred until withdrawal. Using these vehicles can make your wealth grow faster, with less tax friction each year. From a minimum of around $125,000, investors can also consider Luxembourg life insurance, which offers enhanced flexibility and investor protection compared to standard plans.

Define Your Life Goals

Wealth is not an end in itself; it is a tool to help you achieve your personal and professional aspirations. The purpose of wealth management advice is to align your financial strategy with your life goals — whether that’s traveling the world, buying a vacation home, retiring early, or launching a business. To do this effectively, take time to reflect on your priorities and future plans. Every person’s situation is unique — age, family structure, career, and ambitions all influence the right financial strategy. A good wealth management advisor can provide an objective perspective and design a plan tailored to your needs and goals.

Plan for Retirement and Inheritance

Good wealth management means anticipating major life stages such as retirement and succession. A disciplined and consistent investment plan can generate strong passive income in retirement, or even enable early retirement. In many cases, laws require that part of your estate be transferred to your heirs, which makes early estate planning essential. Those with significant assets, such as business owners, should plan years ahead to minimize taxes through mechanisms like holding companies or the Dutreil Pact. For example, one client named Jean transferred a $3 million holding company to his three children without paying inheritance tax — a result only possible through careful preparation. Without such planning, his heirs would have faced hundreds of thousands in taxes.

Seek Professional Advice If You Lack the Expertise

Managing your wealth alone can be risky and time-consuming. As your assets grow, the number of financial, tax, and legal factors increases. Independent professional advice helps ensure your decisions are both profitable and compliant. Before choosing an advisor, verify their accreditations, experience, and independence. A true independent financial advisor (CGPI) works like a family doctor for your finances — providing ongoing guidance, identifying risks, and coordinating with other specialists when necessary.

Verify the Accreditations of a Wealth Management Advisor

A qualified advisor should have AMF certification and CIF accreditation, which require at least 150 hours of training. They must also carry professional liability insurance, be registered with ORIAS, and belong to one of the professional associations such as CNCEF, La Compagnie des CGP, CNCGP, or ANACOFI. At Prosper Conseil, all advisors are AMF-certified, registered with ORIAS (no. 22004238), and members of ANACOFI-CIF, ensuring high standards of expertise and independence.

Find a Trusted Financial Advisor

A good wealth manager combines technical expertise, empathy, and the ability to explain complex concepts clearly. They should collaborate with notaries, accountants, and tax lawyers to provide well-rounded advice. Independence is key — advisors paid through commissions often recommend high-fee products that reduce your long-term performance. Paying a fair advisory fee instead guarantees objective, conflict-free recommendations. Over time, this approach leads to better results and preserves the benefits of compound interest.

Work Collaboratively with Legal and Accounting Professionals

An independent financial advisor should work hand in hand with legal and accounting professionals to manage all aspects of your assets. At Prosper Conseil, our advisors coordinate with notaries for estate planning, accountants for corporate structuring, and tax lawyers for complex transfers or international taxation. This teamwork ensures a unified strategy that protects and grows your wealth while staying compliant with legal requirements.

Choose an Independent Advisor Like Prosper Conseil

Bertrand, a 50-year-old client who inherited $400,000, discovered his bank advisor was more of a salesman than a consultant. He turned to Prosper Conseil for independent guidance. After a detailed consultation and engagement, he developed a new wealth strategy, paid a fixed advisory fee, and avoided hidden product costs. Within one year, he recouped his investment through savings and improved returns. Bertrand continues with annual reviews, ensuring his plan adapts to changing markets and life events.

Example of Bertrand’s Strategy:
To build emergency savings, he invested 6–12 months of expenses in secure money market funds. To protect his spouse, he made a notary gift and updated beneficiary clauses in life insurance. For mid-term goals, he kept moderate liquidity aligned with his risk profile. For long-term retirement, he invested in ETFs through life insurance and PERs, and diversified into international REITs for real estate exposure and tax optimization.

When to Contact a Prosper Conseil Wealth Management Advisor

If you have financial expertise, you can manage your assets yourself by diversifying across major asset classes, using tax-efficient tools, and planning for your future. However, wealth management requires experience, discipline, and a comprehensive understanding of financial, tax, and legal principles. The larger your assets, the faster independent advice pays off. Even for smaller portfolios, professional guidance can unlock long-term potential — especially for entrepreneurs, professionals, and families with strong saving or borrowing capacity.