Hendrix Niemann is well-versed on consumers’ investment concerns these days. The managing director of practice and wealth management at CUNA Brokerage Services has spoken at 130 credit union member events during the past few years, visiting 34 of the 50 states.

“The emotional tone of the questions I’m asked has changed over the past four years,” he says. “In 2008, people were flat-out mad, asking what happened and who caused this mess: ‘Who do we blame?’

“Now it’s less emotional,” he continues, “and more, ‘What can we do?’ I don’t see much optimism in terms of what consumers expect—it’s more like resignation.”

The challenge for investors, Niemann says, is how to live for 30 years or more as retirees and also to address two great concerns: health-care risk and longevity risk. “What I tell members at these events is ‘get real.’ Get real about interest rates and investment returns, and about when they’ll be able to retire, their spending, and their capacity for risk.

“I tell members this is the most challenging investment environment of their lives, and there’s no place to hide,” he adds. “If they want a 4% or 5% return, they must accept some level of risk.”

That’s where credit unions can enter the picture, he says, by helping members navigate the sometimes treacherous investment waters.

Niemann believes members need credit unions’ help now more than ever. “They’re leery of big banks and investment houses, and they trust you. They crave sound advice and look to you for it.”

During tumultuous times, most people avoid risky waters and place their investment dollars in safe havens such as financial institutions and government bonds, says Kelly Tramontano, president/CEO of SWBC Investment Services. “These are what I call ‘safety investments.’ The result is a net outflow from equity investments to fixed-income assets.”

Valorie Seyfert, president of CUSO Financial Services, agrees that “in times like these, people aren’t inclined to take risk. I call it ‘flight to safety,’ where people look to more conservative investments. Two years ago we saw a lot of money going into certificates of deposit and fixed-rate annuities.”

But since interest rates have declined and stayed low, many people are moving back into the market and are willing to take some risk, she says. “Money is now flowing toward variable annuities, variable life, and stocks as the market over the past few months has had more good days than not.”

Tramontano believes that as consumer confidence rises and money naturally flows back to equity investments, credit unions should help members with the
process.

“It’s part of a cycle,” she says. “Right now, the two main factors keeping consumer confidence low are unemployment and the poor housing market. On the positive side, people are saving more and paying down their debt, and company earnings are improving.”

All of this sets the stage for credit unions to help members to start taking rational risks.

Boost member retention

The driving force of markets tends to be emotion, Seyfert says. “That’s where financial advisers come in—people who can take a more rational and objective approach to investments.”

Tramontano says offering member investment services makes a great deal of sense, especially as credit unions’ lending declines or remains flat. “The purpose of a member investment program isn’t to convert credit union assets to investments but to give members a needed service—even if it involves helping them manage an outside asset.”

This willingness to help leads to member retention, she says, and thwarts attempts by outside financial institutions to get members to shift their accounts from the credit union.

Tramontano says the aim is to create an asset allocation program that fits members’ needs, goals, and risk tolerance. “Such a portfolio will always have a performing asset regardless of what point we are in the investment/consumer confidence cycle.”

And while it’s doubtful there will be another Great Recession during the next few years, “it is almost inevitable that retirees expecting to live another 30 years will see another recession,” Niemann says.

NEXT: Three main concerns