Understanding Currency Risk: A European Family Perspective

Currency risk is a fact of life for European families. Today even the simplest diversified portfolios include foreign currency exposures. Many investors find it tempting to ignore currency risk, believing that it will all “even out in the end.” But this is not an option for most families who need to draw down funds from the portfolio to meet distributions to beneficiaries. Even for families with no current spending needs, it is still prudent to manage the portfolio’s currency exposures in line with its likely long-term liabilities.