Your risk profile reflects your perception of the acceptable trade-off between risk and the reward required for bearing any investment risk. If you are willing to accept a high degree of risk, then the high-risk, high-return investment will be viable alternative for any wealth accumulation purposes. In contrast, if you are risk averse you may find that a small decline in the investment may exert high anxiety. If the possibility of such loss would make you loose your sleep at night, a conservative low-risk, low-return, safer investment might be suitable for you.
The other factor that affects your risk profile is the investment planning time horizon.As a long-term investor, you can better afford to assume greater risks for better potential returns. Shortfalls from anticipated returns can be made up with additional contributions that are still lesser than the required contributions when investing in lower-return, safer investments. However, as planning horizon shortens, the risk of irrevocable loss from shortfalls increases, and you may be less willing to bear risk and the overall risk profile of the investment mix declines.
To know more how your psychological makeup and investment time horizon play a significant role in allocating your investment assets, Public Mutual had devised an Investor's Risk Profile Test to help you determine your risk profile.