Looking at allocations for 2008, 2009 and 2010, the biggest shifts were in public equities and hedge funds.
- Public equities were 31% in 2008, fell to 19% in 2009 and were at 21% for 2010.
- Hedge fund allocations averaged 5% in 2008 and 9% for 2019 and 2010.
- Cash and equivalent levels were "historically" high at 14% for 2010. They had been 12% for 2008 and 14% for 2009. "While high net worth investors traditionally had 5-10% in cash to weather a downturn through the period it took to recover, TIGER 21 Members have been registering levels of cash in the low teens for a few years and in the mid-teens for the last two years indicating deep concerns about the recovery and not wanting to get caught with too little cash if there is another downturn," Sonnenfeldt stated.
- Private equity (PE) allocations are close to where they were three years ago; in 2008 members allocated 10% to PE. That allocation rose to 12% in 2009 and dropped to 9% for 2010.
- Members are holding more liquid assets aside for living expenses. "Our prior surveys indicated that Members were living on approximately 3% of assets when their total sources of income were passive investment returns and a 12% cash allocation was a reserve of four years of expenses. Now with members tightening their belts, and with living expenses suggested at just over 2% of assets, a 14 % cash allocation is really a reserve of more than five years of expenses, which is still at an historic high," Sonnenfeldt explained.
