BFM :: Ringgit and Sense

This week on Ringgit & Sense we sit down with Jeremy Goh, Service Director at MalaysiaFuneral.com to discuss something many have trouble talking about: the financial implications of losing a loved one, or even your own funeral. We will be talking about the costs involved, how you can broach the topic with your family, and more.Image Credit: shutterstock.com

With almost 800 funds to choose from in Malaysia and complaints of high fees, are unit trusts a good investment to consider? We ask Kaleon Leong Rahan, CEO of Federation of Investment Managers Malaysia (FIMM) those questions whilst finding out more about the industry, how regulated it is and how to pick the right fund.

Budget 2025 was announced last Friday with a slew of tax reliefs, so our producer Jake Lim speaks with Thanneermalai Somasundaram, Managing Director of Thannees Tax Consulting Services for a rundown on what goodies the Budget has for regular Malaysians like you and I.Brought to you by Mah Sing. Reinvent Spaces. Enhance Life.Image Credit: shutterstock.com

Life and health insurance policies have their own unique language and terms which can be baffling. Mark O'Dell, CEO of Life Insurance Association of Malaysia (LIAM) simplifies this for us, whilst explaining what co-payment health insurance means.Image Credit: Shutterstock.com

With a plethora of life insurance products available and its own jargon, many of us are still confused about its necessity, the pricing and even what's the best way to buy it. Mark O'Dell, CEO of the Life Insurance Association of Malaysia (LIAM) helps us break this down. This will be the first of a special two-part series.Image Credit: Shutterstock.com

Jasmina Mohd Mokhtar, Deputy Director of the Financial Inclusion Department at Bank Negara Malaysia talks about the current state of financial literacy in the country, and what initiatives are being undertaken by the central bank to improve financial knowledge especially among the youth and in rural areas.Image Credit: Shutterstock.com

What do you do when you suddenly come into a lot of money? Annie Hor, Licensed Financial Advisor at Harveston Capital talks about how to handle financial windfalls, whether it be an inheritance from a family member, money from selling off a company, or even a huge lottery win.Image Credit: Shutterstock.com

It's not unusual for one to be in debt - after all, the most common debt carried by Malaysians is a mortgage. However, it can be crushing if you have a very high debt-to-income ratio, so we speak to Nur Sofina Binti Mohamad Johari, Wealth Advisor at UOB Kay Hian Wealth Advisors Sdn. Bhd about how to manage debt, and the dos and don'ts when you're trying to start afresh financially.

Our central bank, Bank Negara Malaysia, is in charge of adjusting the Overnight Policy Rate (OPR), but what is the OPR? How does it work, and how does the central bank decide whether to increase, decrease, or maintain the OPR? Amy Ghani, Senior Economist at Bank Negara reveals some of the inner workings of our central bank regarding monetary policy.Image Credit: shutterstock.com

The number of bankrupts in Malaysia is rising with many people having misconceptions as to what the legal status entails. Gerald Samuel, a lawyer with 35 years of experience practicing in Singapore and Malaysia, now running his own firm, explaining the intricacies of bankruptcy laws in Malaysia and how it is not the end of the road.Image Credit: Shutterstock

With digital payments being increasingly adopted in Malaysia, it's more important than ever to be on the lookout for scams that target e-wallets and banking apps. Vijayadurai Singgatore, Manager of BNMLINK, Bank Negara Malaysia tells us about some common examples of these scams, and how to use digital payments safely.Image Credit: shutterstock.com

Living wills are a legal instrument that allows us to make choices as to how we'd like to live and be medically treated in the event we can't make these decisions any more. However its not recognised in Malaysia but are there exceptions to this? Oon Hooi Lin, a lawyer with 29 years of legal experience practising at Messrs Gerald Samuel tells us.Image Credit: Living Will by Nick Youngson/ CC BY-SA 3.0/ Alpha Stock Images.

There are a whole slew of horror stories out there about Malaysians drowning in credit card debt, but is that the whole picture? Stephen Yong, Executive Director of Wealth Vantage Advisory and licensed financial planner talks to us about the pros and cons of using credit cards.Image Credit: shutterstock.com

Most millennials in Malaysia, according to the Bursa, don't have active trading accounts, and a big reason for that might be the perceived high barrier to entry into the stock market. Ng Zhu Hann, CEO & Founder, Tradeview Capital and author of Once Upon a Time in Bursa gives us a lowdown on how to start valuing and trading stocks.Image Credit: shutterstock.com

Death and taxes are unavoidable but loans might also classify as few of us would be able to buy a house with cash. How then should we navigate this world of loans that has its own terminology? Karl Ng, Founder of Bluebricks, a local loan agency helps us make sense of this.Image Credit: freepik.com

The share price rally of the Magnificent Seven has been astounding but how does one actually value a technology company? How do you differentiate substance from hype? Kelvin Goh, a portfolio manager at R3 Asset Management Pte Ltd will help us answer that question and more.

As we reach certain milestones in our life, its timely to reflect on the financial mistakes we may have made along the way. Felix Neoh, Director of Financial Planning, Finwealth Management joins us for that discussion whilst reminding us how to recover from them.

Considering a career change is a decision many of us ponder at least once in our lives. How can we be sure it's the right choice, and how do we overcome the financial fears associated with taking that first step? Idham Idris, Director of Corporate Treasury Investment Services and Licensed Financial Planner at Wealth Vantage Advisory Sdn. Bhd guides us through navigating this potentially life-changing move.Image Credit: pch.vector/ freepik.com

We continue our series on how to manage the estate of a loved one who has passed on but in the final part, we ask what happens when there is no will? How does getting a letter of administration differ from a grant of probate. Gerald Samuel, a lawyer with 35 years experience tells us.

The death of a loved one is already traumatic enough but dealing with the estate can be complex and overwhelming. But things can be made easier with a will if you plan ahead. We Speak to Gerald Samuel , a lawyer with 35 years experience as to how to obtain that grant of probate.

For many Muslims, performing the pilgrimage to Makkah, whether for the Hajj or Umrah, is a once in a lifetime experience, but it comes with a hefty price tag. What are the financial factors that Muslims should consider as they plan for these important trips? We discuss planning for pilgrimage with Suraya Zainudin, Founder of the Financial Blog, Ringgit Oh Ringgit. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com

On Ringgit and Sense today we delve into the growing mountain of student debt. Dr. Amirul Rafiq Abu Rahim, a Research Associate at the Khazanah Research Institute, sheds light on whether tertiary education truly facilitates upward mobility, the disproportionate burden of educational debt on lower-income households, and whether there is a case for universal student loan debt forgiveness.Image Credit: shutterstock.com

In the world of finance, there are often terms bandied about like preference shares, interest schemes and even cash trust. Lawyer Dr Seow Hock Peng, who is also Lecturer of Law at Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology shares with us their differences, and how you should spot a red flag.

Buy now pay later services have made it tempting to split a purchase into a few installments. But has it also given us a false sense of our purchasing power? Shereen Hazirah Hishamudin, Senior Research Associate, at Khazanah Research Institute joins us to discuss what are the consumer protection in place at the moment, who is more prone to the risks of falling into a cycle of high debt, whether it can serve as a safe borrowing channel. Khazanah research recently published a report titled “The Financialisation of Our Lives” with the second chapter focusing on the rise of buy now pay later.Image Credit: Shutterstock.com

We delve into the financial mindset of young Malaysians with Peter Yong, Co-Founder and CEO of Mr. Money TV. We'll discuss whether it's fair to say they spend excessively and struggle to save against the backdrop of stagnating wages and rising living costs. We also dive into some very practical financial advice and the importance of the right mindset.

Buying a house and turning it into a home is on the wish list of most but due to high building material and labour cost, how should you budget for your renovation? Kenneth Tan, a first time home buyer shares his experience so that we can avoid the expensive mistakes but also know where the cost savings are.Ringgit & Sense is powered by InsureLit from Sun Life Malaysia. Life is brighter under the sun.

Cryptocurrencies are increasingly mainstream with the launch of ETF's but what are the pitfalls of this asset class and will it replace fiat currencies one day? Andy Baehr, Managing Director at CoinDesk Indices tells us and also what are the lessons from the recent FTX trial and the fall of its founder, Sam Bankman Fried.Ringgit & Sense is powered by InsureLit from Sun Life Malaysia. Life is brighter under the sun.Image Credit: Shutterstock.com

Last week, EPF has reorganized its existing two accounts into three to include the new flexible account for all members under the age of 55.Licensed financial planner, Angie Ng joins us to discuss the details of these changes, who and when you should dip into the new account.Ringgit & Sense is powered by InsureLit from Sun Life Malaysia. Life is brighter under the sun.

Death and taxes are said to be two unavoidable things in life which is why estate planning is an essential part of financial planning. Nor Fazlina, Chief Executive Officer, Maybank Trustees Berhad shares with us the difference between a will and a trust and the unique challenges women as well as Muslim women face in estate planning.Ringgit & Sense is powered by InsureLit from Sun Life Malaysia. Life is brighter under the sun.

The most famous value investor is Warren Buffett but what does this style of investing mean? Faridq Ridzuan, Vice President of CFA Society Malaysia discussed the basics of it, how to identify a value stock and the importance of portfolio construction.Ringgit & Sense is powered by InsureLit from Sun Life Malaysia. Life is brighter under the sun.

As part of the series on insurance this month, we delve into the 101 of Takaful. Idi Irwan, Executive Director of Bill Morrisons explains to us how Takaful is different from conventional Insurance products and the unique feature of surplus and deficit sharing.Ringgit & Sense is powered by InsureLit from Sun Life Malaysia. Life is brighter under the sun.

Insurance planning for the family is often neglected but we speak to Antony Lee, President, Persatuan Insurans Am Malaysia as to why this is critical. He shares with us what considerations must be made from marriage to having children and even for the home.Ringgit & Sense is powered by InsureLit from Sun Life Malaysia. Life is brighter under the sun.Image Credit: Shutterstock.com

Insurance is an often overlooked part of financial planning but why is it a critical part that should not be ignored? Dr Selina Dang, Licensed Financial Planner, Coreplus Advisory tells us whilst giving us some tips on what insurance to buy and how much one should set aside for it.Ringgit & Sense is powered by InsureLit from Sun Life Malaysia. Life is brighter under the sun.Image Credit: Shutterstock.com

The year has started well with Bursa Malaysia in positive territory on a year to date basis but at the same time, there was a flurry of stocks which hit limit down over successive sessions. A reminder that markets can be rewarding yet volatile. Stephanie Tan, Head of Investor Strategy and Development at Bursa Malaysia tell us what tools they have in house which will help the retail investor overcome the challenges of equity investing and how education is a key part of that.Ringgit & Sense was powered by Sun Life Malaysia. Life is brighter under the sun.

As we draw close to the end of the lunar new year and start tallying our angpau haul, we discuss how guardians and parents can use this windfall money to impart financial literacy, especially with Raya happening in less than 2 months. Nalissa Suria, Project lead at Arus Academy shares the different ways to guide children in utilizing the money to maximize their learning potential, besides the “I'll put it in the bank for you” method.Ringgit & Sense was powered by Sun Life Malaysia. Life is brighter under the sun.Image credit: Shutterstock.com

The recent volatility of selected counters was a timely reminder that equity investing is not to be pursued without the right mindset and skills. Ng Zhu Hann, CEO & Founder at Tradeview Capital gives us some advice on what to adopt and how it can be rewarding when the right tools are in place.Ringgit & Sense was powered by Sun Life Malaysia. Life is brighter under the sun.Image credit: Shutterstock.com

It is Chinese New Year time again. In this special episode, Master Kenny Hoo of Good Feng Shui Geomantics shares his insights from a feng shui perspective on what the Year of the Dragon may have in store for the different zodiac signs.Ringgit & Sense was powered by Sun Life Malaysia. Life is brighter under the sun.Image credit: Shutterstock.com

Investing is challenging even for professionals - but what are some of the tools and tips to make that process easier? Lim Mei Ching, a former fund manager and Author of 'Be Your Own Fund Manager' tells us whilst explaining what "FATA" is.Image credit: Shutterstock.com

In this age of rising life expectancy, saving for retirement has become a fundament of personal finance. Why do some people have solid retirement plans while others don't? We speak to Joyce Chuah of Success Concepts about the nexus between behavioural dynamics and retirement planning.Ringgit & Sense was powered by Sun Life Malaysia. Life is brighter under the sun.Image credit: Shutterstock.com

In the first Ringgit and Sense of 2024, we discuss what should be your financial resolutions. Stephen Yong, Licensed Financial Planner, Wealth Vantage Advisory shares with us how to prepare for the year ahead, what calls for a readjustment in budget, and what you should do with your bonus.Image credit: Shutterstock.com

2023 ends soon but before year ends, we explore all the tax breaks that are available with Christine Koh, Managing Partner of Owen KLCA. We also find out if its better to file your own taxes or with your spouse and what to do, if you do get that letter from Inland Revenue.Image credit: Shutterstock.com

As we draw a conclusion for the year, Rajen Devadason, CEO, RD WealthCreation joins Philip See to discuss the key lessons from 2023 that had a notable impact on personal finance and what financial goals to set for the coming year.Image credit: Shutterstock.com