Planning for retirement

Only 34% of Malaysians putting aside money regularly for retirement funds

YOUNG parents Xavier Arumugam and Kavitha Nair has been putting aside a fixed sum every month into their savings accounts as part of their retirement nest egg after deducting expenses for the household, medical insurance as well as education plans for their children and house loan installment.

Both of them had also voluntarily increased their employees contribution to 15% for the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) compared to the usual contribution rate of 11%.

“We are aware though, that we do not have a formal retirement plan in place besides the EPF,” Kavitha admits.

According to Great Eastern Life Assurance (M) Bhd executive vice-president and chief marketing officer Loke Kah Meng, only 34% of Malaysians are putting aside money regularly for their retirement funds, but these may not take into account inflation, the rising cost of living and medical expenses in future, which could be a major financial burden.

“Although EPF savings is one of the main channels to provide for retirement, 99.9% of the contributors would withdraw their EPF savings in one lump sum once they reach 55 years of age and 70% of them would use up all their EPF savings in just three years post-retirement,” Loke notes.

Loke adds that longer life expectancy, delayed marriage and having children later would leave the retirees in a vulnerable position in their old age as they need to need to set aside medical funds for themselves and education funds for their children.

Meanwhile, Prudential Assurance Malaysia Bhd chief marketing officer Thomas Wong, survey findings shows that although Malaysians have a high propensity to save (72% claimed that they do save for retirement), 41% do not have a concrete plan on how to build their retirement fund.

“They just save as much as they can now and hope they will have enough to cover their retirement needs,” Wong says. Wong adds that among those who save for retirement, 77% are putting their money in low-yielding savings vehicles such as bank fixed deposits and savings accounts to accumulate their nest egg.

“Contrary to the common belief that keeping our money in the bank is the best way to preserve our capital, this instrument may not be good enough given that interest rates of bank deposits can hardly outrun inflation,” Wong says.

He also notes that most Malaysians do not segregate their savings for retirement, which made matters worse.

“This means, all their monies are lumped together as general savings. More alarmingly, out of those who consciously separate their savings for retirement, 83% have said that they would use the money should other needs arise,” he says.

This is indeed a risky situation because if they are not careful, they may not have enough money for their retirement, Wong explains.

In addition, a staggering 73% do not seek advice from financial professionals – a behaviour that compounds Malaysians’ poor retirement planning ability further.

“All these could probably explain why about 39% of those surveyed see themselves working beyond the mandatory retirement age, citing income boost as the main reason for doing so,” Wong adds.

Loke advises that instead of relying solely on one’s EPF and personal savings, Malaysians should consider early financial planning, which would save them the stress of dealing with insufficient retirement funds or seeking prolonged employment to ensure financial stability.

“We could plan ahead with investment-linked insurance plans to counter the effects of inflation. In addition, there is also the need to consider providing for your medical needs after you have retired and would be no longer entitled to medical coverage provided by your employer,” Loke says.

Meanwhile, Wong advises that there are a variety of choices available when it comes to building your retirement fund.

“Depending on your risk appetite, investment horizons and affordability, you can invest in properties, equities, unit trusts and investment-linked insurance to name a few. The key is to have a sound investment strategy that is the ability to balance risks and returns effectively according to the desired investment tenure,” Wong says.

Nevertheless, it is always advisable to contact a professional financial advisor or a wealth planner who can provide advice on how to best go about securing your retirement based on your financial circumstances, priorities and needs, Wong adds.