Sunday 29 January 2012

Rancang persediaan hari tua

Kebanyakan kawan yang sebaya dengan saya sudah empat lima tahun bersara daripada pekerjaan mereka. Ada yang telah meneruskan kehidupan dengan membuka perniagaan dan ada juga yang bergantung kepada wang pencen daripada perkhidmatan kerajaan mereka.

Tidak kurang juga yang kurang sihat menghidap kencing manis, darah tinggi, gout dan macam-macam lagi. Bagi mereka yang bekerja dengan syarikat swasta wang KWSP menjadi penyambung hidup. Ada juga yang bergantung semata-mata dengan pendapatan isteri mereka.

Walau apa pun kesimpulannya adalah dua perkara. Pertama seseorang itu memerlukan sejumlah wang yang agak banyak juga untuk meneruskan kehidupan selepas bersara.

Kedua sudah menjadi lumrah dunia apabila mencapai paras umur yang meningkat seperti 50 ke atas, seseorang itu boleh menghidap pelbagai jenis penyakit.

Sekiranya dia seorang bekas pegawai kerajaan, rawatan untuk penyakit dibiayai oleh kerajaan tetapi bagi mereka yang bukan pegawai kerajaan, kos rawatan penyakit mungkin tinggi kalau keluar masuk hospital.

Bagi mereka yang mempunyai anak-anak yang bertanggungjawab, legalah sedikit kehidupan mereka.

Menurut suatu kajian bagi penduduk Malaysia lelaki purata berumur sehingga 74 tahun tetapi 14 tahun terakhir selalunya mengalami pelbagai jenis penyakit.

Contohnya kencing manis. Penyumbang utama ialah minum berkarbonat seperti Pepsi, Coca-Cola, Root Beer dan sebagainya. Tidak kurang juga sumbangan daripada teh tarik yang hanya teh dengan gula sebenarnya. Tetapi memanglah sedap dan tidak boleh berpisah bagi sesetengah orang.

Kalau dibincangkan, berapakah jumlah wang yang cukup untuk menampung kehidupan kita selepas bersara?

Kalau hidup selama 10 tahun selepas bersara, jika ada RM1 juta sekalipun, ia bukan bernilai RM1 juta selama 10 tahun.

Kita harus ingat nilai mata wang akan merosot tahun demi tahun dan mungkin RM1 sekarang akan bernilai hanya 10 sen 10 tahun lagi. Bererti kalau seseorang itu sudah biasa dengan sesuatu taraf kehidupan mungkin kerana jawatan tingginya sebelum bersara, RM1juta kalau dibahagikan 10 tahun tidak lagi bernilai RM100 ribu setahun.

Berapa ramai di antara kita yang mempunyai simpanan di Kumpulan Wang Simpanan Pekerja (KWSP) berjumlah RM1 juta apabila kita bersara?

Ertinya kalau simpan di bawah daripada RM1 juta sudah tentu tidak mencukupi. Tambahan pula kalau ada anak-anak yang masih belajar di kolej atau di universiti. Kalau anak belajar di luar negara dan tidak ada biasiswa tentulah bertambah tertekan.

Oleh itu apakah yang harus dilakukan?

Bagi seseorang yang ingin bersedia akan masa tuanya, dia perlu membuat persiapan beberapa tahun sebelum bersara. Itulah sebabnya kita semua perlu membuat perancangan diri sendiri.

Kita bertungkus lumus kadang-kadang membuat perancangan untuk syarikat atau organisasi kita tetapi kita jarang sekali merancang untuk diri kita sendiri. Misalnya bila sampai umur 40 hendak jadi apa? 50 ada di mana?

Kitalah yang menentukan nasib kita.

Kalau kita tidak membuat perancangan hidup kita, nescaya kehidupan kita ibarat sepotong kayu yang hanyut di lautan, singgah di pantai di mana dipukul ombak.

Tidak ganjil kalau kita bertukar kerja lepas beberapa tahun berkhidmat dengan sesuatu badan atau syarikat demi masa depan kita dan keluarga kita. Kebanyakan anak muda yang baru bekerja tidak terfikir untuk membuat perancangan tentang masa depan mereka kerana masih seronok dengan kehidupan orang bujang.

Seseorang yang merancang masa depannya tahu apa yang hendak dicapainya. Mungkin dia tidak dapat mencapai setinggi yang dikehendakinya tetapi dia akan berusaha ke arah itu. Ertinya dia mempunyai hala tuju kehidupan. Dia juga melihat apa yang diperlukan dari segi pengalaman dan kemahiran untuk mencapai sesuatu matlamat.

Misalnya ingin menjadi usahawan bila sampai umur 40 tahun. Dia harus membuat keputusan bidang apa dan dari mana dia boleh mendapatkan maklumat tentang idamannya sama ada daripada kajiannya atau daripada berinteraksi dengan mereka yang berpengalaman.

Dia juga harus menilai kelemahan dan kekuatan dirinya. Misalnya nak jadi usahawan tapi tak tahu akaun atau menyimpan buku. Kenalah cari jalan belajar. Kalau bahasa Inggeris tak lancar kenalah belajar bahasa Inggeris. Atau ada baiknya tahu bahasa Cina, eloklah belajar bahasa Cina.

Menilai kelemahan dan kekuatan diri seseorang itu penting untuk melengkapkan persiapan mencapai sesuatu hajat itu.

Begitu juga jenis pengalaman yang diperlukan. Mestilah sanggup melabur masa untuk sesuatu jangka masa yang panjang untuk mendapatkan pengalaman. Misalnya nak jadi kontraktor elektrik yang bertauliah, tentulah perlukan pengalaman beberapa tahun.

Kemudian kita juga kena mengakui halangan-halangan atau batasan-batasan dalaman dan luaran diri kita. Mengenal pasti halangan-halangan penting untuk mencari jalan mengatasi mereka.

Kita mestilah mempunyai kehendak yang kuat untuk berjaya dalam hidup, tidak semestinya hendak kaya saja. Kalau hendak jadi ahli sufi sekalipun kena belajar bertahun-tahun. Kenalah tahu syariat, tarikat, hakikat makrifat, zat, sifat, ismak ef’el dan iman, tawakal, ilmu, akhlak. Kenalah berguru barulah boleh sampai.

Saya syorkan semua keluarga menubuhkan sebuah syarikat supaya segala perbelanjaan boleh diserapkan ke dalam syarikat tersebut. Kenalah kenal pasti sesuatu jenis perniagaan seperti ubat kampung turun menurun yang boleh dikomersilkan.

Kalau isteri pandai menjahit boleh terima tempahan untuk menjahit atau pandai melakukan landskap, juga suatu perniagaan. Di Internet pun macam-macam jenis perniagaan yang ada tetapi hati-hati jangan sampai tertipu bila minta duit dulu dan menceritakan orang ini dan itu boleh dapat pendapatan beratus ribu sebulan, sedangkan barang yang dijual hanya RM40/RM50 saja.

Kita mesti buat siasatan dulu sebelum menceburkan diri supaya jangan sampai wang simpanan kita tergadai.

Hanya dengan ada suatu perniagaan saja masa depan kita boleh terjamin. Tak percaya?

DATO’ SALLEH MAJID ialah bekas Presiden Bursa Saham Kuala Lumpur (kini Bursa Malaysia)
-Utusan online

Clement Jouling ialah Perunding Unit Amanah berlesen (Licensed Unit Trust Consultant). Sekiranya anda berminat untuk mengetahui lebih lanjut tentang pelaburan unit amanah, boleh hubungi beliau terutamanya buat anda yang berada di Kota Kinabalu dan sekitarnya.

Tuesday 24 January 2012

The story of the Mexican fisherman



A boat docked in a tiny Mexican village. An American tourist complimented the Mexican fisherman on the quality of his catch. “How long did it take you to get those?” he asked.

“Not so long,” said the Mexican.

“Then why didn’t you stay out longer and catch more?” asked the American.

The Mexican explained that his small catch was quite enough to meet his needs and feed his family.

“So what do you do with the rest of your time?” asked the American.

“I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, and take a siesta with my wife. In the evening, I go into the village to see my friends, have a few drinks, play the guitar and sing a few songs. I have a full life.”

The American interrupted. “I have an MBA from Harvard and I can help you! You should start by fishing longer every day. You can then sell the extra fish you catch. With the extra revenue, you can buy a bigger boat.”

“And after that?” asked the Mexican.

“With the extra money the bigger boat will bring, you can buy a second boat and then a third boat, and then more until you have an entire fleet of trawlers. Instead of selling your fish to a middle man, you can then negotiate directly with the processing plants. Pretty soon you could open your own plant. You could leave this little village and move to Mexico City, Los Angeles, or even New York! From there you could direct your whole enterprise.”

“How long would that take?” asked the Mexican.

“Twenty — perhaps twenty-five years,” replied the American.

“And after that?”

“Afterwards? Well, my friend,” laughed the American, “that’s when it gets really interesting. When your business gets really big, you can start selling stocks and make millions!”

“Millions? Really? And after that?” said the Mexican.

“After that you’ll be able to retire, live in a beautiful place near the coast, sleep late, play with your children, catch a few fish, take siestas with your wife and spend your evenings drinking and enjoying your friends.”

By Dr Mark Albion

Clement Jouling ialah Perunding Unit Amanah berlesen (Licensed Unit Trust Consultant). Sekiranya anda berminat untuk mengetahui lebih lanjut tentang pelaburan unit amanah, boleh hubungi beliau terutamanya buat anda yang berada di Kota Kinabalu dan sekitarnya.

Sunday 22 January 2012

Super Young Retirement Savers



Older Americans who haven't saved enough for retirement could learn a lesson or two from these young retirement savers -- they've already socked thousands of dollars away for their golden years.

Fabian Fernandez-Han



Courtesy: Fabian Fernandez-Han
 Age: 14
Age started saving: 10
Amount saved: $10,000
Hometown: Houston, TX

One day I saw my dad trading on eTrade. It looked interesting so I wanted to do it. I had always saved my allowance money and birthday money, and the first thing I bought was Apple stock -- when shares were only $100.

I now have an eTrade account and a Scottrade account. In addition to Apple, I've also invested in other stocks like Google, Microsoft and Rim. I have some money in a savings account, too. But most of the money I plan to use for retirement is invested in stocks.

This January, the New York Stock Exchange was sponsoring a competition where the challenge was to create something to teach other kids how to save and invest. I decided to make an iPhone app called Oink-a-Saurus targeted at kids and teens who want to learn ways to save money, and I ended up winning first place.

I want to help other kids learn to save and invest more responsibly. The current generation cannot rely on Social Security, so we have to save for our own retirement and can't depend on that.

When I was 7 years old, all the kids would get trophies whether they won or lost and I thought they were worthless. I asked my mom, who would actually pay for the trophies and how much they cost. When she said they were $10 apiece and parents paid for their child's trophy, I asked if I could keep the $10 to save in a bank account instead of receiving the trophy.

I'm not planning on spending most of the money I have invested for a very, very long time. I'm not that scared about investing most of it in stocks, because when you're a kid it's not that big of a deal if you lose a little money -- you still have time to get it back.

Chana Goldstein



Courtesy: Chana Goldstein
Age: 16
Age started saving: 13
Amount saved: $1,000
Hometown: Jerusalem, Israel

I started saving for retirement when I was 13 years old, as soon as I started working. I started my own website, 2learnhebrew.com, where I tutor people one-on-one who want to learn Hebrew and charge $12 an hour.

I've saved a lot of the money I've made, and I've also spent some on some nice little expensive gifts for myself, like a nice camera and a fancy pen.

Overall, I've put away about $1,000 for retirement into a bank account where I only get a little interest -- but I'm nervous about the stock market. I've probably spent about $800 to $900. And my family gives 20% of everything they earn to charity, so I do that with my money, too.

I'm only in 10th grade, so I haven't yet thought about what I will do when I retire. I don't watch TV now, so I won't then either. But I think having money saved up when I'm older will help me continue doing good things and helping other people.

Tommy Orme


Courtesy: Tommy Orme
Age: 17
Age started saving: 16
Amount saved: $3,000
Hometown: Great Falls, VA

I'm only $3,000 in so far, but 20 more years of doing this and it will be pretty substantial. When I'm sitting on something like that, I can maybe step out of the workforce at a younger age or I can do something that I love that wouldn't otherwise give me sufficient income.

I'm a senior in high school and I got a job a year and a half ago at a restaurant. During the summer, I work four days a week. And during the school year, I work two to three nights a week.

My parents and I opened a bank account, and I started putting all my paychecks and half my tips away. The other half of my tips I'll spend on things like gas and food. The tips are harder to put away because they're cash, right there in front of me. But the rest of it goes in the bank account and I think of it as untouchable.

It all started from my mom. Even before I started working, she would give me a cut below my birthday money and put the rest away in my account. It would come out in bits and pieces throughout the year when I needed it, but a lot of that birthday money was saved away. So when work started it was a no-brainer to do the same. It's pretty nice to think I could have it 60 years from now.


Grace Goldoni


Courtesy: Grace Goldoni
Age: 18
Age started saving: 11
Amount saved: $300,000
Hometown: Princeton, N.J.

When I retire, I want to have enough money to live comfortably.

There are a lot of other things to save for [right now] since I'm only in my first year of college, so I try to put away the most that I can. I don't have a constant amount that I contribute, but when I'm working I'll try to put in at least $50 a month to my savings account. At this point, I'd say I have a little over $300,000 saved up. My parents encourage me, and sometimes they'll match the amount.

I got my first paycheck when I was 11 and right away I wanted to put it in a bank account. I started out working as a mother's helper, and then as a babysitter. Then I did lots of retail work and worked for DoughMain, where I really learned about saving and financial education.

I'm in college now, and trying to get a job, so I'm only doing a little at a time. There are always people who will say people like me who save this early are crazy. But just think: for the next 35 years that money is only going to keep growing.

Most people my age don't think about saving for retirement, and I see peers and adults alike buying so much more than they can afford. People should really start taking saving more seriously.

*In addition to saving the money she earns or is given as a gift, Grace does side jobs, like tutoring, and sells textbooks and clothing so that she is able to put even more money into her savings.

Ryan Connelly


Courtesy: Ryan Connelly
Age: 20
Age started saving: 11
Amount saved: $26,000
Hometown: Potomac, Md.

When I was 11, I started putting my gift money from birthdays and holidays into a savings account at Chevy Chase, before it was Capital One. It was exciting to see my money grow. Ever since then, I have been putting money into three different savings accounts, and my parents opened an IRA for me a few years ago.

At first, I would contribute the money I saved in coin jars, or from doing chores and things like that. Then I started babysitting at 12 or 13 years old, I was a lifeguard for a while and then worked at a hotel, so I just kept saving money.

My mom always tells me I've saved triple what she and my dad had when they got married. She has raised me and my brother to know that we don't want to be struggling later and that we should save now.

I want to retire comfortably at the time I want to retire at, and I want to live on my own without relying on other people to take care of me. I don't know what the right target amount is to have for retirement, but I'm thinking my number might be $1 million.

Scott Nguyen


Courtesy:Scott Nguyen
Age: 23
Age started saving: 18
Amount saved: $25,000
Hometown: Costa Mesa, Calif.

My mom helped start me off with an initial $1,000 that I put into a Certificate of Deposit at Disneyland's credit union.

My other retirement investments are riskier compared to the CD and include vehicles, such as stocks through my IRA, mutual funds through my 401k.

Being in a business-oriented fraternity in college provided me with a network of stock-savvy friends who helped me research and analyze stocks to invest in. Since I graduated college this past summer, I enrolled in my company's 401(k) as they matched 5% of my contributions.

Through my CDs, IRA and 401(k), I'm saving and investing about $6,000 annually for retirement. This amount doesn't include the interest, dividends or equity that I am earning.

However, the biggest thing that I am investing in for my retirement is real estate. I became a licensed real estate agent as a freshman in college and recently purchased my first home at the age of 23. This will be the first of many real estate properties that I am planning to invest in for income and retirement purposes. I'd like to buy condominiums in different areas and manage them during retirement.

It's one thing to work when you are in retirement age for enjoyment, but I don't plan on working during retirement age to make end's meet. I also want to make sure that my parents can retire comfortably.

Clement Jouling ialah Perunding Unit Amanah berlesen (Licensed Unit Trust Consultant). Sekiranya anda berminat untuk mengetahui lebih lanjut tentang pelaburan unit amanah, boleh hubungi beliau terutamanya buat anda yang berada di Kota Kinabalu dan sekitarnya.