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.