31. PREPARE FOR RAINY DAYS


 

31. PREPARE FOR RAINY DAYS

 

“Life is unpredictable. Future isn’t always crystal clear. Always be prepared for the best and the worst..” -- Anonymous

No matter how healthy we are and how long we live, one day you and I will grow old and leave this world. Hence, planning for that possibility of being sick and bed ridden or highly dependent on others for daily needs at old age is important. 

Don't brush this issue aside thinking it will never happen to you. Life is so fragile and unpredictable. It may happen to every one of us, me included. 

You don't want to burden your family and children with a large sum of medical fees to sustain your living. You don't want to cause your family or children to give up their own dreams and sell off their physical possessions to take care of you. 

I have seen many old folks running out of money during their retirement years, especially when illness strikes. They depend on their children and family members to financially support them and to take care of them. 

Of course, there is nothing wrong being dependent on your grown-up children. However, they have their own lives to live too. It's not fair for them to carry the financial burden and full responsibility to take care of you when you can't take care of yourself. 

In western countries, many parents don't hold their children responsible for having to take care of them when they grow old. In fact, when they reach their golden years, they still prefer to live independently as much as possible. Many of them check into retirement homes so that they don’t bother their children. They also can live their own lives as independent as possible with professional people to take care of them.

In Asia, family value is much stronger than in the West. Asians grow up being taught to be filial. Definition of being filial includes the responsibility to take care of your parents when they are old, financially and physically. 

With the pressure to make a living in this competitive world increases each day, and usually both husband and wife are busy out there making money, it has left some of their parents staying at home alone with no one to take care of. If they are financially capable, they can still hire a home nurse or domestic helper to take care of their aged parents. But for long term, increasingly more children prefer to send their parents to stay in nursing homes or old folks homes with nursing care. 

I have no children of my own. I know when I grow old, I can't depend on my sister, niece, or nephew to take care of me. It's very unfair to them. Having to grow old independently has become a driving force for me to be as financially independent as possible and as healthy as possible. I don't want to be a poor old man: helpless, hopeless and useless. 

Sooner or later, I know my days will come where I might be bed ridden and I can't take care of myself. My choice will be to plan ahead for a good medical care and a good nursing home to spend my winter years before I meet God and my parents in heaven. 

It's a topic I have been avoiding all these years. But as I get older, I’m learning to face up to it, cope with it, and try not to feel depressed about. 

I can’t be forever living or forever young. God gives and takes away. When the time comes to face death, it comes. I can't run away from the cycle of life. At least I will be ready. Surprisingly, I have peace thinking about it now. 

Anyway, the world is overly populated with 7.7 billion people. One less will do the world good. I just need to make sure I leave some impact on some people's lives along my life journey in this world before I'm called home to be with the Lord.


Prepare for rainy days

I hope one day you will start thinking hard about life’s uncertainties. To prepare for such rainy days, it’s good if you have some sort of medical and health insurance or enough of your savings parked aside. 

A medical and health insurance is generally designed to cover the cost of private medical treatment, such as the cost of hospitalization, and healthcare services if you are diagnosed with covered illnesses or have had an accident. 

These hospitalization, surgical and medical costs can be quite overwhelming if you do not have the fund readily available. In fact, this is the most critical insurance for everyone. Don't depend on your children to come to your rescue during such rainy days. 

You should also start thinking about will writing to prepare for your final days. You don’t want your children or family members end up fighting over your inheritance. The least you can do is to leave them a clear and fair will.

Future isn’t always crystal clear. As we get older, we realise that health is so precious. Even the richest man in the world can’t buy back his youth with his money if he loses his health. Even the most advanced medical technology can’t bring him back to life with all the money in the world. 

As much as it’s important to enjoy the remaining best days of our life after retirement, it’s equally important to prepare for any rainy days. 

 

Annual medical check-up and blood test

Early detection and prevention is better than cure. Hence, having an annual medical check-up is important. 

After you reach forty years old, it’s advisable to have a full body diagnostic health screening service every year or at least once every two to three years. A full body diagnostic health screening service can help to detect any early signs of your health issues.

Otherwise, you should at least still have a comprehensive blood test every year, especially after you reach 40, regardless of your health condition. You can then selectively have other health screening services based on your physical and health needs. 

If you are rich, you can also go to a medical wellness centre, staying there for a week or so for an even more comprehensive medical check-up using the latest medical technologies. Your medical check-up package can cover beyond blood test, urine test and x-ray. You can also include colonoscopy, ultrasound for your kidney and other internal organs, MRI etc. Some of the medical wellness centres also provide preventive medicine, checking your hormones, body genetics and food tolerance, etc. 

I have been having my annual medical check-up with comprehensive blood test since I was 40. I find that having annual medical check-up with comprehensive blood are good because I can then know my body condition and I can be proactive and do something to improve my health.

During a full-body diagnostic health screening service some years back, some small stones were detected in my kidney by ultrasound. That set an alarm for me to drink more water, consume less salt, and take some medicine to flush out the kidney stones. Thankfully, my kidney stones were totally flushed out by the time I went for my annual medical check-up in the following year. 

In another comprehensive blood test a few years back, my cholesterol level was slightly above safe zone. The desirable level for total cholesterols in <5.2 with the normal range of 3.0 - 6.4. Mine was 5.3. 

I don't want to end up taking high cholesterol pill one day. If I can, I want to be drug-free. The only way to do that is to ensure I live a healthy lifestyle. Because of the blood test result, I started to watch out for my diet, cutting out junk food, oil and salty food. I started to take more oats in the morning. And I continued to run and do weight training. I am glad to know that the following year, my cholesterol level had dropped to normal level of 4.9, within the desirable level below 5.2.

In both incidents (kidney stones and high cholesterol), if it wasn't because of the annual medical check-ups, I might have continued my old unhealthy lifestyle. My health could have deteriorated until a point of no return. 

The wonderful thing about having annual medical check-up is that once I know my health condition, I can then adjust any part of my lifestyle that’s off the course. It helps me to continue to keep my body at as tip top condition as possible for my age. 

However, there are people out there who are afraid to go for medical check-up. Their main reason is that they are afraid to know their health condition. They choose not to know. 

My sister was one of those who choose not to know because she was afraid to face any bad news about her health. She resorted to symptom-treatment. However, due to the most recent health scare, she is now realising the importance of having proper diagnostic for prevention and health improvement. 

In late 2019, my sister had been complaining about a very bad chest pain with partial facial numbness and pounding headache that would not go away for weeks. We had a health scare! We thought those were stroke symptoms. 

After consulting our family doctor, I'm very grateful that my sister's condition was not a stroke. It was due to her high cholesterol level due to poor diet cumulated over a few years. She wasn’t aware of her high cholesterol level because her last blood test was many years ago. She is now undertaking medication to control her high cholesterol in addition to her high blood pressure. 

If my sister were to have her annual medical check-up, or even an annual blood test, perhaps she could have known about her high cholesterol condition a few years back. She could then have changed her lifestyle earlier. Perhaps she might not even need to take this cholesterol pill today. 

We have also heard of people having a sudden heart attack or stroke. I believe some of them could have prevented such health issues from happening if they were to have annual medical check-up and adjust their lifestyle accordingly. 

I’m a strong believer in having annual health screening. Ignorance is a curse. Knowledge is blessing. And prevention is better than cure. 

Hence, don’t be afraid to go for at least a comprehensive blood test or head to toe diagnostic health screening service annually. If you don't want to do it for yourself, you shall consider doing it for the people around you who love you dearly. 


Critical illness coverage

Under critical illness plan, one lump sum cash amount is paid to you (the insured) upon diagnosis of any critical illness. Some of the dread diseases are heart attack, cancer, stroke, paralysis, blindness, Alzheimer, Parkinson’s, etc. 

As today’s lifestyle has become more and more unhealthier with all the good food and convenience surrounding us, people’s health is adversely affected. Most people also lack of exercise because virtually everything can be done with smart phone at the finger tips. Everything has become so conveniently unhealthy. 

Lifestyle diseases like heart attack, cancer, stroke are so common nowadays that you and I need to be taking good care of our health. It’s true that most heart attack and stroke cases can be prevented through healthy living. 

Unfortunately, cancer can pop up and happen to anyone anytime, even if you and I take good care of ourselves. The chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment is an enduring, long-suffering process that require quite a large sum of money. 

When lifestyle disease or any other illness strike, you need money to pay for medical treatment, hospitalisation, and surgery. Meanwhile, you may lose your future income from your work because you may no longer be physically fit to work. 

This critical illness plan will help you cover all the medical treatments you need for such long-term illness. It will ease your financial burden so that it won't burn a hole in your retirement fund unexpectedly. You will still have enough money for your retirement as most of your medical expenses will be paid for by this critical illness plan.


·       Do I have critical illness coverage?

I have two medical insurance policies on critical illness coverage. I bought these two critical illness plans when I was in my late twenties. 

Seriously, I'm mentally prepared that eventually I will die one day. When it’s my time for God to call me home and leave this world , I want a fast death. I don't want to end up having a stroke, paralysed, and bed-ridden losing all my own capability to take care of myself

Being bed-ridden, I will have no choice but to burden other people around me. My situation is worse because I don't have my own children to take care of me. 

That’s the reason why I have been trying my best to keep myself as healthy as possible. I pray that no major critical illness will strike me one day. But again, life is full of uncertainties. We never know what will happen tomorrow! 

Should that unfortunate life-threatening day comes, at least there is a large lump sum amount I can claim to pay for my high medical expenses, including hospitalisation and surgery, and living expenses. 

By then, probably my lifespan will be cut short as well. Hence, I can also use part of unused retirement savings for my medical costs. 

Hence, having critical illness coverage for potential heart attack, cancer, stroke, paralysis, blindness, Alzheimer, Parkinson’s, etc is absolutely critical to me. 

Having critical illness plan should be critical to you too!

 

Hospitalisation and surgery coverage

This insurance provides medical coverage for any expenses incurred during hospitalisation due to illness, accident and injury.

I believe if you work for a company, this medical card is usually provided by company as part of the health benefits. As to how much your coverage is, it largely depends on your company's HR policy as well as your seniority. 

Usually, the larger the company, the more insurance coverage you will receive as an employee due to better HR policy. The hospitalisation and surgery coverage also depends on your position in the company. The higher your corporate ranking and position, the more the medical coverage is. 

Unfortunately, once you stop working and retire, you will also lose out this health benefits from your employer. Therefore, most people still purchase their own medical card. The younger you start such medical and health insurance policy, the cheaper the premiums will be. If I'm not mistaken, there is also an age limit (for example, up to age 60 for some medical cards) to qualify.


·       My hospitalisation and surgery history and experience

I was hospitalised once staying in a private hospital for 2 nights undergoing an operation about 10 years ago. That was my only time being hospitalised in my entire life. The rest of treatments are outpatient treatments. 

I pray that as I get older and potential health issues popping up here and there, I don’t have to resort to staying in hospital or having to undergo any surgery. 

I was grateful that my medical bills were covered under medical benefits of Jobstreet.com, the company that I worked for at that time.  

In fact, I was largely depending on company's health benefits all these years. Once I knew I was preparing for early retirement, only then I started to purchase my own medical card for hospitalization and surgery coverage in 2013. 


·       Wrong purchase of medical card for hospitalisation and surgery coverage 

Unfortunately, my medical card’s premium had increased three times from monthly RM300+ to RM400+, and then to the latest RM550 a month within 7 years. I was so shocked and speechless with the rapid premium increase and the high premium fees! 

As I grow older with no active income, I realise that this unexpected increase in medical card’s monthly premium will surely give me a heart attack one day in future. I can’t imagine how much I would need to pay for this insurance when I reach 70 years old. Probably RM1,500 a month or RM18,000 a year on premium? That’s ridiculous!

I felt that I needed to relook at my hospitalization and surgery coverage in more detail. True enough, what I purchased all along wasn't just a pure medical card. It was riding on an endowment plan of a life insurance. 

No wonder the monthly premium was so expensive. No wonder there was surrender value for termination. By right, a typical medical card’s premium shouldn’t be so expensive and it doesn’t come with surrender value. 

I was caught by surprise with such discovery! It was my big mistake! I regretted my decision on this wrong purchase. I should have purchased a standalone separate medical card back then. I shouldn't have bought this medical insurance riding on an endowment product. 

Regrettably, I cancelled my one and only medical card in early 2020. I don’t want to continue paying for a medical insurance plan that continues to increase its premiums ridiculously as I grow older due to the endowment plan rider.

At my age now, I can still get the same hospitalisation and surgery coverage for around RM220 a month under a standalone medical insurance compared to what I used to pay (RM550 a month) on my now cancelled medical card riding on an endowment plan. 

Therefore, my advice to you: get a stand-alone medical card as early in your life as possible. If you want to buy an endowment plan insurance, buy it separately. Don’t combine the two. Don't make the same mistake as me. 


·       Should I get a new standalone medical card?

At the time of writing this book, I still don’t have medical coverage for hospitalisation and surgery after I cancelled the previous medical card riding on endowment plan in early 2020.

I’m seriously considering to purchase a new standalone medical card before I’m no longer qualified due to age limit. 

After doing some research reviewing insurance premium rate card, I realise that I still can get very reasonable standalone medical card to cover hospitalisation and surgery until I reach 79 years old with the insurance premium increasing every year.

I’m considering 2 standalone medical cards below:

a)     Gold plan: RM50,000 annual limit (RM150 room and board)

o   Insurance premium at age 54: RM178 monthly or RM2,030 yearly

o   Insurance premium at age 79: RM686 monthly or RM7,800 yearly

o   Total insurance premium to be paid (age 54 to 79): RM116,000

 

b)     Silver plan: RM100,000 annual limit (RM200 room and board)

o   Insurance premium at age 54: RM220 monthly or RM2,500 yearly

o   Insurance premium at age 79: RM845 monthly or RM9,600 yearly

o   Total insurance premium to be paid (age 54 to 79): RM137,000

As you can see, if I choose the lowest coverage for hospitalisation and surgery under the first plan, I will need to pay RM116,000 in total for insurance premium over the next 25 years until I reach 79 (if I live until then). It averages out to be around RM4,640 a year (RM386 a month) over the next 25 years. 

And if I do live beyond 79 years old, I will still end up with no more hospitalisation and surgery coverage thereafter. 

I consulted my dad who is still going strong at 96 years old why he and my mom never had any medical insurances in their whole life. He mentioned that during their times, such medical card or critical illness plan never existed. 

When I explained about my predicament to him, he actually advised me not to get a medical card. 

He reasoned that it's better to focus on taking care of my health than to keep worrying about what could have happened and paid a large premium fee for hospitalisation and surgery. He reckoned that I could have used the RM116,000 premium fees more wisely by spending it on preventive health. I can use the money to eat healthier, to take right nutrition supplements, or to pay for any long-term medication like him. 

He also mentioned should I need to be hospitalised or go for any surgery in future, I can still pay from my own pocket. And if going to private hospital is too expensive, there is the option of going to government hospital, just like millions of other Malaysians who can’t afford to visit private hospitals. 

My dad did remind me that I still have 2 insurance policies on critical illness coverage. It shall be sufficient.

My wise dad has his valid point. I will ponder on his point before I make up my mind whether I should get a new standalone medical card.


·       What’s wrong with going to government hospital for medical treatment, hospitalisation, or surgery?

Meanwhile, I have been exploring the option of living my retirement years without medical insurance. This simply means that should I require any hospitalisation or surgery in future, I will choose government hospital over private hospital depending on medical condition. And I will pay out of my own pocket for all medical expenses.

Come to think of it, what’s wrong with going to government hospital?


Case #1

Recently, I visited a close friend's mother who was hospitalised at University Malaya's Hospital for heart ailment and stroke. Her heart's capacity is only 30% left. 

She was in critical care unit (CCU) for more than month with most of the times being on oxygen aid. It was a single room ward with attentive nurses 24 hours a day due to her criticality. 

UM Hospital’s doctor decided to ask her to undergo a surgery to implant a pacemaker, a small device that sends electrical impulses to the heart muscle to maintain a suitable heart rate and rhythm. It was implanted just under the skin of the chest to regulate her heart beats. It was a very successful operation. 

After being hospitalised more than a month in the hospital with 24-hour nurser, oxygen aid, drip, medication and a successful pacemaker implant operation, she is now recovering at home. 

She doesn’t have a medical card for her hospitalisation and surgery coverage. Take a wild guess on how much do you think the total medical cost came up to be? 

The total hospitalisation, room and board, surgery, medication, and other medical costs came up to be around RM9,000 after more than a month’s stay. The pacemaker device was RM20,000 (original price RM40,000). In total, it was RM29,000. 

I feel that her medical cost was very reasonable. I was told that if the same hospitalisation and surgery were being executed at Hospital University Kebangsaan Malaysia (HUKM), it would have been even cheaper. 

And I can't imagine how expensive it would be if my friend’s mom was sent to a private hospital. With no medical insurance coverage at her age of 80, her case would have costed an arm and a leg. 

I wouldn't be surprised if her total hospitalization, surgery and medical costs at private hospital would come up to be RM70,000 to RM100,000, double or triple more expensive than the medical cost at a government hospital. 

Besides, the long queue which at times turn many people away, the customer service, the medical attention, the professionalism of the doctors are all tip top! 

Medical doctors and specialists are no less qualified than the medical doctors and specialists in private hospitals. 


Case #2

A runner friend underwent 6 days 5 nights of treatment at the Dermatology Ward of General Hospital Kuala Lumpur in July 2020 for his skin flare-up situation.

Medical doctors uses systemic and topical steroids to bring down the inflammation.

He wrote on his Facebook post giving thanks to General Hospital Kuala Lumpur, “ The medical bill for 6 days 5 nights in an airconditioned ward with hot shower facilities and 4 meals a day, plus the follow-up medication to bring home came up to be only RM85.00”

 

Case #3

When my late mom had a lethal fall at home hitting her head on the toilet bowl in early hours of 6 December 2015, I was contemplating where I should bring her while I was driving- to Pantai Hospital or Hospital Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (HUKM).

I reckoned that my mom's condition was very critical, a matter of life and death judging by outflowing blood from her nose and injured head. I prayed hard about it in the car, and I decided to drive my mom straight to HUKM emergency unit instead of Pantai Hospital. 

I believe general hospital staff had more medical experiences dealing with emergency cases like my mom’s. 

While my mom was in the emergency room being attended by medical professionals, I was desperately consulting my medical specialist friend on the phone. I was so worried I made the wrong decision by not bringing my mom to Pantai Hospital. Every second counted to save my mom’s precious life.

After seeing the MRI result of my mom’s head condition via WhatsApp chat group with the HUKM doctors, he calmed me down by saying that I made the right decision sending my mom to HUKM. He mentioned that for my mom’s critical condition, even the top brain surgeon from Sunway Medical Canter or Pantai Hospital might not want to admit my mom's case. Even my cousin mentioned to me that I made the right decision bringing my mom to HUKM.

Sadly, my mom passed away within 24 hours from that lethal fall at HUKM ward on the same day. I was so devastated and sad. I kept thinking whether the medical specialists could have still saved my mom’s life if I were a few minutes earlier. That thought has been haunting me for years after my mom’s passing away. But one comforting thing was that I made the right decision to have my mom treated at HUKM. 

After settling my mom’s funeral, I went back to HUKM to settle my mom's medical bill a week later. Her medical bill came up to be only RM18. 

My mom had one of the best medical surgeons attending to her at HUKM. She was surrounded by caring medical staff bringing her to take MRI scan and attending to her injuries at the emergency unit and general ward for head injury patients. I doubt I could have received such urgent medical attention at 1.30am on 6 Dec 2015 morning at a private hospital for my mom’s condition.

 

I have nothing but full of praises to public healthcare in Malaysia. I’m fully indebted to the professional service by general hospitals and clinics, especially HUKM, because of my mom’s incident. 

Personally, I am very grateful for the existence of general hospitals and public healthcare serving millions of Malaysians and general public who can’t afford to go to private hospitals. 

Public healthcare has provided a very excellent venue for medical care of all Malaysians, including those without any medical card or health insurance. 

 

Do you really need health insurance for protection?

It’s highly recommended that you have at least the medical and health insurance coverage. Medical insurance can definitely prepare you for rainy days. It can buy you a peaceful mind too. 

But it's not necessary for everyone. 

If you have allocated a portion of your retirement fund for such unforeseen circumstances, you may not need to have medical and health insurances. Paying for medical fees out of your own pocket will not be an issue for you.

If you are in the low income group, medical insurance may turn out to be a financial burden for the long run with its annual premium increase. Even so, when you reach a certain age limit (i.e. age 80 or older), insurance company may also not want to cover you. Besides, there is government hospital you can go to should you need any medical attention. It is as good as any private hospitals in Malaysia. 

I have a few friends who have themselves and their family members insured to the maximum. 

Meanwhile, my parents have been living all their lives without any medical and health insurances. 

My mom lived to 74 years old with only four hospitalisations in her entire life. Two of which were her delivery at general hospital in Langkawi to my sister and me. There were not even any private hospital in Langkawi at that time. Another time was her oval surgery at a private hospital in Alor Setar. The last was at HUKM where she breathed her last breath due to head injury. That was all. 

My dad was hospitalised several times over the last 96 years of his life. The medical expenses were all covered with own savings. Besides, after 80 years old, he would have not been able to be protected under any health insurance anyway.

If I were to use RM386 monthly premium (average monthly premium over the next 25 years for my case) as benchmark, both of my dad’s and my mom’s entire life’s hospitalisation and surgery costs are still cheaper than paying for years of medical insurances.

It's your call whether to have medical and health insurance!

It’s a personal choice based on your own needs, financial capability, and health condition. 

You decide.

 

How about life insurance?

I bought two life insurance policies when I was in my late twenties. After I have achieved financial independence and retired early, I feel that life insurance is no longer as important to me compared to when I was young.  

I also figured that I have no one to leave behind the insurance claim after my death. As for my funeral expenses, it is all well taken care of under my will. Hence, I surrendered both of my life insurance policies a couple of years back and took back some surrender values. 

But for most of you who have a family of your own, especially when your kids are still very young without any financial capability, life insurance is very important. 

Life insurance prepares you for any rainy days and unexpected events in life. If you are not around, the insurance claim can at least help out your family and your children to live a good life. 

 

Do you leave a will?

When you are young, when you are still climbing corporate ladder, you may not have time to think of all these tough questions about life and death. But eventually, you need to deal with them. 

Instead of brushing it aside, you should face up to it and find a solution - just like I do. 

These are what I call important matter but not urgent. Therefore, you can delay it when you are still working. But after you retire, you now have more time to really think about it. 

How you plan yours is entirely up to you because individual needs are different. Ultimately, you want to live your life full of responsibility. You don't want to burden your loved ones when the final days come. And if you can leave behind some estate or money to your family and loved ones so that they can live as happy as you, why not? Or if you have a bigger heart, you can make more people happier by donating to charity or a foundation. Isn't that wonderful?

I don’t have my own children. Hence, I don’t have the mindset of leaving my money and assets to the next generation. And since I can’t bring any money or assets with me to heaven when my life expires on this earth, I would want to enjoy my life as much as possible while I’m still alive.  I would want to treat myself well after more than 27 years of working hard at 9-to-5 jobs. I would want to use the retirement money wisely to fulfil all of my dreams so that I can leave this world with no regrets.

I have told my sister and close friends before that should one day I become disabled or lose my ability to make any logical decisions during my illness, they can use my money to pay for all my medical expenses. 

I also told them that should one day I'm in a life-and-death situation and medical doctor asks for decision on whether to resuscitate me or not, the answer is no. I prefer to leave this world fast than to be still in this world living like a zombie being paralyzed and a brain no longer functioning. 

My sister has been informed that I prefer a cremation like my mom. If possible, just a photo of me is to be kept at my parents' resting place at Xiao En Memorial Park. No ash in the urn is required. Simple and easy!

I have also had my will done many years ago. 

In the will, I have appointed a trustee to help manage everything I will leave behind. I don't want any dispute even after I die. I also take the opportunity to review my will once every few years. 

Since I have only one sister,  I will leave a portion for my sister and her family. 

I will then donate another portion to a few charities dealing with the elderly from low income group. The elderly is the forgotten group in this society. I want to give them their dignity back during their golden years as some of their children may have left them at old folks homes without any visitations. 

I also plan to allocate the balance of my possessions to a few close friends who have been very trustworthy and helpful throughout my life. 

Ailin Kwok, a close friend of mine, told me that she has informed her two children that she will not leave anything for them when she passes away. Just like me, she will want to use the money to enjoy her life. For anything that’s left behind, she will donate all to charity. 

We have come across too many horrible family feuds of siblings fighting over inheritance after the parents pass away. I even read about a son killing his parents so that he could inherit his parents’ money. A few of my friends live in a family filled with family feuds and quarrels because they don’t agree on the will distribution by their parents. Because of money an greed, the siblings turn on each other, and don’t see each other eye to eye. They behave like strangers with anger fuming their heart. It’s because of what? It’s because of inheritance. 

Hence, my suggestion is for you to sort out your will before you leave this world. You want to leave this world peacefully. You don’t want to create a chaos in your family after you are not around. Please don’t be superstitious. There is no such thing as “pantang” or taboo about death.  

By having a well written will, you can sleep well at night and minimise any future family disputes over your inheritance. 


SECTION 5

 

Life after Retirement:

Health, Happiness, Gratitude, Being Significant 

 

“If you have health, you probably will be happy. And if you have health and happiness, you have all the wealth you need, even if it’s not all you want." -- Elbert Hubbard



F I L L

Financial Independence, Live Life 

 

achieving financial independence from 9-to-5 job before 50


Book manuscript written in 2020 & blog articles published in 2021 by Vincent Khor

Photo by Dimitri on Unsplash



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