I was there when FWD Life Philippines was launched in 2014 and I am glad to see how much this insurance company has grown since. Last year, I also wrote about their partnership with Wattpad when they launched stories about financial literacy via the creative use of digital media.

This 2017, FWD Life Philippines takes on championing health and fitness by supporting the Fit Filipino (FitFil) Movement's National Weight Loss Challenge. Spearheaded by Jim and Toni Saret, fitness coaches at Biggest Loser Philippines Season 2, FitFil aims to get Filipinos to collectively lose one million pounds during the campaign period of June 6 to December 5, 2017.

Rochelle Vandenberghe, FWD Life Philippines Head of Marketing, expressed, "As an insurance industry pioneer in the space of health and wellness, [we] are delighted to partner with the Fit Filipino Movement and coaches Jim and Toni to inspire Filipinos in leading healthier lives with a series of fitness-centered events." 

Through FWD's Live to Move fitness parties in collaboration with FitFil and the challenge's partners, Vandenberghe said they "hope to inspire a new wave of awareness for the health benefits of keeping fit. For us at FWD, living life to the fullest starts with being healthy." I totally agree!

According to Coach Jim, founder of the FitFil Movement, "We have been working with FWD for over two years and their #GetReadyToLive brand attitude serves as one of the strong pillars of the National Weight Loss Challenge. We are excited to bring to life the country's biggest health and wellness campaign as we challenge Filipinos to collectively lose one million pounds!"

Coach Jim added that through this advocacy and movement, the goal is to spread the message that being fit and well starts with a simple commitment. "We encourage everyone to take ownership of their health and join us in getting fit," he implored. 

To launch its Live to Move health and wellness program, FWD Life held an energy-packed fitness party this past weekend at Central Park, SM by the Bay, Mall of Asia. Coaches Jim and Toni were joined by some of the country's top coaches from various gyms and fitness centers. The workout program centered around FWD Motion, a metabolic fitness (metafit) routine that helps shed off pounds in just four minutes of exercise. 

Hundreds of participants, including members of the Philippine National Police (PNP), joined other fitness enthusiasts in doing zumba, hip-hop, TRX, kickboxing, and cardio workouts, among others under the glow of the beautiful Manila Bay sunset. 

The FitFil National Weight Loss Challenge is supported by the country's premier medical organizations led by the Philippine Medical Association (PMA), the country's umbrella organization for medical practitioners, as well as the Philippine Heart Association (PHA), Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI), Nutritionist-Dietitians' Association of the Philippines (NDAP), and the Philippine Nurses Association (PNA). Additionally pledging their support to the challenge are the PNP, Department of Science and Technology (DOST), various universities, local government units (LGUs), fitness clubs, and numerous corporations. 

It is quite heartening to see more and more Filipinos taking their first steps towards a healthier lifestyle. If you are really serious about losing those unwanted pounds, make a pledge to lose them by December by signing up for free at www.fitfil.ph. FYI, there are rewards waiting for those who achieve their goals! :)

Many of us are audio-visual learners who absorb lessons better when we personally get to see and hear stories we can easily relate to. This June, join Sun Life of Canada (Philippines) as it marks the 4th Financial Independence Month by finding out how to break free from the cycle of financial shortage and security.

In 2012, I wrote an article for Rappler about how Sun Life uses the power of film to educate Filipinos on financial literacy. I enjoyed watching those clips, especially the one featuring Angel Aquino, because they depicted realities many Filipinos have gone, or are going through, and were able to creatively promote insurance and investment products without being pushy.

This month, Sun Life launched a new collection of Sun Shorts to once more inspire Filipinos to pursue financial freedom. Here are three reasons why all three short films are worth watching:

1) You will see yourself in one of the characters. Whether you are young or old, single, a parent, or a retiree, you'll find something in those films that would make you go, "Yes, that could be me!"

2) You will feel that push to explore why you need to invest and be insured. Each film will lead you to think about improving whatever financial situation you are in at the moment.

3) You could better visualize how to realize your dreams. We all have aspirations but, many times, we have vague ideas how to reach them. By having plans and knowing what steps to take, you'll get closer towards making your goals a reality.

According to Chief Marketing Officer Mylene Lopa, "Sun Life shines a spotlight on relationships to inspire every Filipino to keep chasing their dreams. Through Sun Shorts, we hope to show Filipinos how life insurance can help them ease their life's burdens and celebrate their lives' triumphs giving them the opportunity to show the people they love their commitment to a brighter future for them."

All three films were inspired by stories of Sun Life clients:

• Waves by Zig Marasigan gives a peek into the lives of millennials who are often criticized for adhering to the YOLO (you only live once) mindset and not preparing well enough for their future

• She Said, She Said by Nic Reyes highlights a mom's journey on juggling work and single parenting while trying to raise her daughter to the best of her abilities  

• Sayaw by Mihk Vergara delves into the reality of coping with a long-time marriage that has gone cold and seemingly way past redemption

Access the films at www.sunshorts2.com or through Sun Life's Facebook page. Each mini movie comes with a complementary video where Sun Life brand ambassadors Matteo Gudicelli, Judy Ann Santos, and Piolo Pascual share their thoughts and have discussions with friends to shed light on how insurance and investments enable us to protect the relationships that matter to us.

"The people we love make us a better version of ourselves. So it is important to nurture these relationships because they define us as a people," reminded Ms. Charo Santos-Concio during the Sun Shorts media launch. "We should be able to express our love by securing a bright future for our loved ones and Sun Life will help us make that happen."

Learn more about life insurance and mutual funds by also joining Sun Life's series of activities throughout the month to boost your financial journey. For more details, visit @sunlifeph on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Meanwhile, if you prefer to learn at your most convenient time, there are also basic financial planning courses online at the Brighter Life Institute. Just log in at www.brighterlife.com.ph.

Lastly, Sun Life is launching PA Armor, an affordable personal accident protection that can be easily bought through Sun Life's partnership with Voyager Innovations, Inc.'s online marketplace Takatack.com.

Ms. Mylene sums their advocacy by assuring Filipinos, "Life insurance is a gift of commitment, life, and hope. For as long as [you] have dreams to pursue and relationships to care for, Sun Life will be here as [your] partner in this journey." 

Can you compromise quality in favor of savings? This is what many people first think about when faced with the choice of buying a well-known expensive product versus a more affordable one. But, when a person has a tight budget or is conscious about spending, being a wise shopper is essential.

Thankfully, we are no longer forced to choose between quality and savings when Watsons launched its Switch and Save campaign in 2012 that allowed smart shoppers to save on personal care essentials so we can also afford more of the things we want. All one has to do is shift from the leading brand to a Watsons product.

Watsons' Karen Fabres, Danilo Chiong, Jared De Guzman, Viki Encarnacion, and Aida Lapez with Edu Manzano, Lorna Tolentino, Iya Villania, Kylie Padilla, and Christian Bautista

In the past five years, Watsons customers across the Philippines made the switch. They changed their toothbrushes, tissues, lotions, and more for the affordable and yet still high quality Watsons alternatives. With such great momentum behind the movement, the personal care store expanded the campaign to the pharmacy.

In 2014, Watsons Generics was launched to bring the same promise of affordable quality to Filipinos when it comes to medicines. Of course, it's always a huge win when something is done to improve the state of the nation's healthcare.

some of the high quality Watsons Label products

However, despite already having many switchers on board, there are still those who need more convincing because they keep holding on to the notion that anything "cheaper means lower quality." So, the Watsons team came up with a way to prove that the brand's amazing products are comparable to more expensive ones by testing people if they could even feel the difference.

The Switch Test became an in-store activity where shoppers can compare Watsons products to leading counterparts without being able to see the brands. Customers were asked to try out two products -- ranging from body scrubs and lotions to toothbrushes and hair irons -- and choose which they'd rather buy.

get up to 80% savings when you switch to using Watsons!

Results of the Switch Test showed that 8 out of 10 shoppers chose the Watsons Label product over the leading brand counterpart. This is an overwhelming testament to Watsons quality. The surprise didn't end there, though, because upon learning of the big savings they could get with Watsons Label, even shoppers who first chose the leading brands also made the switch.

Next to take the Switch Test challenge were Watsons' celebrity endorsers: Christian Bautista, Tessa Prieto-Valdes, Iya Villana, Kylie Padilla, Lorna Tolentino, and Edu Manzano. They were asked, "What's the difference between these two products?" Their verdict -- none! Watch the video below and see that even they were amazed because it was hard to tell any difference in quality. On top of that, switching can give savings of up to 80%!

To kick start 2017, Watsons will also air this video as its new TV commercial to reach and make more people realize why they have to switch and save, too. Catch it and see if you can tell the difference between a Watsons brand and your usual brand. You might just surprise yourself with your answer ;)

These days, more and more people are turning to entrepreneurship to reach their financial goals. Unfortunately, not everyone succeeds because they failed to keep in mind the important things they should do when starting and managing a business.

attendees of the seminar (that's me in the yellow shirt)

Recently, I attended an Ephesians Management Corporation seminar entitled Creating Wealth and Managing Finances held at the Alabang Country Club to further my knowledge on handling my personal finances and be wiser as an income earner.  There, I gained a lot of insights and tips from speaker Jose Feron "Dodong" Cacanando, owner of Moriah Farms located in Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon and founder of Semilya sa Kinabuhi, Inc., a foundation that aims to bring the Bible and the church to where people work -- in their businesses and in their farms.

Here are six valuable lessons he shared about starting a business and managing it from then on:

1. Always know and start with what you have. Disclaimer: I arrived late and didn't get to hear his explanation about this tip. But, I think this meant capitalizing on the things you already have and using them to earn money. In my case, this translates to me having a laptop and the ability to weave words which led to accepting writing and editing jobs from clients as well as blogging projects.

2. Work, work, work, work. And remember that while your income increases, you should be able to even lower your expenses. "In the past, there are less crimes because people were busy working," described Sir Dodong. "Work is a very important part of life. You get more money if you spend more time working. Additionally, do not spend money you do not have."

3. Set financial targets. "If you want your business to prosper, you have to focus on the profits," he advised citing the Bible story of Joseph who prepared for the impending seven years of famine in Egypt. Sir Dodong recommends to not only think in terms of 'income - expenses = profit.' "Set your profit target and know what you need years from now." For instance, preparing for your child's education early because that would entail big expenses.

4. Pay yourself first. "Because you want to buy your future," he reasons. "Bring down your expenses and have an 'income - savings = expenses' mindset."

5. Work on a budget by knowing your actual expenses and finding which of these you can further cut down. "Challenge your expenses!" encouraged Sir Dodong. "Look at the budget not to ask 'Are you on budget?' but to know 'What else can we bring down?'" If you're having difficulties in budgeting, he suggests going back to the basics and using the envelope system to physically manage your money. "This is still the best budgeting tool and I continue to use it." To learn more about the envelope system, read this post.

Sir Dodong also advises to remove 'leakages' or else the wheel of your life will become flat. "Leakages are vices like cigarettes and liquor, as well as regular cups of expensive coffee and even cell phone loads. They rob you of your capacity to create wealth!" Still, it's also not good to be always depriving ourselves of little treats or luxuries. So he clarifies that if you really want to buy something, learn to save up and wait until you can buy it. Do not make hasty or impulse purchases.

6. Regenerate. That means developing new abilities by building upon your current capabilities. For example, if you are good at cooking, you may want to venture into opening a small eatery first before deciding to operate a restaurant. "Start small. A business does not grow because of money but because of abilities. Use your savings to grow your means first. Later, your business will grow according to your abilities because opportunities come to those who are ready."

Keep updated on upcoming Ephesians Management Corporation events by liking and following https://www.facebook.com/EMCTRAININGS/.

Loving couples that don’t have ANY disagreements do not exist! Take it from two people who are a year away from celebrating 25 years of marriage. That would be my husband and me 😉

The truth is, every relationship has its conflicts and we all know people who still get to survive numerous disagreements with their partners. Why? Because, after a fight, we remain willing to patch things up. 

Last year, Pru Life UK released the results of the Pru Life UK Relationship Index (PRI) that studied peoples’ relationships in 10 Asian countries. The Philippines ranked second out of ten nations in terms of relationship satisfaction. On average, Filipinos’ primary relationships – with their partner (74%), their children (59%), and their friends (50%) – fulfill 79% of their desired relationship needs.

“Filipinos are a highly relational people,” affirmed Gizelle Villareal-Camua, Pru Life UK’s Head and AVP for Brand and Communications in an intimate media event held at Frank & Dean in Bonifacio Global City. As a good example, she mentioned a certain fast food brand’s series of Valentines Day videos that went viral last month. “Those are about relationships and are clear examples of how we are as a people.”

Referring to the PRI survey results, Gizelle likewise shared that, despite a high satisfaction in relationships, Filipinos were found to argue more, with money as the most likely source of quarrels. Too, there is some disagreement between Filipino married couples over who decides where the money goes.

Gizelle Camua of Pru Life UK

(Please read more about the PRI results in my other blog post, here: http://mommywrites.blogspot.com/2016/12/pru-life-uks-2016-relationship-index.html. You may learn a lot things that could help improve your relationships with the people you most care about.)

As part of its financial literacy advocacy, Pru Life UK invited bestselling author and finance and relationship coach Rose Fres Fausto to conduct a couple’s workshop on money management for members of the media. This is in line with Pru Life UK’s goal to help Filipinos understand our relationships better so we can make them more rewarding. 

My husband and I joined other couples in taking a Financial Intelligence Quotient (FQ) test that can be found on Rose’s website, FQMom.com. She said that our results would help us know where we are in terms of financial know-how. I got a higher score than my husband, which affirmed that I am more diligent in studying about savings and investments than he is 😄

FQ Mom Rose Fausto

Next, Rose discussed with us the difference between Conjugal Partnership of Gains (CPG) versus Absolute Community of Property (ACP), under the old and new Family Code of the Philippines, and how ACP (promulgated in 1987) affects married couples and their children when it comes to ownership of properties.

Third, she had us recall a Childhood Money Memory that we wrote down on a piece of paper. Some of our fellow participants shared their stories to the whole group and how certain circumstances in their past continue to influence their money issues today. 

I liked how this activity started a lengthy and healthy discussion between my husband and me while we were going home. Together, we analyzed why we feel strongly about certain money matters and conceded that many of our finance-related decisions in the past, up to the present, indeed had a basis on some of our childhood experiences.

Rose then showed us a Power Point Presentation that highlighted lessons from her book, The Retelling of the Richest Man in Babylon. It’s a story written for children that adults can also learn a lot from. From the book are three things we should remember about handling money:

1. Pay yourself first.

2. Get into a business that you understand and get advice from those who already have experience.

3. Make your gold work for you.

If you’re curious about the longer explanations for each, do get yourself a copy of Rose’s book (with English and Tagalog versions) so you can also share the story with your family. 

Cha-Ching on the web

Lastly, she encouraged us to work on a design that will help us Become a High FQ Couple:

1. Start with your life goals.

2. Keep no secrets from each other.

3. Automate saving and investing.

4. Have your regular balance sheet meeting.

5. Raise your kids to have high FQ.

Speaking of High FQ Kids, Pru Life UK teamed up with Cartoon Network Asia to create Cha-Ching, a TV show for kids ages 7 to 12 that teaches them the 4 Basic Money Smarts: Earn, Save, Spend Wisely, and Donate. In case you don’t have access to the cable channel, your children can visit chaching.cartoonnetworkasia.com to watch educational music videos, play games, check out apps, or download catchy songs.

In addition, there’s a section for parents that provides resources for at-home activities they can do with the kids to practice money smart habits and enhance learnings from the music videos.

moms and dads with Gizelle, Rose, and the Pru Life UK team

I highly encourage fellow moms and dads to learn more about raising your Financial Intelligence Quotient (FQ) as a family. As Pru Life UK CEO and President Antonio de Rosas said in a past media event, if you’re more knowledgeable about money matters and are focused on your goals, you and your partner could avoid quarreling about finances more often. 

Personally, I’d rather argue with my better half over what ice cream flavor to buy the next time we go grocery shopping 😉.

So many things have happened these past months that had a lot of individual investors worried. However, as far as investing goes, it should be kept in mind that investments take time to earn so we should always think long term.

The good news is, according to Sun Life of Canada (Philippines), Inc., the Philippine economy will continue to remain strong this 2017 and could even grow by 7%.

During a press briefing at Shangri-La Makati last week, Sun Life Chief Investments Officer Michael Enriquez explained that with the increased consumer and government spending, the outlook remains fundamentally positive. He mentioned factors such as remittances from overseas Filipino workers, the BPO industry, and the large number of Filipinos who are of working age are among what's boosting our economy from the consumer's end. 

"On the other hand, the rise in government spending is bringing about more jobs and has also increased the demand for construction materials," added Enriquez. These positive developments, he said, have been offsetting the possible impact of recent events in the market, which include the weakening of the Philippine Peso against the US Dollar plus the drop in the Philippine Stock Exchange Index due to the shift of foreign funds to the US market.

"Stay the course and even boost your investments," advised Enriquez to investors. "With stock prices cheaper, it's a good time to buy so [you] can enjoy the greater gains once the market goes up."

How to take advantage of this scenario? One way is to invest in mutual funds such the Sun Life Prosperity Funds (read how I started mine, here) managed by Sun Life Asset Management Company, Inc. (SLAMCI). Amid the developments in the market, the funds have been performing strongly as of December 31, 2016. 

For instance, the Sun Life Prosperity Equity Fund yielded a five-year return of 39% and a 10-year return of 119% while the Sun Life Prosperity Balanced Fund marked a 28% and 89% growth in the five and ten-year returns respectively. Likewise, the Sun Life Prosperity Bond Fund lodged 12% and 44% returns for the same time periods.

SLAMCI President Valerie Pama expressed, "We're delighted that our investors are reaping the rewards of their commitment to invest for the long-term, and we hope to see more Filipinos treading the same path so they, too, can experience financial security."

"We create wealth for our investors in the long term. [So,] investors should be more concerned about long term prospects rather than aim to make a quick buck," added Enriquez who advised that one should be patient enough to stay invested to see good payback.

To educate more Filipinos about the best ways to grow their money, Pama said SLAMCI will pursue this vision by championing financial inclusion and further boosting its financial literacy programs. The company also plans to strengthen distribution channels to reach new markets. 

  

"More partnerships with banks, brokers, and alternative channels will be launched and we will also enhance our online capability including the Money for Life e-Planner," she shared. (In relation to this, please read the recent partnership formed between Sun Life and USSC, here.) 

SLAMCI will also be more aggressive in promoting its programs such as Sun RISE, wherein employees can invest a minimal amount regularly via salary deduction; and Auto-Invest, a regular investment program in cooperation with partner banks. Pama is also optimistic about a possible regulation from the Securities and Exchange Commission that may lower initial investment from P5,000 to P1,000. 

"The economy is strong but may not necessarily translate to a strong equity market this year," clarified Enriquez. However, "This is the best [time] now to get assets cheaper. It's a short term opportunity to rebalance your portfolio."

"Please start investing already. Do it regularly, be disciplined, and focus on your long term goals," concluded Pama.

  

The millennial consumer market is a huge one. It's no wonder brands often align their marketing strategies to appeal to this younger generation of spenders. While it's good that young people nowadays seem to have better purchasing power, they also need to be educated on how to properly manage their hard-earned salaries. This is so they can also enjoy the fruits of their labor when they get much older.

FWD Life, the country's fastest growing insurance company (read about their Philippine launch in 2014, here), partnered with Wattpad, the global multiplatform entertainment company for original stories, to revolutionize financial education via the Piso Tales advocacy campaign.

Piso Tales, a one-of-a-kind initiative that aims to bring financial literacy closer to the Philippines' rapidly expanding millennial market, is geared towards changing the way people learn and share financial stories. FWD passionately worked with three Filipino Wattpad authors in coming up with stories showcasing how millennials can succeed financially in life.

Chris Stefanyk, Wattpad Business Operations and Strategy Lead, expressed, "FWD Life's Piso Tales Campaign will empower a new generation of Filipinos to take control of their finances to prepare for their and their loved ones' future."

During an intimate gathering for the media and several Wattpad fans held at Fully Booked in Bonifacio High Street recently, Wattpad subscribers were encouraged to read the following stories:

Did you know? Every month, Filipinos spend 500 million minutes engaged in stories about the things they love! With a total monthly audience of six million, Wattpad is a good channel to spread and make financial literacy relevant and entertaining for millions of Filipino millennials. According to Adspark Business Director Miki Yuhiko, "Through this, I hope we make financial literacy easier and more digestible for our target market."

"At FWD, Piso Tales is truly close to our heart. As a company which aims to encourage Filipinos to live life without hesitation, we are delighted to breathe life to the Piso Tales campaign," illustrated Roche Vandenberghe, FWD Life Philippines' Head of Marketing. 

She said that they recognize the potential of the country's millennial market and that, "Through this advocacy, we are reaching out to a huge segment that has been, thus far, quite underserved in terms of financial education."

"Our partnership with Wattpad is premised on the idea that financial literacy need not be boring," added Vandenberghe who pointed out that Piso Tales is entirely aligned with their vision to change the way people feel about insurance.

Just a few hours after the upload of the last chapters on Wattpad last December 16, the stories already garnered 35,000 readers / views proving how effective this way is in reaching Piso Tales' intended audience. "Let this be a new way of sharing money talks!" concluded Vandenberghe. 

  

A huge number of Filipinos still don't fully understand the concept of insurance. According to Sun Life President and CEO Riza Mantaring, when she's abroad and gets to talk to Overseas Filipino Workers, the OFWs often express their worries about their families in case something happen to them. "They understand the need for insurance but they just don't realize it's insurance that they have to buy." 

Unfortunately, those living here don't necessarily perceive that need to protect their future. While OFWs clearly see it, those in the marginalized sectors still have to be educated on their need for protection because their mindset is just to survive from day to day, or week to week. "That is why they have to develop the habit of saving. Just as you have the money to buy food, you should also be able to save even just a small amount regularly [for your future]," reasoned Ms. Riza

The thing is, many people are still not aware that such products exist or, if they do, they think these products are very expensive. Ms. Riza explained how hard it is for some people to grasp how, for instance, P25 can already get them P25,000 in benefits in case of an accident. "It's hard for them to believe it's possible because they don't understand the concept of pooling people's money."

This coming 2017, Sun Life of Canada (Philippines), Inc., in partnership with Universal Storefront Services Corporation (USSC), will be introducing the mass market to life insurance products and services. Under this program, Sun Life will expand the reach of financial inclusion to the largely underserved market segment of the Philippine population.   

Filipinos are known to value our families much more than those from other nations. This is evident in the way we try to take good care of our elderly and the efforts many of us make to give our children the best lives possible.

This 2016, Pru Life UK launched Asia’s first Relationship Index, a study across ten (10) Asian countries that measured peoples’ satisfaction with their primary relationships and what can be done to improve them. These pertain to relationships with partners, children, family, and friends.

Results showed that the Philippines ranked second (next to Vietnam) out of 10 Asian countries in terms of relationship fulfillment with a satisfaction score of 79/100. This means Filipinos’ primary relationships, on average, fulfill 79% of their desired relationship needs.

“Relationships are at the heart of our business. We know our customers buy our products to protect the people and relationships they care most about. We also know that good relationships are crucial to our happiness and good health,” explained Pru Life UK CEO and President Antonio de Rosas during the Index’s media launch held in Dusit Thani, Makati City.

Parents, I believe, are the best teachers who should guide our children towards a successful future. Unfortunately, many of us are not equipped to transfer adequate knowledge about personal finance. 

my son, at age 9, already learned that small things add up over time

That's one of my frustrations, actually -- my generation's lack of education on properly handling money. Filipinos are fortunate these days though because so many resources are available to those who are willing to learn. 

As part of my personal advocacy to help improve fellow Filipinos' financial literacy, I am giving away a set of two personal finance books each to two of my readers, courtesy of CSM Publishing, a publisher of many helpful and inspiring books.  

two sets of books for two winners!

Security Bank Corporation is celebrating its 65th founding anniversary and part of this milestone is the BetterBanking Stories campaign that shares the triumphs and struggles of real bank clients who all have a good relationship with Security Bank.

The BetterBanking Stories kicked off with a set of TV Commercials featuring Security Bank's relationship with three of its famous clients Dr. Vicki Belo, Erwan Heusaff, and Janine Gutierrez. However, the stories do not end with these celebrities. Security Bank likewise brought attention to its other clients who found success in their own fields through the bank's promise of Better Banking. 

Patricia Tan, First Vice President and Retail Marketing Division Head of Security Bank, notes how surprised they were by the positive feedback from their clients and general viewers on the TVCs. "That resulted in the decision to magnify our purview and share the BetterBanking Stories of other customers."

Whether you find it uncomfortable talking about it or not, death is inevitable for all of us. We will all die someday. The question is, what would happen to your loved ones if you suddenly pass away?

Yes, conversations about death and finances can be depressing and are even considered taboo by many. However, when should families talk about it? When the head of the family is already dead and everyone’s stoked to fight tooth and nail for his/her inheritance? "Fights over land, for instance, can be avoided if there’s already a plan to divide it between the children BEFORE the parents die," pointed out Registered Financial Planner Aya Laraya during the most recent Sun Life #Money4LifeChallenge talk for bloggers.

He said people who sign up for life insurance policies usually have these end goals in mind: to take care of the family, to provide cash, to replace income, or to continue a child’s education. However, one thing is missing in the list – inheritance tax.

Did you know that even if you have a last will and testament, none of your assets can be transferred to your family until the inheritance tax is settled? The good news is that an irrevocable life insurance is not covered by estate tax so your beneficiaries can redeem the insured amount and use it to pay for the necessary taxes (instead of finger-pointing who should shoulder the amount).

So, what are taxable assets? These include cash, houses, land, investment portfolio (stocks, mutual funds, etc.), vehicles, jewelry, art/paintings, and livestock. How much inheritance tax is imposed? That’s 20% after basic deductions (funeral expenses, previously taxed properties, family home, and medical expenses).

Many people think that investing is a complicated matter and should only be done with the help of a financial expert who requires considerable payment for the service. I used to think that way, too, until I discovered that this is just one part of handling personal finances and growing one’s money. 

I still see myself a newbie at investing though because I know that I still have so much to learn. That was why I signed up for Sun Life’s #Money4LifeChallenge, a series of monthly talks by Aya Laraya, a Registered Financial Planner. The goal was to empower bloggers who are interested to improve our knowledge on money matters.

A few weeks ago, my blog post on 5 Things to Consider When Finding a Financial Advisor won me a Sun Life Prosperity Card worth P5,000. I’ve been wanting to invest in mutual funds for a couple of years now but hadn’t gotten round to exploring my options. The card made the decision for me and I am grateful :)

I activated the card by going to the Sun Life Building in Bonifacio Global City. There, I got help from John Natividad of the Sun Life Asset Management Company Inc. (SLAMCI) who assisted me in filling up the Investor Information Form, Investor Profile Questionnaire, and other relevant papers. 

John also patiently explained how easy it is to add to the initial investment through automatic bank transfers of P1,000 (minimum) each month. These subsequent additions will further help grow the investment as the years go by.

By now, you’re probably wondering how the money would grow. Sun Life pools all the funds from individual investors and places these in investment vehicles that, so far, have been doing well for the past years. What I love about the Sun Life Prosperity Card is that it takes off much of the guesswork and headache because there are experienced fund managers who would handle your money for you. 

I would leave the more extensive explanations to a Sun Life Mutual Fund Advisor whom you can ask advice from as to what kind of mutual fund you should choose to invest in. Ask to speak to one when you visit any Sun Life Financial Philippines branch where you can purchase Prosperity Cards. They are very accommodating. 

Since Christmas is just around the corner, I highly recommend this as a great gift option because it is something unique that will appreciate over time. The Sun Life Prosperity Card allows recipients to have their own starter investment fund and help begin their personal finance journey towards a brighter future. Consider this: P5,000 will not earn much if you leave it for a long time inside a bank savings account. 

Visit sunlifeprosperity.com.ph or call 849-9888 to know more. For inquiries on specific Sun Life Prosperity Card transactions, call 849-9452 / 849-9495 or email slamc@sunlife.com.

Delicious chicken wings at half the price? Why not! At Buffalo Wild Wings, weekdays couldn't get any wilder because its Tuesday treats have been extended until the end of October 2016! 

Every week this month, diners will get the chance to enjoy our favorite wings at half the price every #WingTuesdays at the Estancia Mall branch.

Choose from wings offered in 12 signature sauces and 5 dry seasonings including the house favorite Asian Zing, subtly sweet Honey BBQ, the buttery Buffalo, the tropical taste of Mango Habanero, and Asian flavors infused in Thai Curry.