Tag Archives: Francisco colayco

When Will You Decide You Made a Wrong Investment?

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by: Francisco J. Colayco

first published in Good News Pilipinas on October 14, 2013

Believe it or not, most investors invest without clearly defining what they expect to gain, what they need it for and when it should happen. For many people, “Hope springs eternal” because their focus is just in earning the gains. Having clear targets with specific timetables is the best guide in tracking investments.

In the first place, before you make an investment, you have to study how your money will be used to generate income and grow in value over time. In the process, you must also study and understand the attendant risks that could cause losses. It could be a bank deposit or a bond or a mutual fund or real estate or a car or anything that you will put out money. You have to look at all documents and study them carefully. Ask advice if necessary but please do not ask advice without having studied first. It is so sad and frustrating that many people want to be “spoon-fed.” This means that they don’t even want to study. They just want to be told what to do. Unfortunately, when you do this for your money, you could be in trouble.

You cannot depend on anyone except yourself for money issues. If you insist on depending on someone else, you are taking a very serious risk. No human being knows everything and the person you depend on, even myself who you probably think already knows a lot about money issues, is certainly limited. So, my advice is that you really have to educate yourself. Read books, articles…take seminars, listen to talks and do everything you can to learn.

 

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Combined Mutual Fund and Insurance

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by: Francisco J. Colayco

first published in Good News Pilipinas on October 23, 2009

Some asked me about a kind of insurance policy, which offers the insured the option to define whether he wants more protection or investment in one single instrument. His kind of policy is sometimes called VUL or Variable Universal Life.  VUL generally offers higher returns compared to the ordinary life insurance policy.

You should remember that like mutual funds, there is no guarantee of a specific rate of return. Some VUL policies guarantee return of principal if maintained over a specific period of time. In such a case, you will at least get your investment back even if it does not earn.

VUL policy can be a good alternative particularly if you need to have life insurance protection.  The main advantage is that you have both the mutual fund and an insurance coverage.  The mutual fund that is incorporated in the VUL is a mutual fund that is established and managed by the insurance company itself.  In general, there are agents for insurance policies and therefore, their commissions are deducted from the premium that you pay.  This means that the amount to actually go into the investment for the mutual fund portion could be reduced by that commission.

You should ask your insurance provider about the effect of the commission and what specific type of mutual fund your premium payments would be invested in.  Usually, there are fixed income, equity and balanced mutual funds. Be also sure that you fully understand the terms of the VUL, particularly the provisions on lapsation if any.  Lapsation means that if you forget to pay your premium, will the insurance company consider your policy as cancelled or will it give you time to pay etc.

Generally, VULs are cheaper and more cost effective compared to the ordinary whole life insurance policy.  Another advantage of VULs is that being an insurance product, your VUL policy is not subject to garnishment.  Garnishment means that if your assets are foreclosed for whatever reason, the VUL policy is not considered an asset for foreclosure.

On the other hand, investing directly in a mutual fund offers only pure investments.   It gives you more flexibility in case you want to withdraw part of all of your investment should the opportunity or need arise. If you take this route, in addition to the mutual fund, you should consider getting yourself term life insurance, which is simply buying life insurance protection year by year.

Paano Mag-Invest Nang Ligtas sa Mutual Funds

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ni: Francisco J. Colayco

unang lumabas sa Bulgar noong ika-30 ng Hunyo, 2010

HINDI garantisado ang tubo sa mutual funds. Sa katunayan, puwede pa ngang bumaba ang halaga ng investment mo. Pero kung susundin mo ang ilang simpleng patakaran, napakaliit ng tsansa na matalo ka. Tandaan na sa Mutual Funds, hindi ka kumikita o nawawalan ng pera hangga’t hindi mo binebenta ang shares mo.

Mahalagang maunawaan na puwede mong ibenta ang iyong shares anumang oras at tiyak na may bibili nito. Sa ibang uri ng investment, puwedeng maging mahirap ang paghahanap ng buyer lalo na tuwing panahon ng emergency.

Ang pangunahing patakaran ay ang mga sumusunod:

1.) Piliin lamang ang mga pinagkatitiwalaan at kilalang mutual funds. May inaalagaang reputasyon ang mga kilalang kumpanya at napakalayong mangyari na ipapaubaya nila ang kanilang mutual fund sa mga fund manager na hindi mahuhusay. Pero siyempre, kahit ang mga kilalang pangalan ay puwede pa ring magkamali. Kung kaya puwede pa ring protektahan ang sarili sa pamamagitan ng mga sumusunod na patakaran.

2.) Pumili sa mga pangunahing uri ng mutual funds: Equity Fund, Bond Fund, Balanced Fund. Piliin kung alin ang angkop sa iyong personal na planong pinansiyal (kailangang may malinaw kang plano bago mo man lang isiping mag-invest). Sa bawat uring nabanggit, ang mga fund na may mas mataas na paglago sa mga nagdaang taon ay may mas mataas na tsansang maging matagumpay pati sa hinaharap.

3.) Ikalat ang iyong panganib. Huwag ilagay lahat ng savings sa mutual funds. Hinihikayat ko kayo na i-invest na lang ang mga halagang gagastusin sana sa mga bagay na walang halaga. Sa halagang Php 35.00 kada araw, makakaipon ka ng Php 1,000.00 sa isang buwan. Kung sumali sa isang Equity Mutual Fund na karaniwang lumalago nang 15% kada taon, ang Php 1,000.00 kada buwan (na dagdag sa Php 5,000.00 na panimulang hulog sa mutual fund) ay magiging Php 238,000.00 sa loob ng 10 taon. Pero sa loob ng 120 buwan na ito, ang inilabas mo lang na pera ay Php 125,000.00. Sa loob ng 20 taon, ang pera mo ay magiging Php 1,409,000.00 kahit na Php 245,000.00 lang ang inilabas mo.

Kung ang panimulang requirement na Php 5,000.00 ay ang kabuuan ng lahat ng inyong savings, mag-isip nang mabuti bago mag-invest. Kung sa susunod na 3-5 taon ay wala naman kayong mahigpit na pangangailangan para sa savings, puwede n’yo nang subukan ang investing. Kung may biglang pangangailangan at mapipilitan kang ibenta ang iyong shares, may posibilidad na malugi ka nang kaunti pero maliit lang ang posibilidad na maubos ang iyong investment.

 

4.) Magtalaga ng target para sa sarili mo. Sabihin na nating gusto mong kumita ng 20% sa loob ng isang taon. Kapag naabot mo na ito, ibenta mo na ang ilang bahagi ng iyong shares upang makuha mo ang tubo, pero huwag mo na galawin ang original na halaga ng iyong investment. Kung piliin mong huwag magbenta,  pwedeng bumaba lang ang iyong average return on investment.

Beware of Card Skimming

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by: Art Ladaga

Few days ago, news got out about a woman who lost her retirement fund of P400,000 from her ATM account. For 31 years, she worked hard to earn and save that amount. Investigation revealed that her bank account details were obtained without her knowing it. Apparently, someone installed a device in the ATM machine she used and copied her card’s details (for more details of the story, click here).

The woman was one of the victims of card skimming, a dubious practice where criminals install a device within an ATM machine to obtain card details of ATM holders. Most of the victims are those who have a big amount of money in their ATM accounts. In just a blink of an eye, they can lose everything they had worked for.

We at the Colayco Foundation would like to remind everyone NEVER to have a big amount of money in your ATM account. It’s important to spread your money in different investments. Mr. Armand Bengco, the foundation’s Executive Director, recommends having only an amount up to P5,000 in your ATM card, especially if it’s your payroll account. Life savings (if one already has it) should be placed somewhere safer like a time-deposit account.  Putting it in an ATM account is highly vulnerable to ATM skimming.

When handling your ATM card, you must always exercise caution. Here’s an infographic from Inquirer.net on how to protect yourself against card skimming:

There’s a deep truth in the saying “Prevention is better than cure.” And this is highly applicable in personal finance. If you do not exercise it, then you risk losing the wealth you worked hard to achieve.

Sources:

http://http://kickerdaily.com/ex-cop-loses-p400k-retirement-fund-to-atm-fraud/

http://business.inquirer.net/176605/bsp-officials-downplay-atm-fraud-in-ph#ixzz3AM77rF8C

*Art Ladaga is the current Programs Development Officer of Colayco Foundation for Education

 

“Nang Magising si Juan” Season Ender

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The first season of Nang Magising si Juan ended last Aug. 10.  Look out for announcements on the second season by late August or early September.  Ariel went to Hong Kong with the CFE Team to attend an orientation of members of KsKCoop.  He had such a great time with them and Ariel realized how much sacrifices the OFWs in Hong Kong have been enduring through the years.

 

Ariel got a little emotional at end of the KSK Coop Orientation Seminar — with the following realization:’Na-realize ko, kung ito ngang mga kababayan natin — naghihirap at nagtitiyaga dito sa ibang bansa, malayo sa kanilang mga pamilya — ay kayang ayusin at harapin ang kanilang mga problemang pinansiyal, ako pa kaya na nasa sarili kong bansa at may maayos na trabaho. Nagising ako…‘

Ariel with Mr. Armand Bengco (KSK Coop Gen. Manager) and the rest of KSK Coop members in Hong Kong

Missed the past episodes of season 1? Catch it on www.pisobilities.tv!

Pinoy or Pinay: Sinong Mas Matinik Pagdating sa Pera?

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Sa ating lipunan, marami nang tunggalian kung sino ang mas magaling pagdating sa isang partikular na bagay. Kasama na rito ang halos walang-sawang pagtutunggali sa pagitan ng babae at lalaki. Mula pag-ibig hanggang pagtatrabaho, hindi pa rin matigil kung sino sa dalawa ang mas magaling.

Pero paano naman kaya kung pera ang pag-uusapan? Sino kaya sa dalawa ang mas wais/matinik sa pag-aalaga at pagpapayaman ng pera?

Gumawa kami ng pag-aaral tungkol dito, at ito ang nakita naming resulta:

Ikaw, ano sa tingin mo?

Gusto mo bang pagplanuhan ang iyong buhay-pinansiyal? Sali na sa “Pera Mo, Palaguin Mo Workshop” sa Agosto 30. Tawag na sa 637-3731/41 o mag-text sa 09178632131.

 

Pisobilities @ the Business Portal: Social Entrepreneurship

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Interested to get into social entrepreneurship? Catch this episode from Pisobilities @ the Business Portal on what it takes to be a social entrepreneur!

Want to watch more quality videos? Visit www.pisobilities.tv today!

Should you Own Your Home Before You Have Kids?

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by: Francisco J. Colayco

*First published in Good News Pilipinas on Sept. 23, 2013

You could be one of a growing number of Filipinos who believe that owning your own home is first and foremost. This is especially true when you get married or when you are starting a family. Family planning is now practiced by so many. Because of the more difficult economic conditions, having a career or a business may even come before having a family. Before that, of course for the great majority, education is the most important goal.

Or you could be a traditional Filipino who will want to start a family as early as possible. After all, having a child is a wonderful experience and most Filipinos still value the family as its most important wealth. During my time, when life was a lot simpler, we didn’t even think of family planning. Getting married at an earlier age was more normal than it is today. It seemed then that it was automatic to get married, have children and in the process of it all, save for your own home.

But this article is about whether it is true that you should own your own home first before having a baby. There is no rule here. You really need to make a personal family budget forecast. You need to understand that having children increases your expenses. Giving birth, feeding and sending them to school can be really a heavy drain on the budget. Therefore, if having your own home is a major goal and you cannot afford to make that investment at the same time as having children, you need to make a good choice.

Want to read more? Click here!

“Nang Magising si Juan” Episode 13 Sneak Peek

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While there are some improvements in Ariel’s financial education on Nang Magising Si Juan, there is still a lot to ask for.  In last week’s episode, Ariel ended up staying in a hotel because his electricity, water and telephone were cut off because he was unable to pay his bills.  Ariel is not as poor as not to find money for his electricity but he is not careful.  He forgot to pay the bills because he was too busy.  I had to remind Ariel that he can pay for his bills even by cellphone.Now he has to use his credit card to pay for his hotel bill and that adds up to his expenses.  Ariel didn’t even realize he was staying in aurumOne Makati Hotel that I own together with OFWs and members of KsKCoop.

At least, he remembered that he had to arrange for an interview with Ms. Yasly Corazon Jaen, Chief Admin Officer of Governance Commission for GOCC of LandBank Mobile Availer.  He learned that it is easy to get a salary loan. When you avail of a loan, you should have a mobile phone because you apply by text and you get the approval also by text within three days and the money is deposited to your account with Land Bank.

Tomorrow Aug. 10, watch the Ariel and the members of KsKCoop as they meet up in Hong Kong to discuss the projects of KsK.  We have sponsors for the show like Bulgar, Bounty Fresh Chicken Chooks-to-Go, Mang Inasal and LandBank of the Philippines.  With them, we are able to give all Filipinos information while watching an enjoyable comedy show.  Please pass the word to your family and friends.

Protect Your Greatest Asset

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Here’s an article from our Managing Director, Guita Gopalan, about getting financial protection for your greatest asset!

Protect your greatest asset – YOU. You are your greatest wealth generator.

Now just a reminder, a REALLY REALLY IMPORTANT REMINDER! All your hard work in investing can be washed away if your don’t have financial protection. Major emergencies and unforeseen situations befall everyone at least once in their life. And then you have the many minor emergencies. Sometimes we get so used to managing them that our life becomes a series of things to ‘damage control’ and our finances never take off towards the wealth goal.

Major emergencies – hospitalization, operation, calamity, job dismissal, loss of life, disability, etc. – often require a significant amount of money to be able to address adequately. If you don’t have financial protection and all you have are investments then you may find yourself in a position where your investments are doing badly and because of an emergency you’ll have to get your investments…You lose out on what you could have or should have earned. Or your investments could be doing really well but you’ll be trading in your intended financial goal to meet the emergency requirement. The good news is that both situations can be avoided simply by having enough financial protection.

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