Latest news with #MoneySense
AsiaOne
06-07-2025
- Business
- AsiaOne
Retirement, home purchase and health insurance planner: CPF's new platform to help members make better decisions, Singapore News
Central Provident Fund (CPF) members can now use a new online tool to make better-informed decisions about their housing, retirement savings, and health insurance plans. Launched on Friday (July 5) at CPF's 70th anniversary commemorative book launch event, the initiative titled PLAN (Plan Life Ahead, Now!) offers members a centralised online platform where they can understand how their CPF savings can be allocated across major life needs and how one financial decision may impact another. Through a dynamic dashboard tailored to each user's life stage, members can estimate their retirement savings and payouts, determine how much they can afford to spend on a home, and evaluate the cost of health insurance premiums. Speaking at the launch event, CPF Board chief executive Melissa Khoo said the new tool reflects the Board's commitment to empowering members to take charge of their financial health, reported The Straits Times. She highlighted CPF's vital role in Singapore's social security system and reaffirmed its commitment to ongoing innovation in support of its members. "As retirement aspirations become more diverse and with healthier longevity, I believe these values will continue to steer us in meeting future needs," she said. The planner integrates three planning tools in one --- a retirement planner, home purchase planner, and health insurance planner. The retirement planner helps users map out payout goals and explore ways to meet them, such as through top-ups, while the home purchase planner feature shows how housing choices may affect future payouts by providing insight into budget and loan options. Meanwhile, the health insurance planner allows members to compare premiums and features across different Integrated Shield Plans to make more informed decisions about healthcare coverage. Beyond planning tools, the platform includes educational resources on financial planning and a financial fitness questionnaire. Developed with MoneySense, Singapore's national financial education programme, the quiz prompts users with questions such as "How much savings do you have available in case of an emergency?" and offers advice based on their responses. As part of the anniversary milestone, CPF has also released a commemorative book titled Save & Sound: 70 Years of CPF, which highlights the organisation's evolution over the decades. It features stories from former ministers, leaders, and members of the CPF Board and reflections on how CPF has impacted their lives. The book is available digitally at Singaporeans can also explore CPF's history and try out the new planning platform at an exhibition at Our Tampines Hub, open until July 10. Talks on housing, retirement, and healthcare planning was held on July 5 and will also be held on July 6. [[nid:715886]]
Business Times
05-07-2025
- Business
- Business Times
CPF members can make housing, retirement and health insurance plans with new digital platform
[SINGAPORE] The Central Provident Fund (CPF) has rolled out a new digital platform that gives members access to financial planning tools, to make better use of their savings. With the 'Plan Life Ahead, Now!' (PLAN) platform, which is available on the CPF app and website, members can project their retirement savings and payout, calculate their home purchase budget, and assess the affordability of health insurance premiums. Members using the platform will see a personalised dashboard, with content and resources tailored to their current life stage. The platform was rolled out on Jul 5 during CPF's 70th anniversary commemorative book launch event. CPF Board CEO Melissa Khoo said PLAN is being rolled out to empower members to take charge of their financial health. With the retirement payout planner, members can map out their payout goals, and explore ways to leverage CPF to achieve their goals, such as through top-ups. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up The home purchase planner shows CPF members their home purchase budget, loan options and how their housing decisions can impact their retirement payouts. With the health insurance planner, members can compare premiums and key features across different Integrated Shield Plans and make informed decisions about their healthcare coverage, CPF said. The platform also provides educational resources on financial planning, and a financial fitness questionnaire that allows users to assess their overall financial health beyond CPF matters. Developed in collaboration with national financial education programme MoneySense, it asks questions such as: 'How much savings do you have available in case of an emergency?', and provides relevant tips. In her speech, Khoo said CPF has a deep sense of purpose in being a cornerstone of Singapore's social security system, adding that the fund will continue to innovate as part of a commitment to its members. She said: 'As retirement aspirations become more diverse and with healthier longevity, I believe these values will continue to steer us in meeting future needs.' To commemorate its 70th anniversary, CPF Board on Jul 5 launched the 'Save & Sound: 70 Years of CPF' book which chronicles the organisation's journey through the years. PLAN with CPF features a personalised dashboard for CPF members to explore retirement payout, home purchase and health insurance planners, among other functions. PHOTO: CPF BOARD It includes behind-the-scenes perspectives from current and former Ministers, leaders and staff of CPF Board, and stories from people of how CPF impacted their lives. The book is not for sale. A digital copy is available at Members of the public can visit an exhibition about CPF's history at Our Tampines Hub till Jul 10, where they can also try 'PLAN with CPF'. Talks on housing, healthcare and retirement will be available on Jul 5 and 6. THE STRAITS TIMES
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
It's a three-peat! Questrade leads annual ranking as MoneySense's Best Online Broker in Canada again for 2025
Online brokerage applauded for its surprise move to offer $0 commission trading, as well as its stellar investing platforms, customer service, and financial education offerings MoneySense Seal TORONTO, June 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Questrade ( -- Canada's #1 rated* online brokerage -- is honoured to share that it has retained the title of MoneySense's Best Online Broker in Canada for 2025, landing atop the ranking for a third consecutive year. The annual MoneySense review, conducted in partnership with research firm Surviscor, assesses and compares Canadian online brokerages across four pillars of investor experience including desktop and mobile platforms, service efficacy, and commissions and fees. 'Reclaiming the title of Best Online Broker in Canada adds to an already eventful year for Questrade with our move to offer $0 commission trading alongside our introduction of real-time fractional trading and Questrade Plus,' said Rob Galaski, Chief Journey Officer, Questrade. 'This recognition stands as another powerful acknowledgement of our team's work to deliver Canada's most complete and compelling investment offering, furthering our mission to help all Canadians become much more financially successful and secure.' In another standout year where Questrade outperformed its peers across many of the investor experience categories, it was applauded for its surprise move to introduce $0 commission trading, as well as its reliable customer service experience, industry-leading digital investment platforms, and ongoing commitment to investor education. 'We're proud to once again name Questrade as MoneySense's Best Online Broker in Canada for 2025,' said Natasha Macmillan, Senior Business Director, MoneySense. 'Questrade leads the way with a robust, user-focused platform that prioritizes accessibility, innovation, and exceptional service, delivering genuine value to investors at every experience level. Its unwavering commitment to enhancing the investor experience, education, and ongoing support truly sets Questrade apart from the competition.'Adding to the repeat recognition, MoneySense's 2025 review also named Questrade as best broker for new and seasoned investors, $0 commission trading, user experience, and account experience, highlighting the online brokerage's attention to the evolving needs and preferences of active and passive investors alike. For a full breakdown of the rankings and explanation of all the criteria used, please visit the following link: Questrade Questrade, Inc. ('Questrade') is changing the Canadian financial services industry by leveraging technology to lower fees while providing a viable alternative to traditional financial investment options, thereby allowing Canadians to Keep More of their Money. As a leader and innovator in financial services, Questrade is a trusted ally that advocates for consumers, focused on improving value. With 25 years of challenging the status quo as one of Canada's leading, non-bank online brokerages and over $50 billion in assets under administration, Questrade and its affiliates provide financial products and services, including securities and foreign currency investments. For more information, visit or on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) @Questrade. Questrade, Inc. is a registered investment dealer, a member of the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO), and a member of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund (CIPF). Questrade is a wholly owned subsidiary of Questrade Financial Group Inc. *MoneySense 2025 Media Contact For more information, please contact J.R Gabriel, Questrade Financial Group at: jgabriel@ A photo accompanying this announcement is available at while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
Business Times
04-06-2025
- Business
- Business Times
Employers should encourage employees to start retirement planning early
AS A trainer with MoneySense's Institute for Financial Literacy (IFL) for almost eight years, I have taught dozens of retirement planning classes to hundreds of people. One common feature? An overwhelming majority of participants are not prepared for life after full-time work. This gels with virtually all surveys into retirement adequacy. For instance, OCBC's Financial Wellness Index findings, published last November, showed that although more people are investing, retirement planning is still a problem. The survey found that only 54 per cent of respondents have started making financial plans for retirement, down six percentage points from 2023, while 24 per cent said they either intend to start or started planning for their retirement only in their 50s or later, which realistically, does not leave much time to accumulate sufficient funds. OCBC also found the problem to be more acute among 'Dinks'' – those with dual incomes and no kids. These findings have actually been fairly consistent over the years, so nothing new perhaps. But in a rapidly ageing society, it has to be troubling. Although financial planners advise individuals to start investing and planning for their retirement as early as possible in order to maximise the benefits of compound interest and ride out volatility in financial markets, most people do not. Individuals who are in the early stages of their working life and are just starting their families tend to be shouldering numerous financial commitments ranging from mortgage repayments to setting aside funds for children's education, to the point that investing and retirement planning tend to be relegated to secondary importance. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up Many also believe they lack the time and funds to do proper planning. The result is the majority relies on simple savings to build retirement nest eggs. This is far from ideal and presents a problem for a greying population that has to grapple with persistent inflation, at least for the foreseeable future. When there is insufficient investment and advance financial planning, what happens is that as retirement looms and people realise they have a significant shortfall in funds, the tendency is to search for quick solutions via complex instruments that offer high returns but come with plenty of risks. If these securities do not perform as hoped, large losses are incurred, and the problem is worsened. But the OCBC study also found that getting proper help, whether in terms of advice or tools, has had a positive impact on improving scores. For instance, almost half of investors who sought qualified financial advice from financial institutions were on track with their investments. In this connection, employers, particularly human resource departments, can play an important role by encouraging employees to start gearing up for retirement from a young age. If cost is a consideration, there are available, for instance, free and unbiased courses offered by IFL on money management, insurance, investing and retirement planning. A key plank of these courses is how the oft-misunderstood Central Provident Fund scheme can provide everyone with the foundation for a comfortable retirement. Also taught is how one's nest egg can be supplemented by investing in various instruments and tapping into government schemes such as the Silver Housing Bonus and Lease Buyback Scheme. Given how pervasive the problem apparently is, employers certainly can help spur awareness and action by including (perhaps even emphasising) retirement planning in their suite of employee benefits.
South Wales Argus
28-05-2025
- Business
- South Wales Argus
New financial platform launched for young people in Wales
NatWest Group has expanded its NatWest Thrive initiative, which started as a youth club programme, into a free online resource. The platform combines more than 30 years of community initiatives, including MoneySense, CareerSense, and Dream Bigger, into one. It offers a range of learning tools for young people and was created in collaboration with teachers, youth workers, and young people. Marg Jobling, chief marketing officer at NatWest, said: "We're on a mission to help young people turn possibilities into progress, helping the next generation grow up money confident and achieve their life goals. "To help us meet that commitment we've made NatWest Thrive bigger and better by combining over 30 years of community programmes to help young people build their financial confidence. "NatWest Thrive gives teachers, parents, and youth workers access to bite-sized pieces of real-world content and resources to help inspire and empower young people to break through barriers and take action towards owning the future they want." NatWest Thrive provides access to new, flexible, real-world learning content to engage young people at home, in the classroom, or in youth clubs in Wales. The content ranges from five-minute clips to full-length lessons, using real-life role models and stories. NatWest Thrive is available free to anyone, whether they are customers or non-customers, online across NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland, and Ulster Bank Northern Ireland.
