At our old age or when we are retired, our needs would not decrease while our productivity and income can decrease. One of the biggest expenses at old age is the medical expense when people start to become weak and ill.
For this reason, it is important to plan for financial stability during retirement in order to cover all of our expenses. While we may receive pension when we are retired, will it cover all of our needs when we are old?
On December 15, 2021, to facilitate those who want to plan for a better finances for the New Year, ALAMI organized an Instagram live session titled Achieve your Financial Targets with ALAMI P2P Sharia Lending which was part of the Alami Infinite event. The main speaker was ALAMI’s Head of Funding Muhammad Triarso, CFP, WMI.
Table of contents
Triarso explained that, in Islam, Allah has told us to prepare for our future. This is written in Surah Yusuf verses 47 and 48:
[Joseph] said, “You will plant for seven years consecutively; and what you harvest leave in its spikes, except a little from which you will eat.
Then will come after that seven difficult [years] which will consume what you advanced [i.e., saved] for them, except a little from which you will store.
“The point is after we plant for seven years, we will eat a little from what we harvest, and we save the rest. That saving is for the seven years that will be difficult,” explained Triarso.
“In economics, there is a monetary crisis. It is during this time that we will consume what we save,” he added.
From these verses, Triarso said that Allah has indirectly told us to prepare our old age by saving because our retirement time is like the drought that is mentioned in the Quran.
“So, we understand that from age 0 to 75, 55% of this time span is our unproductive ages. During this time span from 55 to 55 years old, our expenses will increase, including medical expenses, while our income will decrease,” he explained.
He further added, the pension received by employees must not be the only income on which people rely during retirement. According to him, the planning for retirement must begin now.
“Financial goals are made so that we can plan for our old age. By planning it, we can anticipate it and also worship better,” revealed Triarso.
Financial goals are very important not only to cover our worldly needs when we are retired, but also for our happiness in the hereafter. What this means is that if we have covered all of our primary needs, it will be much easier for us to spend our money on charity.
“It is very important because when planning our financial goal, there’s a result that we aim to achieve, i.e. the happiness in this world and the hereafter. How so? This is because when we plan our finances for retirement, we can cover the costly expenses. How does it have anything to do with the hereafter? If we have enough money, our zakat, infaq, and sadaqah will be bigger,” he explained.
“So, it is confirmed that it is important for our current life and for the hereafter,” he added.
How to Reach our Financial Goals
In principle, Triarso said, the most important thing is to understand the basic principles of investing. Currently, many people cannot distinguish investment from cash position.
“First, understand the principles of investment. Investment products consist of only two kinds, and one is growth-based (such as) stocks, properties, gold, periodic fixed income investments, obligations, sukuk, then there’s P2P, and fixed income,” he explained.
There are three things that we must do to achieve our financial target, Triarso said. The three steps that we can take are the following:
Allocate
Allocate some of your money to daily needs, and set aside some of it for investments and saving.
Be Disciplined
After you set aside some money for saving and investment, be disciplined and consistent in doing it.
Start Now
When you have made your resolutions to save and invest, don’t hesitate to begin right away. Once you keep putting off acting on your intention to invest or save, you will never reach your goals.
After reading the explanation of ALAMI’s Head of Funding Muhammad Triarso, CFP, WMI, are you interested to invest? Click the video below to watch the Instagram live session!
