Month: November 2020

One of the inevitable truths we need to face is that we will get older. As each year comes by, you will notice changes in your movement, memory, and skills. This is why it is important to prepare for your later years, also known as retirement.

Have you started with your Retirement Fund? If not, then it’s not too late. There are several options that allow you to grow your money such as long-term Time Deposit, mutual fund, UITF, or even stocks.

If you prefer something safer with minimal risks, then consider PERA Investment.

What is PERA Investment?

Similar to US’ Individual Retirement Account, PERA’s aim is simple: to provide a voluntary retirement program for Filipinos.

PERA is a long-term and tax-free retirement program to encourage Filipinos to start saving for retirement. Your contribution of up to P200,000 every year will be invested in the following:

• Unit Investment Trust Fund
• Mutual Fund
• Stocks from PSE-listed companies
• Government securities
• Insurance pension products
• Annuity contracts
• Other investment products authorized for PERA purposes

Keep in mind that PERA will not replace SSS pension, rather will supplement the money you can get come retirement age.

How Much Can You Earn?

Earnings vary depending on where the money was invested. Since PERA contributions are invested in various investment channels, the returns are different.

For instance, UITF and mutual fund will give a higher return compared to time deposit. However, this is a safer option compared to stocks. When money is invested in stocks, the return is higher than UITF and mutual fund, although the risk involved is higher.

In other words, the higher the risk, the higher the return.

Why Should You Open A PERA Account?

• Income Tax Credit – Account holder is entitled to five percent Tax Credit of total PERA contributions.
• Tax-Free Investment Income – This means the investment is exempted from capital gains tax, final withholding tax, and regular income tax.
• Estate Tax Exemption – Upon death and when assets will be transferred to the heirs, an estate tax of six percent of net estate, which means all liabilities were deducted, will be imposed. PERA Investment is exempted from that and in fact, the money will be transferred directly to the heirs.
• Control PERA Investment Products – When you invest in PERA, you have the control on where you want to put your money, depending on your risk profile. There are variety of choices to choose from so make sure you check and study what product is more suitable for you.

When Can You Withdraw Your PERA Investment?

To withdraw, you need to remember the 55 and 5 Rule. This means you will be allowed to get your investment by the time you reach 55 years of age AND you contributed for the last 5 years.

You can either get it in lump sum or choose monthly pension for a certain period or within your lifetime.

Still, there is an exception. In case the investor or account holder is sick for more than 30 days, becomes permanently disabled, or has passed away, the investment can be withdrawn.

What Are The Drawbacks Of PERA Investment?

There are several. Just like any other investment options, PERA comes with risks, too. This form of investment is not exempted from price fluctuation, crash in the stock market, or lowered interest rates. This is why it is important to check every investment option first before you decide where to invest.

Another risk would be penalty for early withdrawals. Although there are early exemptions like serious illness, permanent disability, or death, you have to wait until you satisfy the 55 and 5 rule to enjoy your benefits.

What happens if you withdraw earlier? Then you won’t be able to enjoy the benefits, specifically the tax benefits.

Lastly would be the costs. Every time you make a contribution, you will pay one percent administrator’s fee plus trust and custodian fees of 0.5 percent to 1.5 percent.

To reduce the instances of paying these fees, it is best to contribute in lump sum instead of doing this every month.

PERA Goes Digital

BDO, BPI, Landbank, and Metrobank are the only banks authorized to offer PERA. This means you need to go directly to the bank to be able to apply.

Thankfully, Digital PERA was launched by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas last September 2020 to entice more Filipinos to apply and prepare for their retirement.

Here’s how you can apply:

1. Create an account though Seedbox Philippines. You can access the website here.
2. Complete your profile by filling out all necessary information.
3. Prepare required documents including government-issued ID and TIN.
4. Answer the Risk Profiler. This is an assessment to determine what kind of investor are you. You will be categorized accordingly – Conservative, Moderate, and Aggressive.
5. After determining your risk profile, choose the PERA Fund that you want to avail of. Several PERA products will be shown to you based on your risk profile.
6. Start funding your PERA account. You can do this through various payment channels through BDO, BPI, or Metrobank.

Here comes the best part: you can start for as low as P1,000.

What are you waiting for? Give PERA a chance and start investing for your future. You’ll never know what will happen so it’s best to be prepared.

Death is inevitable. This means no matter what happens, regardless of the cause, we will all die eventually. This is why before that day comes, one must be able to prepare for it to avoid conflict among family members.

One of the most common questions asked is what will happen to debts in case the principal borrower dies. Upon death, does this mean the debt will be inherited by his or her heirs? Are the heirs obligated to pay off the principal’s loan?

Here’s what we know:

Debts Will Stay – Until Paid

According to Article 774 of the Civil Code of the Philippines,

“Succession is a mode of acquisition by virtue of which the property, rights, and obligations to the extent of the value of the inheritance, of a person are transmitted through his death to another or others either by his will or by operation of law.”

Consequently, Article 776 of the same law states that,

“the inheritance includes all the property rights and obligations of a person which are not extinguished by his death.”

What does this mean?

Death does not extinguish any debts or loan obligations. Unfortunately, it will remain until it is paid by the estate. Because of the rules on succession, both assets and liabilities will be passed on accordingly.

What happens to debts?

Don’t worry. When the principal borrower died, individuals or entities like banks and lending companies will NOT go after the heirs. This means the lender cannot harass any member of the family to pay off the loan obligation. The lender cannot also file a case against any family members to pay the debts.

Instead, any outstanding debt will be put against the estate, which includes assets the principal borrower owns and rightfully his up to the time of death. The lender must file a claim against the borrower’s estate that s/he owes them x amount in order to get paid.

According to Philippine laws, debts must be paid first before any assets can be distributed to the heirs. Don’t worry about the family home because the law, particularly the Family Code, Rules of Court, and Commonwealth Act No. 141 protects it against any claims as a result of unpaid debt.

What about debts with a co-maker or guarantor?

First, let’s define a co-maker. According to the BSP, co-maker is a person that promises to pay the principal borrower’s loan in case the latter is unable to do so. The amount depends on what is written in the loan contract.

There are possible scenarios:

• If the loan contract explicitly states that the principal and co-maker are “jointly and solidarily liable” to the loan, then that means the co-maker is liable for the entire debt and the lender can go after him or her.
• If there is a specific amount or percentage written in the loan contract, say the co-maker is liable only for 20 percent of the amount, then the co-maker can only be asked to pay up to 20 percent and the rest will be charged to the estate of the principal borrower.
• If there is no specific provision in the loan contract, then the co-maker is only liable for half of the outstanding debt.

Regardless of the scenarios, the unpaid debts will be assumed by the co-maker, depending on what is written in the contract.

The rules are different for guarantors. Guarantor is defined as a person or organization that guarantees the loan using his or her own financial status. The guarantor’s assets will serve as a collateral and in case of death, s/he will pay off the loan first on behalf of the deceased borrower.

Thereafter, the guarantor can run after the principal borrower’s estate and demand reimbursement. S/he must make a claim as well to be able to collect from the estate.

What can you do as a principal borrower?

Surely, you don’t want to burden anyone with debt. Even if unpaid loans will not be directly charged to your living family members, it could still cause stress and anxiety on them. You don’t want them to go through court proceedings, right?

Here are tips to remember before you apply for a loan:

• Borrow with a purpose. Don’t just borrow money for the sake of borrowing or buying material things.
• Set aside monthly payments for the loan. This way, whatever happens, there is a dedicated fund that will pay off the debt.
• Make timely payments. You won’t be able to incur additional expenses, too.
• Prioritize loan payment, especially if you have additional funds.

At the end of the day, you don’t want to burden your family. Spend your money wisely and borrow responsibly.