Tax reliefs are like a sale: a discount only saves you money if you actually needed the item in the first place. Licensed Financial Planner Rafiq Hidayat, Managing Director of WealthVantage Advisory, breaks down which reliefs act as true "free money" versus those that trigger unnecessary extra spending, and how to weigh the opportunity cost before locking in your cash.

He also explains why timing purchases within this assessment year matters, and reveals which tax reliefs are worth maxing out.

Tax reliefs are like a sale: a discount only saves you money if you actually needed the item in the first place. Licensed Financial Planner Rafiq Hidayat, Managing Director of WealthVantage Advisory, breaks down which reliefs act as true "free money" versus those that trigger unnecessary extra spending, and how to weigh the opportunity cost before locking in your cash.He also explains why timing purchases within this assessment year matters, and reveals which tax reliefs are worth maxing out.

Should Tax Reliefs Change Your Spending Habits?

Budget 2027 introduces personal income tax rate cuts and expands reliefs for middle-income families, upskilling, and first-time home buyers. However, taking advantage of a tax relief or a stamp duty exemption doesn't automatically make it a sound financial decision.

Poovarni Rajagopal, Tax Partner at Invatex Consulting, breaks down the new M40 tax brackets and explains what the "sandwich generation" can now claim, from elderly caretaker costs to children's tuition fees and AI subscriptions.

She walks through the financial math behind homeownership incentives, the one essential question to ask before spending money for a tax deduction, and why proper documentation matters more than the relief itself as year-end approaches.

Budget 2027 introduces personal income tax rate cuts and expands reliefs for middle-income families, upskilling, and first-time home buyers. However, taking advantage of a tax relief or a stamp duty exemption doesn't automatically make it a sound financial decision.Poovarni Rajagopal, Tax Partner at Invatex Consulting, breaks down the new M40 tax brackets and explains what the "sandwich generation" can now claim, from elderly caretaker costs to children's tuition fees and AI subscriptions.She walks through the financial math behind homeownership incentives, the one essential question to ask before spending money for a tax deduction, and why proper documentation matters more than the relief itself as year-end approaches.

Budget 2027 Taxes: What Can You Claim & Save?

From mortgages and car loans to credit cards and BNPL schemes, most Malaysians aren't managing just one liability, they're juggling a whole portfolio of debt. Should you tackle the highest-interest loans or the smaller ones first?

Rajen Devadason, CEO of RD WealthCreation and Licensed Financial Planner with Manulife Investment Management Malaysia, returns to Ringgit and Sense to share practical strategies for conquering multiple debts.

He breaks down mathematical efficiency versus psychological momentum, whether an emergency buffer should take priority over debt repayments, and how to weigh debt-free living against optimising debt over time.

Image Credit: Shutterstock

From mortgages and car loans to credit cards and BNPL schemes, most Malaysians aren't managing just one liability, they're juggling a whole portfolio of debt. Should you tackle the highest-interest loans or the smaller ones first?Rajen Devadason, CEO of RD WealthCreation and Licensed Financial Planner with Manulife Investment Management Malaysia, returns to Ringgit and Sense to share practical strategies for conquering multiple debts.He breaks down mathematical efficiency versus psychological momentum, whether an emergency buffer should take priority over debt repayments, and how to weigh debt-free living against optimising debt over time.Image Credit: Shutterstock

High Interest vs Small Loans: Which Debt To Kill First?

Borrow money for an asset, that’s good debt. Borrow money for a holiday, that’s bad debt. It sounds simple, but is personal finance ever actually that black and white?

Rajen Devadason, CEO of RD WealthCreation and Licensed Financial Planner with Manulife Investment Management (Malaysia), joins Ringgit and Sense to explain why the line between good and bad debt isn't as clear as we think. 

He breaks down the one metric that actually matters and why even solid investments can turn sour. Plus, we look at the psychology of stretching for things we can't afford, and why paying off your home mortgage early might be worth it, even if the math says otherwise.

Borrow money for an asset, that’s good debt. Borrow money for a holiday, that’s bad debt. It sounds simple, but is personal finance ever actually that black and white?Rajen Devadason, CEO of RD WealthCreation and Licensed Financial Planner with Manulife Investment Management (Malaysia), joins Ringgit and Sense to explain why the line between good and bad debt isn't as clear as we think. He breaks down the one metric that actually matters and why even solid investments can turn sour. Plus, we look at the psychology of stretching for things we can't afford, and why paying off your home mortgage early might be worth it, even if the math says otherwise.

Good Debt vs Bad Debt: Is It Really That Simple?

Reaching retirement with a sizable nest egg doesn't guarantee long-term security if longevity, healthcare inflation, and unexpected shocks erode your capital. Wan Saifulrizal Wan Ismail, CEO of AmMetLife Insurance Berhad, joins Ringgit & Sense to discuss why Malaysians need to look beyond capital accumulation and pay closer attention to post-retirement financial risks. 

Wan Saifulrizal shares his three-bucket model for managing retirement savings and risk, highlights the practical limits of medical insurance, and offers basic steps to stress-test your finances ahead of retirement.

Reaching retirement with a sizable nest egg doesn't guarantee long-term security if longevity, healthcare inflation, and unexpected shocks erode your capital. Wan Saifulrizal Wan Ismail, CEO of AmMetLife Insurance Berhad, joins Ringgit &amp; Sense to discuss why Malaysians need to look beyond capital accumulation and pay closer attention to post-retirement financial risks.&nbsp;Wan Saifulrizal shares his three-bucket model for managing retirement savings and risk, highlights the practical limits of medical insurance, and offers basic steps to stress-test your finances ahead of retirement.

Retirement Risks: Longevity, Health Costs, & Capital

As new iPhones hit stores tomorrow, it’s clear that smartphones are getting more expensive. So how should we navigate this as buyers? Alexander Wong, Managing Editor of SoyaCincau, joins Ringgit and Sense to unpack what your money actually buys across today's higher price tiers and where he believes the pricing sweet spot is.

As expected, Apple unveiled its latest hardware lineup last week, featuring the much-anticipated iPhone Duo, Apple’s first foldable iPhone, while a base-model iPhone 18 was notably absent. Pricing has quickly become a primary talking point, with Apple effectively raising the floor price across its lineup. The new iPhone 18 Pro series sees price increases over the previous generation, while the iPhone 17 remains in the lineup at the higher RM4,299 price point rather than receiving a traditional price drop. Driven by global AI demand, an escalating memory shortage, dubbed "Ramageddon", is pushing up smartphone prices across budget, mid-range, and flagship tiers.

Alex evaluates whether ultra-premium foldables like the iPhone Duo justify their price tags, reveals what he believes is the new smartphone sweet spot, and breaks down how memory supply shifts are impacting mid-tier models. Plus, get practical strategies to stretch your tech budget, from trade-ins and certified refurbished devices to protection plans.

As new iPhones hit stores tomorrow, it’s clear that smartphones are getting more expensive. So how should we navigate this as buyers? Alexander Wong, Managing Editor of SoyaCincau, joins Ringgit and Sense to unpack what your money actually buys across today's higher price tiers and where he believes the pricing sweet spot is.As expected, Apple unveiled its latest hardware lineup last week, featuring the much-anticipated iPhone Duo, Apple’s first foldable iPhone, while a base-model iPhone 18 was notably absent. Pricing has quickly become a primary talking point, with Apple effectively raising the floor price across its lineup. The new iPhone 18 Pro series sees price increases over the previous generation, while the iPhone 17 remains in the lineup at the higher RM4,299 price point rather than receiving a traditional price drop. Driven by global AI demand, an escalating memory shortage, dubbed "Ramageddon", is pushing up smartphone prices across budget, mid-range, and flagship tiers.Alex evaluates whether ultra-premium foldables like the iPhone Duo justify their price tags, reveals what he believes is the new smartphone sweet spot, and breaks down how memory supply shifts are impacting mid-tier models. Plus, get practical strategies to stretch your tech budget, from trade-ins and certified refurbished devices to protection plans.

New iPhones, Price Hikes: Is Upgrading Actually Worth It?

With Apple’s latest iPhones pushing prices higher than ever, are monthly subscriptions and leasing plans the answer instead of paying cash upfront? Idham Idris, Director of Corporate Treasury Investment Services and Licensed Financial Planner at Wealth Vantage Advisory, joins Ringgit and Sense to break down how much it really costs when we spread out the payment of a smartphone.

Are these "phone-as-a-service" options good, bad, or complicated?

Idham unpacks how monthly pricing can trick our brains into overspending, and why financing options potentially trap us in perpetual upgrade cycles. He also breaks down what to watch for in telco bundles, how to set practical budget guardrails, and where to redirect your money once a phone is finally paid off.


Image Credit: Shutterstock

With Apple’s latest iPhones pushing prices higher than ever, are monthly subscriptions and leasing plans the answer instead of paying cash upfront? Idham Idris, Director of Corporate Treasury Investment Services and Licensed Financial Planner at Wealth Vantage Advisory, joins Ringgit and Sense to break down how much it really costs when we spread out the payment of a smartphone.Are these "phone-as-a-service" options good, bad, or complicated?Idham unpacks how monthly pricing can trick our brains into overspending, and why financing options potentially trap us in perpetual upgrade cycles. He also breaks down what to watch for in telco bundles, how to set practical budget guardrails, and where to redirect your money once a phone is finally paid off. Image Credit: Shutterstock

iPhones Are Expensive. Should You Subscribe Instead?

With trillions passing to heirs globally and an estimated RM90 billion in undistributed inherited assets across Malaysia, preparing successors involves far more than transferring financial balances.

Lim Eng Ping, Maybank’s Head of Wealth Management Malaysia, and Abdul Halim Abdul Rashid, Maybank Islamic’s Head of Islamic Wealth Management Malaysia, join BFM’s Ringgit and Sense to discuss how families can successfully navigate intergenerational succession.

They unpack why instilling values, financial discipline, and stewardship early in children is essential to long-term wealth preservation.

They also detail how values-aligned legacy planning solutions, including Wasiat, Hibah, and trusts protect family-owned assets and businesses, and prevent potential estate disputes before life events make planning urgent.

With trillions passing to heirs globally and an estimated RM90 billion in undistributed inherited assets across Malaysia, preparing successors involves far more than transferring financial balances.Lim Eng Ping, Maybank’s Head of Wealth Management Malaysia, and Abdul Halim Abdul Rashid, Maybank Islamic’s Head of Islamic Wealth Management Malaysia, join BFM’s Ringgit and Sense to discuss how families can successfully navigate intergenerational succession.They unpack why instilling values, financial discipline, and stewardship early in children is essential to long-term wealth preservation.They also detail how values-aligned legacy planning solutions, including Wasiat, Hibah, and trusts protect family-owned assets and businesses, and prevent potential estate disputes before life events make planning urgent.

How Will Your Wealth Be Passed to the Next Gen?

How should you value a stock? There are numerous ways and models to value a company, but using the wrong one can give a very misleading picture of what a business is actually worth. Pankaj C. Kumar, Managing Director of Datametrics Research and Information Centre (DARE), joins BFM’s Ringgit & Sense to break down the variety of valuation methods and explain when each is appropriate.

He dives into the P/E ratio, discounted cash flow (DCF), price-to-book price-to-sales, and EV/EBITDA, illustrating how to match specific metrics to the right industry sectors, how to evaluate analyst target prices with healthy skepticism, and when buying ETFs is smarter than picking individual stocks.

How should you value a stock? There are numerous ways and models to value a company, but using the wrong one can give a very misleading picture of what a business is actually worth. Pankaj C. Kumar, Managing Director of Datametrics Research and Information Centre (DARE), joins BFM’s Ringgit &amp; Sense to break down the variety of valuation methods and explain when each is appropriate.He dives into the P/E ratio, discounted cash flow (DCF), price-to-book price-to-sales, and EV/EBITDA, illustrating how to match specific metrics to the right industry sectors, how to evaluate analyst target prices with healthy skepticism, and when buying ETFs is smarter than picking individual stocks.

P/E, DCF, or Price to Sales: How Should You Value Stocks?

Should individual investors avoid investing in IPOs?

With data showing that two out of three IPOs in Malaysia trade below their listing price within a year, separating genuine long-term value from short-term market hype is harder than ever.

Ng Zhu Hann, CEO of TradeView Capital, joins BFM’s Ringgit and Sense to discuss why first-day price pops and high over-subscription rates can be deceiving, and what it really takes to evaluate an initial public offering (IPO).

He reveals critical prospectus red flags to look for before placing a bid, from subtle governance warnings in Related Party Transactions to single-customer concentration risks. He also shares key metrics for assessing how listing proceeds are allocated and how investors should evaluate pre-IPO dividend payouts.



Image Credit: Shutterstock

Should individual investors avoid investing in IPOs?With data showing that two out of three IPOs in Malaysia trade below their listing price within a year, separating genuine long-term value from short-term market hype is harder than ever.Ng Zhu Hann, CEO of TradeView Capital, joins BFM’s Ringgit and Sense to discuss why first-day price pops and high over-subscription rates can be deceiving, and what it really takes to evaluate an initial public offering (IPO).He reveals critical prospectus red flags to look for before placing a bid, from subtle governance warnings in Related Party Transactions to single-customer concentration risks. He also shares key metrics for assessing how listing proceeds are allocated and how investors should evaluate pre-IPO dividend payouts.Image Credit: Shutterstock

Is IPO Investing Worth It? Red Flags to Watch

Sharper and stronger than a double espresso. The Morning Run stretches your mind and braces you for the business day. It's your fast track into work where you can hit the ground running. From 6am to 10am weekdays, the Morning Run brings you the biggest stories and must-listen-to interviews. Stay enlightened, make educated business and investment decisions.

Ringgit and Sense

We explore financial themes and help you make sense of the world of finance. From setting financial goals, managing finances, investing and understanding the various issues that affect our wallets. Ringgit and Sense wants to help you understand personal risk profiles, realistic investment horizons, retirement planning, managing education loans and health insurance plans, as well as breaking down the various personal finance products that are available.

Ringgit & Sense

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