Pocketful of Dirhams

With life expectancy rates rising rapidly across the globe thanks to advances in healthcare and better living standards, many of us will get the chance to celebrate our 100th birthday.

 

But the financial implications of hitting such a milestone mean that the concept of traditional retirement is fast disappearing. After all, can we really afford to fund our golden years for up to 40 years when you factor in the average retirement age of 65? So how do we fund our longer lives? Are retirement funds and state pensions sustainable if people are going to live for so long after giving up work? And should we all be considering a much longer career than planned?

 

Host Alice Haine is joined by Andrew J Scott, a professor of economics at the London Business School and co-author of The 100-year Life – Living and Working in an Age of Longevity.

As the world waits for the outcome of the US presidential election, investors have every right to feel nervous. Last week saw global markets spiral downwards on the back of uncertainty about the election result and heightened restrictions across Europe due to a rise in the number of coronavirus cases. Some analysts say that political risk is now a major issue for investors because markets respond far more aggressively to political outcomes than they did before.

So, how much difference does a Joe Biden win or Donald Trump win really make to an investor's portfolio? How should investors position themselves in these uncertain times? And with so much volatility, is a passive approach the best route to take?

Host Alice Haine from The National is joined by Samy Chaar, chief economist at Swiss private bank Lombard Odier, who is helping to guide investors through the days ahead.

For Generation Z - those born between 1996 and 2015 - brushing up on personal finance know-how is something many carry out through financial apps or by watching videos on YouTube. With boosting financial literacy levels a key aim for governments across the globe, and the world still gripped by the devastating financial effects of Covid-19, there has never been a better time to equip the young with skills to manage their money more effectively.

Host Alice Haine is joined by Monica Mahoj from Finllect, a UAE personal finance app that helps users manage their finances, who explains how the Gen Z generation should tackle their finances to achieve the ultimate goal in the personal finance world – that of financial freedom.

The coronavirus outbreak has infected more than 40 million people worldwide and damaged economies, industries and employment levels. But women are being disproportionately hurt by the economic fallout of the crisis. With sectors that typically employ women, such as retail and hospitality, badly affected by Covid-19, women’s jobs are 1.8 times more vulnerable to the crisis than men’s, according to the global consultancy McKinsey & Company.

McKinsey’s research during the pandemic has also found that more female than male employees fear Covid will negatively affect their promotion prospects. And all of this at a time when women were already wrestling with the thorny issue of equality in the workplace and the gender pay gap. So how will the crisis affect women’s finances? Can their careers cope if they step out of the workplace until coronavirus has gone away? 

Host Alice Haine is joined by Chiara Marcati, partner at McKinsey and Company and author of the firm's Women at Work report, to find out how women can get their careers back on track post-Covid.

There are numerous asset classes you can invest your money into – from stocks and bonds to exchange traded funds, mutual funds, gold, art, cryptocurrencies and more.But one of the favourites, particularly in the UAE, is property – mainly because it is a tangible asset. Investing in real estate is sometimes considered a more solid and secure investment, partly because you can actually touch your asset.

But how does a property purchase compare to investments into stocks and bonds over the long term? Should you take on a mortgage? When is the best time to enter the market? And what happens if it all goes wrong?

Host Alice Haine, the personal finance editor of The National, is joined by Dr Michael Waters, an associate professor in real estate at Heriot-Watt University Dubai Campus, who helps listeners analyse whether property is a sound investment for their future.

For people new to the world of investing, buying stocks can be a scary concept, particularly during periods of extreme volatility. But according to SimplyFI.org, a non-profit community of personal finance and investing enthusiasts in the UAE, investing does not need to be complex at all. It says the process can actually be quite simple and you can master the basics in a couple of hours. To help residents achieve this, the group has launched its first guide to investing. Called Index Investing & Financial Independence for Expats, Getting Started Guide, it can be downloaded for free from SimplyFI.org or through their Facebook page.

So what does this new guide teach us? How does a passive investment strategy help secure your financial future? And how can we all go about achieving financial independence?

Host Alice Haine, the personal finance editor of The National, is joined by Elie Irani, the guide’s main author and a board member of SimplyFI.org, and Sebastien Aguilar, who founded the group in the UAE.

Sending money to family members in your home country is something many UAE residents do on a regular basis. But as the world struggles with the effects of Covid-19 and some people have lost jobs or experienced a salary cut, actually having the money to transfer is an issue in itself.

With so many of us now focused on keeping costs down, what is the best way to transfer money from the UAE? How do you compare the options available? And how do you negotiate the best rates?

Host Alice Haine, the personal finance editor at The National, is joined by Jean Claude Farah, the president of Western Union’s Global Network.

When it comes to investing, UAE residents generally have two options: use the services of a financial adviser or go it alone and invest on their own. However, a new wave of low-cost digital investment platforms that gauge an investor’s risk tolerance and assigns them a tailored investment portfolio of exchange traded funds have emerged in recent years.

Known as robo-advisers, the FinTech platforms generally charge lower fees than traditional financial advisers and wealth managers. They aim to make it easier for investors to make their money work for them. So how do robo-advisers work? How do they keep their fees low and what type of investor are they best suited for?

Host Alice Haine, the personal finance editor of The National, is joined by Mark Chahwan the chief executive of Sarwa, who guides listeners through the process of investing with a robo-adviser.

With the Covid-19 pandemic affecting salaries and jobs across the globe, it’s very important that residents in the UAE stay on top of their finances and in turn their credit score. The Central Bank of the UAE's Dh256bn Targeted Economic Support Scheme helps lenders handle problem debts during the pandemic, with many residents receiving payment holidays on credit facilities such as loans and mortgages. Now as the economy starts to open up, those who have lost their job or are struggling financially may need to rein in their spending, particularly if they are burdened with debts they cannot repay.

The first step towards resolving any debt challenge is to download a copy of your credit report from the Al Etihad Credit Bureau. Set up in November 2014, the bureau brings transparency to the lending industry by assembling a credit record of the nation’s financially active residents. AECB later launched credit scores for individuals – a three-digit number between 300 and 900 that represents a borrower’s creditworthiness. So why is this number important for borrowers to know – particularly in the current climate? How do you find out what it is? And how can you improve your score?

Host Alice Haine, the personal finance editor of The National, is joined by Marwan Lutfi, the chief executive of Al Etihad Credit Bureau, who explains everything listeners need to know about credit reports and scores in the UAE.

With universities across the globe forced to shut their campuses amid the pandemic, many students are learning remotely. For those finishing their studies this year, it can also mean attending a virtual graduation ceremony. But what happens to graduates once the university learning experience is over? Normally, those ending their higher education would now be wrapping up their assignments, polishing their CV and meeting potential employers at career fairs. But with the global jobs market in jeopardy amid Covid-19, it makes applying for your first position more challenging than ever. As the effect of the global financial crisis 2008-2009 illustrated, moving from university into a career in the middle of an economic downturn can have long-term consequences on a graduate’s employability and lead to lower incomes and savings rates down the line.

So how damaging could Covid-19 be to the careers of graduates trying to enter the workforce now? How can they look for work in this climate? How do they negotiate salaries and should they ditch starting their career now and continue with their studies until this all blows over?

Host Alice Haine, the personal finance editor of The National, is joined by Fiona McKenzie, head of Carfax Education UAE, an education consultancy providing bespoke support for students looking to access opportunities in schools and universities across the globe.