How many 20 years and $29,000 do we have?

Friend, sighing, "I should have listened to you."

AK, "Huh?"

Friend, "I finally surrendered my PruLink policy."

AK, "Oh, congratulations!"

Friend, "Congratulate what lah? I put in total of $29,000 since 1996. Every year put in money. 20 years and I took back less than that! I lost money!"

AK felt like saying "I told you so" but AK kept quiet. 

Friend, "Leave money in the bank or fixed deposit also better. Should have terminated long ago. My agent told me to continue paying for another few years and maybe it will make money. Stupid, right?"

AK, "Er... Ahem..."

Friend, "I still remember you said to terminate and put the money in my CPF-SA. How much would I have now if I did that?"

AK, "Well, I don't think you want to know..."

Friend, hesitating, "Ya, you are probably right. Haiz. Sad lah."






My dear readers, are you curious?

If my friend had placed the yearly contribution of $1,450 into his CPF-SA for 20 years instead of the Investment Linked Policy (ILP), how much would he have today?

About so much:

Calculator at:
http://www.moneychimp.com/calculator/compound_interest_calculator.htm

$48,000.

A hard truth and the truth hurts.




That's not all. 

My friend would also have had the benefit of income tax relief which is given for the first $7,000 of Minimum Sum (MS) Top Up. 

In my friend's case, the income tax savings would have probably been a few hundred dollars a year. Multiply that by 20 years? Ouch.




The long and short of it, buy insurance for the sake of insurance. 

Don't mix insurance and investment.


Related posts:
1. Should I terminate an expensive ILP?
2. Free ILP or Term Life policies?
3. How to upsize $100K to $225K in 20 years?
Hey, sexy S A! Oppa AK style!