Personal Income Tax

It is the end of the year. Have you maximize your tax reliefs?
Below is a simple guide regarding the tax rates and tax reliefs for those who are eligible.

Tax residence status of individuals

An individual is regarded as a tax resident if he meets any of the following conditions, i.e. if he is:

• in Malaysia for at least 182 days in a calendar year;
• in Malaysia for a period of fewer than 182 days during the year (“shorter period”) but that period is linked to a period of the physical presence of 182 or more “consecutive” days in the following or preceding year (“longer period”). Temporary absences from Malaysia due to the following reasons are counted as part of the consecutive days, provided that the individual is in Malaysia before and after each temporary absence:

                               - business trips
                               - treatment for ill-health
                               - social visits not exceeding 14 days

• in Malaysia for 90 days or more during the year and, in any 3 of the 4 immediately preceding years, he was in Malaysia for at least 90 days or was resident in Malaysia; or
• resident for the year immediately following that year and for each of the 3 immediately preceding years.

Rates of tax

1. Resident individuals

• A qualified person (defined) who is a knowledge worker residing in Iskandar Malaysia is taxed at the rate of 15% on income from employment with a designated company engaged in a qualified activity in that specified region.
• An approved individual under the Returning Expert Programme who is a resident is taxed at the rate of 15% on income in respect of having or exercising employment with a person in Malaysia for 5 consecutive YAs.

Personal reliefs for resident individuals

Types of relief	YA 2020 (RM)
Self	9,000
Disabled individual - additional relief for self	6,000
Spouse	4,000
Disabled spouse - additional spouse relief	3,500
Child:
· per child (below 18 years old)	2,000
· per child (over 18 years old): receiving full-time instruction of higher education in respect of: - diploma level and above in Malaysia; or - degree level and above outside Malaysia OR serving under articles or indentures in a trade or profession in Malaysia	8,000
· per physically / mentally disabled child	6,000
· physically / mentally disabled child (over 18 years of age) receiving full-time instruction at institution of higher education in respect of: - diploma level and above in Malaysia; or - degree level and above outside Malaysia OR serving under articles or indentures in a trade or profession in Malaysia	14,000
Life insurance premiums (Note 1)	3,000*
EPF contributions (Note 1)	4,000*
Private Retirement Scheme contributions and Deferred annuity scheme premium (until YA 2021)	3,000*
Insurance premiums for education or medical benefits	3,000*
Expenses on medical treatment, special needs or carer expenses for parents (evidenced by medical certification)	5,000*
Parental care relief (until YA 2020): father mother	1,500 1,500
Employee’s contribution to Social Security Organisation (SOCSO)	250*
Medical expenses for self, spouse or child suffering from a serious disease (including fees of up to RM500 incurred by self, spouse or child for complete medical examination) or expenses incurred on fertility treatment (w.e.f YA 2020)	6,000*
Fee expended for any course of study up to tertiary level other than a degree at Masters or Doctorate level, undertaken for the purpose of acquiring law, accounting, Islamic financing, technical, vocational, industrial, scientific or technological skills or qualifications or any course of study for a degree at Masters or Doctorate level undertaken for the purpose of acquiring any skill or qualification	7,000*
Purchase of supporting equipment for self (if a disabled person) or for disabled spouse, child or parent	6,000*
Lifestyle relief consolidated with the following:       purchase of books, journals, magazines, printed newspaper and other similar publications for the purpose of enhancing knowledge       purchase of personal computer, smartphone or tablet       purchase of sports equipment and gym memberships, and internet subscription	2,500*
Purchase of breastfeeding equipment	1,000*
Fees paid to child care centre and kindergarten (Note 2)	2,000*
Deposit for child into the Skim Simpanan Pendidikan 1Malaysia account established under Perbadanan Tabung Pendidikan Tinggi Nasional Act 1997 (until YA 2020)	8,000*

Maximum relief
Note:
1. For public servants under the pension scheme, combined relief up to RM7,000 is given on Takaful contributions or payment for life insurance premium
2. Previously the relief was limited to RM1,000 in YA 2019

Tax rebates for resident individuals

Types of rebate	RM
Individual’s chargeable income does not exceed RM35,000	400
If husband and wife are separately assessed and each chargeable income does not exceed RM35,000	400 (each)
If husband and wife are jointly assessed and the joint chargeable income does not exceed RM35,000	800
Rebate for Zakat, Fitrah or other Islamic religious dues paid	Actual amount expended
Rebate for departure levy paid for performing umrah and pilgrimage to holy places (w.e.f YA 2019)	The actual amount expended (twice in a lifetime)

The above rebate granted is deducted from tax charged and any excess is not refundable.

Emergency Fund

What is an Emergency Fund?

An emergency fund is a stash of Ringgit that you set aside for when an emergency happened and it turns your world upside down and you need the Ringgit to do what needs to be done. Having an emergency fund gives you the peace of mind to know that should something truly awful happen, such as losing your job, you can worry about how to deal with the emergency itself and not worry about how you’re going to survive financially.

While a person’s emergency fund will vary from situation to situation, most financial experts agree that a fully stocked emergency fund should hold between three to six months of monthly expenses.

Getting started with your emergency fund

The first amount does not matter. What is important is for you to start. On average, an emergency fund of around RM500 to RM1,500 is a good first step to build a solid emergency fund. A smaller goal is much easier to achieve and it allows you to feel accomplished once you reach this first awesome milestone. 

Once you establish the small emergency fund, you can handle life’s small emergencies without going back into debt. This allows you to focus on gaining momentum when it comes to saving your Ringgit stash rather than switching back to focusing on paying off the debt incurred by small emergencies.

How do I determine what number to use for my monthly expenses?

As mentioned, an emergency fund should hold between three to six months of expenses. This to figure out the total emergency fund, one will have to look into how much is your monthly expenses. This figure varies from person to person but the important thing is that the fund can ensure that you could continue to live your life without any income. There are people who would even include luxuries in their emergency fund while others would just keep the basic amount that provides just enough money to pay the bills.

It is your choice how much you would want to keep as an emergency fund but it is important that the amount is not to exceed that you don't feel uncomfortable about it.

Why do you need an emergency fund? 

A lot of people would think that it is unnecessary to prepare for an emergency fund. You might think that your job is really secure and you would have no problem to find a new job in case of lay off. Or you may have thought that using a credit card as an emergency fund is okay as long as you pay it off before the end of the month.  Still, you will still need to pay off the credit card debts. Otherwise, you will have to pay for the interest and that's never good for anyone.

What is an emergency?

Financial emergencies are unexpected major expenses that require you to use an amount of money immediately. These expenses must be related to preserving your financial future, your health or your assets.

A few examples of true financial emergencies where it would make sense to use your emergency fund are as follow:

• Job loss. 
• Unexpected medical expenses to maintain your health. 
• Sudden unexpected car breakdown or accident
• A sudden unexpected problem with a major system in an owned house such as an air conditioner, roof or electrical system. 
• A family member passes away and you need to purchase last minute travel to the funeral. 
• A family member gets hurt and you need to take time off work to provide the necessary care. 

What isn’t an emergency?

Some people would stretch the idea of what an emergency is to access the cash they have put away.

Examples of expenses that would not justify breaking into your emergency fund are as follows:

• Elective healthcare such as plastic surgery. 
• A great deal on a cruise vacation. 
• A last-minute request for you to fly to a destination wedding. 
• You really want to buy a new TV for the Super Bowl but didn’t save enough

Where to put your emergency fund? 

An emergency fund should be kept in a high yield savings account or a money market account. This will let you have almost instant access to the money when you really need it.

It often makes sense to keep your emergency fund at a bank separate from your main bank accounts. By doing this, you won’t be tempted to dip into your emergency fund for everyday expenses.

This article was first published in Radical Ringgit.

Wahed Invest - First Impression Review

The first third robo-advisor in Malaysia was officially launched last week. Wahed Invest, is the first Halal robo-advisor that provide investors a chance to invest with shariah-compliant companies and bonds.

In comparison to MyTheo and Stashaway, I felt that to invest in Wahed Investors my preference as I have always wanted to invest in those largest companies in the USA, such as Apple, Facebook, Microsoft, Google, etc. But to invest directly will be very cost-ineffective. To invest via the only US Dollar-denomination ETF, MyETF Dow Jones US Titans 50, that invest in these same companies, you have to open a US dollar account with one of the local banks and the process is tedious. 

Highlights from Malaysia's Budget 2020

Below are the highlights from Malaysia's budget for 2020:

• 10 yr tax break for the electronics sector that shifts towards 5G and Industry 4.0.
• Shorten procedures to register a business.
• Allow delayed payments at customs to speed up trade.
• MYR 250m on rural connectivity.
• MYR 50m for the 5G ecosystem.
• MYR 550m grant for companies to automate, promote smart manufacturing.
• MYR 20m for e-sports.
• MYR 30 in credit to open e-wallet.
• MYR 500m guarantee for women entrepreneurs.
• Grants to improve financing access for Bumiputeras.
• MYR 2bn industry transformation.
• Special task force for Islamic Finance.
• Extension of the tax break for Sukuk issuance through 2025.
• Extends tax break for Syariah funds through 2023.
• Extends tax break for green tech investments through 2023.
• Solar industry 70% income tax break for 10 years.
• MYR 550m for palm oil farmers replant.
• MYR 810m for FELDA settlers.
• MYR 524m for the public R&D sector.
• A 10-year tax break for intellectual property.
• MYR 1.1bn on tourism targets 30 million tourists in 2020.
• Special investment incentive to attract Fortune 500 global companies.
• Incentives to help unemployed graduates for >12 months, top-up MR 500 for the employee, MYR 300 to the employer for hiring the employee.
• Increase maternity leave to 90 days.
• Higher minimum wage MYR 1,200/mth in main cities.
• SME tax threshold raised to MYR 600k (from MYR 500k), taxed at 17%.

Looking at the list, I felt that it has actually ignored the M40. A lot of the budget is for the B40 and companies. Nothing much for the rest of us. A reduction in income tax will be much appreciated. With living expenses on the rise, less income tax will be helpful. Only happy that we are getting RM30 in our e-wallet. Now, I wonder which e-wallet will the government transfer the RM30 to, since most of us have Boost, TnG eWallet, Bigpay, Setel, etc.

Still, if you already have a financial plan ready, just continue with the plan. Any additional stuff that the government gives is a bonus.

The Simple Path to Wealth by Jim Collins

The author of the book advocates a self-directed approach to investing and money management. In short, it tells you to avoid debts, save half of your income, invest your savings in low-cost index funds and ignore the news about the up and down of the stock market.

In the book, you will learn that the investment industry is interested in making you feel that the whole investment process is complex. For this reason, you would need help to be successful in the stock market and your only solution is to go for those advisers that, without you knowing, will earn money for themselves at your expenses.

The book also offers specific recommendations for self-directed investing, and carefully explains the rationale behind his conclusions. He also translates studies and stats into easy-to-understand English.

The only thing that the author said that an investor needs to do is to invest in the following two funds:

• VTSAX - Vanguard Total Stock Market Fund
• VBTLX - Vanguard Total Bond Market Fund

With these two funds, we are basically covered and the more we invest in it, the better. However, to invest in both of the above funds, big capital is needed. So, the author provided an alternative which is the equivalent ETF:

• VTI - Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF
• BND - Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF

It is possible for us to invest in both ETF but there will be more works that need to be done before we are able to buy it. I have a bit of experience in this and will share what I know in the near future.

Other information given may not be suitable for us, Malaysian. Stuff such as 401K, Roth and Malaysian low-cost index fund does not really exist in Malaysia. But still, it is a very good read to understand that investing can actually be very simple.

Personally, I have learned a lot from reading this book and my investment strategy is mainly based on the author's concepts of investing but with a tweak to suit our Malaysian market. If you are interested to read this book, you can buy it here.

KWSP i-Invest: Review

A few days ago, the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) has launched its i-Invest platform which allows its members to invest in unit trust funds with their EPF savings. The great thing about this platform is that it is almost zero cost.

With this platform, members can invest with a sales charge ranging from 0% to a maximum of 0.5% of the transaction amount. As a comparison, offline and traditional transactions through agents are usually charged at 3%.

The conditions for investing via i-Invest are under the Members Investment Scheme. Members may transfer from their EPF Account 1 up to 30% of the amount in excess of Basic Savings, to be invested in the qualified funds. The platform is very user-friendly and there is a lot of information given regarding each fund. 

For members aged 55 and above, they can also use i-Invest using Akaun 55 or Akaun Emas through i-Akaun as a mode of withdrawal. It is also subject to a minimum balance of RM1,000 in their account.

EPF has strict guidelines for Fund Management Institutions (FMI) to safeguard the integrity of the scheme and the interest of participating members. There is a total of 389 funds from various categories (equity, mixed assets, bond, money market, and property trust) that were approved under the EPF Members Investment Scheme for the period of 2019/2020.

You can get started by logging in to your i-Akaun, then click on the “Investment” tab at the top.

Alexiares' comment on i-Invest:
Do not rush in to invest in this platform. Do your due diligence to make sure that you know what you are getting yourself into. Do note that while it is possible for you to get higher returns from investing at those private funds, it is possible to for you to lose money.

The sales charges range from 0% to 0.5% of the transaction amount. So, if you are investing RM10,000, you will be paying RM50 for the sales charges. And remember that when you sell the investment, you will be charged again. So, if you made RM 1,000 after a certain period of time, you would be paying RM 55 for the sales charges.

Personally, I would not touch my EPF accounts and let it reap the benefit of an average of 6% given by EPF. So, if you are not willing to take the risk, don't try this.

KWTBB - Kumpulan Wang Tenaga Boleh Baharu

I was looking into my house's electricity bill and I noticed that I was paying for 1.6% surcharge for KWTBB. The amount was small but it just captured my attention. Thus, I began to look into what this KWTBB is.

Not my bill. Just one that I found on the internet.

It turns out that this KWTBB is "Kumpulan Wang Tenaga Boleh Baharu". The name in English is "Renewable Energy Fund". The 1.6% levy for ‘Kumpulan Wang Tenaga Boleh Baharu’ is used to develop Malaysia’s renewable energy program. It is meant for maintaining a mechanism called the Feed-in-Tariff (FiT). The FiT allows homeowners and businesses to earn money by producing energy through renewable resources that will be fed into the utility grid for distribution throughout the country. In other words, those who participate in the FiT program will be generating energy that Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) will use to produce the electricity that we consume on a daily basis. The idea is to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels as a source of energy (a non-sustainable option in the long run).

From what I have learned, only households that consume electricity above 300 kW (electricity bills that exceed RM77) are required to pay this surcharge. So, if you do not want to pay for this 1.6% surcharge for KWTBB, save more on your electricity usage.