What people say after completing our programmes

The situation

A 47-year-old government servant who had never made a complete list of what she owned and owed. She held two EPF accounts, a Tabung Haji account, a housing loan, and several insurance policies — but had no single view of how these connected.

What the programme did

The Courtyard Walk walked her through mapping all holdings and commitments into a single overview. The writing exercise between sessions helped her to estimate actual monthly surplus more accurately than she had before.

At the close

She left with a one-page financial summary she had compiled herself, a clearer sense of what her EPF balance implied for retirement timing, and a list of three specific actions — including an insurance review she had postponed for four years.

The situation

A 51-year-old business owner with savings in fixed deposits only. He had always intended to invest but had not known how to assess the options without relying on a financial advisor who would also be selling him something.

What the programme did

The Foundations course walked through SC Malaysia-registered unit trusts and ETFs available locally, covering how to read cost disclosures and what questions to ask before buying. The self-employed EPF voluntary contribution framework was also addressed.

At the close

He left with a working understanding of three locally available low-cost funds he was prepared to evaluate further, and had started EPF voluntary contributions for the first time. He described himself as ready to make decisions without needing someone else to tell him what to do.

The situation

A 54-year-old professional who had worked in Singapore for twelve years before returning to Johor Bahru. She held CPF savings (accessible at 55), Malaysian EPF, a Johor property, and investment holdings in SGD — and no clear retirement plan coordinating all of these.

What the programme did

Over six months, the Whole-Picture programme worked through EPF and CPF withdrawal sequencing, healthcare cost modelling, insurance gap identification, and the family commitments she was carrying — including a parent in assisted living and a child midway through university.

At the close

She left with a written summary document and a withdrawal sequence plan covering the decade from 55 to 65. She had identified a critical illness coverage gap she acted on before the programme ended, and had a healthcare cost estimate she could update as circumstances changed.