VM Elevate - February 2023

Wealth Building is the New Self Love

On the journey to our goals, the daily challenges we face can make the things we want to achieve seem far-fetched. While financial stability may be the goal, some people struggle because of the discipline and commitment required to build wealth, versus the appeal of short-term pleasures. One way to create the motivation to do what it takes is to look at each goal as something you love and a desire to look after yourself. Taking the time to arrange your present and plan your future life, then seeing it through is one of the best forms of self-care. Whether it’s cutting back on an expense now so you can pay yourself more in savings or doing your due diligence to determine the best investment options; you are creating a comfortable environment for yourself and a legacy for your family, and that’s something to get excited about. Here are a few ways we can love ourselves to Wealth:

TREAT FINANCIAL STABILITY AS A LUXURY YOU DESERVE

Just like a spa treatment, there are physiological and psychological benefits to be gained from achieving your wealth goals. Financial instability has been linked to chronic anxiety, sleep loss, muscle tension and the feeling of being overwhelmed. Financial stability, on the other hand, can bring security and peace of mind. Having more time for leisure and fun activities can also have a positive effect on well-being.

DO IT FOR YOUR BEST LIFE

Get moving when you feel like procrastinating –Newton’s first law of motion tells us that a body at rest tends to stay at rest unless acted upon by an external force. It’s easy to succumb to the inertia of going through your everyday motions, but doing things differently is the only way to

achieve different results. The moment you get your salary reminder, before you get into your month end cycle of bills, pause wherever you are and send the email to your advisor to set up your standing order, or go into your online banking and set it up right away. Pay yourself first, act quickly before you have time to debate and negotiate with yourself about it. Stop delaying and just do it.

GET AN ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNER

As they say, no man is an island. Having someone to discuss your progress with, who knows and supports your goals, increases your chances of success. Regular calls with your VM Wealth Advisor and your VM Pension Administrator can help keep you on track while you get the added benefit of expert advice.

REMIND YOURSELF THAT YOU DESERVE THE BEST

Mantras, vision boards and affirmations on post-it notes are all great ways to do the same thing: keep your dreams top-of-mind. The trick is that they are constant visible reminders about the things you desire and have been shown to increase your chances of getting to your goals. These daily reminders motivate you by reminding you of why you’re developing the habits and making the adjustments today. They also function as a guiding star, keeping your destination in sight so you can make the right choices to keep moving in the same direction.

Recent global developments have emphasized the importance of financial planning as well as the significance of self-care. Keeping your goals in sight and doing what it takes to live as comfortably as you can today while working towards the tomorrow you want for yourself, and your loved ones is the best way we know to do both.

A Bond That’s Worth It

VMIL J$5.8B Fixed and Variable Rated Unsecured Bond

Investing with VM Investment Limited means you have taken the step of making your medium to long-term goals happen, and we have something new to expand your portfolio. VMIL is providing you with the opportunity to invest in our J$5.8B Fixed and Variable Rated Unsecured Bond starting at a minimum subscription of J$1,000,000, in any of our 3 tranches, from 18 months to 2 years.

This offer is available to all VM Wealth clients and persons interested in investing in bonds in Jamaica, and is distributed via Private Placement by way of an exempt distribution in accordance with the Financial Services Commission (FSC) Guidelines.

You’ve got options! Maximize your returns with VMIL’s new bond offer! For more information, call 1-876-960-5000 or visit the nearest VM Wealth office to speak to a Wealth Advisor.

*Conditions apply

VM Wealth Management

Low interest rates

Attractive cash back

Travel rewards

Low annual fees

To Love and Beyond: Love Yourself to Wealth with Pension Planning

There remains this inextricable link between the month of February and all the feels that accompany the word ‘love’. This could very well be because of the global observance of Valentine’s Day in February and the extra emphasis on the importance of love in our lives, whether self-love or love from others.

Now we’ve witnessed some truly remarkable love stories, especially those where persons have given themselves permission to create the lives that they truly desire, and whether you want to admit it or not, that usually involves something beyond love - something like money, which takes us to that point of ‘beyond’.

HERE’S TO BEYOND LOVE!

Life happens in stages, characterised by varied challenges, opportunities and achievements, which means that planning for your future is an important process towards living the life you’ve always envisioned. That planning process should involve things like pension planning, which is a conversation that you must have at some point in your life. What’s even more, pension planning is an ideal expression of you loving yourself to wealth particularly with the added security that it brings.

PENSION PLANNING & THE JAMAICAN LANDSCAPE

A pension is a way to put some money aside that will function as income in your later years, so it’s simply your retirement plan. In the Jamaican pension landscape, the contribution system functions on three pillars - a government managed system which is referred to as the National Insurance Scheme (NIS); privately managed pension plans; and voluntary retirement savings.

IS THIS EVEN WORTH IT?

Paying into a pension plan is usually a good idea, especially seeing that life doesn’t necessarily stop at retirement. While at this stage you may be working less, a source of income is still essential to do all the things that you’ve always enjoyed your money doing for you. Besides, with what many may argue as our flawed genetic makeup, there are many complications that are associated with ageing, which only money and a solid financial plan will solve or sometimes just ease. So, the quicker you start thinking about where that income will come from for life beyond work, the more prepared you’ll be, while increasing the likelihood of living the retirement life you dream of.

A BENEFICIAL ARRANGEMENT

I get it, we’re in a contemporary landscape that offers a plethora of ways to save and even invest your money for the future, but we can’t negate the fact that a pension provides great benefits when it comes to setting your money aside for your retirement years.

ƒ Setting up a good pension plan means you’re likely to experience the same standard of living after you’ve retired.

ƒ It’s an ideal way to gain access to regular monthly payments for your expenses upon retirement.

ƒ Your pension fund does not belong to your employer, and the benefits accumulated are yours to enjoy.

ƒ In many instances, if the contributing member passes off, his or her spouse may be eligible to receive a pension or other benefit. If there is no surviving spouse, a benefit can be paid to a designated beneficiary.

ƒ For an employer, having a pension plan in place can make it easier to attract and keep the more competent and knowledgeable employees.

ƒ And, it doesn’t hurt that you pay no taxes on the amount of your income paid towards your pension plan.

So, as it turns out money can actually buy love. It’s these worthwhile investments that we make, like having a pension plan, that will ultimately be the true markers of how much we love ourselves. The real key to

creating financial freedom is transforming our beliefs about how we experience life and love, and that calls for more of learning how to make money work for you. While it’s important to learn to love who we are at each stage in life, this means having control of our finances and our financial future at every stage in life.

So… what kind of life do you think you deserve? Let our VM Pensions Management team help you decide, by simply clicking the link below: https://myvmgroup.com/ business-solutions/pensionfund-management