We are living longer than ever before. A recent UN population report² shows the number of persons aged 80 years or over globally could triple in 2050 from 2019. And for the first time in recorded history, persons aged 65 or above outnumbered children under the age of five in 2018.

Investors are increasingly aware that they need to plan for retirement amid such a demographic change. A J.P. Morgan Asset Management survey¹ found many end-investors in Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan are amiable to discuss with professionals about retirement planning, even when they have other priorities. 

With rising demand for retirement planning, our Asia Pacific Retirement Strategist Wina Appleton has given more than 100 talks across Asia over the past 30 months³. Here are some questions that are on the minds of investors, and Wina shares her insights. 

Q: What was your most memorable encounter among all your interactions with investors? 

A:  Once in Malaysia, after I finished a presentation on retirement principles, a lady in her 60s walked over and chatted with me. She said, “Life is so different when you’re really in retirement. It’s a scary feeling because I don’t know how much money I should spend to not run out of money, and I don’t know how long I’m going to live.” 

I remember this vividly, and this motivates me to help investors better plan for their retirement. 
 

Q: In terms of awareness of retirement planning, how does Asia compare with other developed countries?

A: People in Asia are generally better savers than those in developed countries. But it’s important for Asians to understand that savings alone isn’t enough, they need to make their savings work harder for them. 

Investors need to take the right level of risk, based on where they are on the retirement journey. When they are young, starting to invest early could be key to take advantage of the power of compounding. This is the time when they have risk capacity to allocate more of their portfolio to equities to participate in long-term market growth. When they are near retirement, they need to de-risk their portfolio to protect their capital, and in retirement, it is important to stay invested to keep pace with inflation.
 

Q: What is the hardest part of retirement planning? What is the solution? 

A: For most people, the trickiest part is figuring out how much money they need to spend in retirement. Most people have no idea. It’s tricky because there are so many forces at play, such as how long will they live, how much will healthcare cost, etc.

As a result, most people also have no idea how much money they would need to save to maintain their lifestyle in retirement. So, at J.P. Morgan Asset Management, we have developed the eight principles for a successful retirement and a checkpoint table⁴, as shown, to help investors gauge how much they need to invest to maintain their lifestyle in retirement. 

Check out how much savings you may require to maintain an equivalent lifestyle in retirement⁴

Q: How would you summarise the key points of retirement planning in one sentence? 

A: Don’t let your money retire before you, and even after you retire, make sure your money continues to work hard for you until you don’t need it anymore. 
 

Q: What is your advice for young people on retirement and saving? 

A: Time is your friend. Start investing early, and use the power of compounding to help you reach your retirement goal. 

Q: Some young people would argue they can’t save because they don’t earn enough. What’s your opinion? 

A: It’s about resisting instant gratification. Some people find it hard to control the impulse to spend today for rewards that are far into the future. However, delayed gratification could lead to a much bigger payoff in the future.

It’s also about habit, and a matter of choice. For example, if you are used to taking a taxi to work every day, it’s difficult to switch to bus or the subway. Once you get used to a certain lifestyle, it’s difficult to reverse. But you do have the choice, it is something you can control. 
 

Q: What’s your advice for women about retirement and investing for the long term?

A: Women tend to live longer than men. In Hong Kong, the average expected lifespan⁵ at birth was 88 years for women and 82 years for men in 2017. So it is prudent for women to be involved early in financial planning and investment decisions for their family. 

A longer lifespan also means that their retirement nest egg would need to be stretched over a longer retired life, exposing them to higher risk of outliving their savings. Ironically, women tend to invest more conservatively than men and are less willing to take risk to grow their portfolios. 

We would recommend that women use the longer time horizon that they have to their advantage, and make their money work harder for them. 

1. Source: “J.P. Morgan Asset Management Retirement Planning Strategic Research”, May 2019. The survey was conducted between 14.11.2018 and 20.12.2018. Sample sizes for this survey question were 219 end-investors in Hong Kong, 204 end-investors in Taiwan and 333 end-investors in Singapore. 
2. Source: United Nations, Department of Economics and Social Affairs, Population Division (2019). World Population Prospects: The 2019 Revision.
3. Data as of 16.10.2019.
4. Source: Hong Kong Census & Statistics, Inland Revenue Department, Social Welfare Department, J.P. Morgan Asset Management. Analysis as of June 2019. ^#J.P. Morgan’s model is based on J.P. Morgan Asset Management’s proprietary 2019 Long-Term Capital Market Assumptions (10-15 years), pre-retirement portfolio of 22% MSCI Zhong Hua, 43% MSCI AC World, 35% US Aggregate bonds (Hong Kong dollar, or HKD) and post-retirement portfolio of 12% MSCI Zhong Hua, 23% MSCI AC World, 65% US Aggregate bonds (HKD). This portfolio is customised by J.P. Morgan Asset Management’s Multi-Asset Solutions team. ^Forward-looking inflation average estimate utilises Hong Kong CPI from 2004 to 2018. Lower forward-looking returns may require higher savings going forward. This chart is for illustrative purposes only and must not be used, or relied upon, to make investment decisions. Allocations, assumptions and expected returns are not meant to represent J.P. Morgan Asset Management performance. Given the complex risk/reward trade-offs involved, we advise clients to rely on judgment as well as quantitative optimisation approaches in setting strategic allocations. References to future returns for either asset allocation strategies or asset classes are not promises or even estimates of actual returns a client portfolio may achieve. Currency in HKD.
5. Source: Hong Kong Census and Statistics Department, as of 04.11.2019.


Investment involves risk. Not all investments are suitable for all investors. Investors should consult professional advice before investing. Investments are not similar to or comparable with fixed deposits.  The opinions and views expressed here are as of the date of this publication, which are subject to change and are not to be construed as investment advice. Estimates, assumptions and projections are provided for information only and may or may not come to pass. This document has not been reviewed by the SFC. Issued by JPMorgan Funds (Asia) Limited.