20 December 2023

7 Ways to Finish the Year Richer

Rich couple on yacht
Kuznetcov_Konstantin / Shutterstock.com

Advertising Disclosure: When you buy something by clicking links on our site, we may earn a small commission, but it never affects the products or services we recommend. It’s crazy to think about, but 2024 will be here before you know it. The clock is ticking on 2023 — which means you’re running out of time to boost your bank account by the end of the year. You still have time to make a…



from Money Talks News https://ift.tt/x4I5JLq


A word from our sponsor:

Need Help With Your Personal Finance or need a coach to help you structure or just want to learn the financial skill to self manage your financial matters and retirement. iLearnFromCloud.com

Need to solve a problem quickly, now you can solve it by learning the art of problem solving Art Of Problem Solving

Feeling hungry. Latest food news from Best Restaurant To Eat Malaysian Food and Travel Blog

Memory loss. Need to organize better. Solve problem fast with Free Mind Mapping Software Mind Mapping 101

Need A Customized System Development for your business or Going Paperless XPERT TECHNOLOGIES - Empowering The Paperless Economy

11 Cheap Business Ideas You Can Start for Less Than $1,000

Young woman holding money
Africa Studio / Shutterstock.com

Editor's Note: This story originally appeared on The Penny Hoarder. Sometimes we think of starting a business as some major, risky, life-changing expense that will require a huge loan or major funding from investors. But that’s simply not the case. Sure, if you’re opening up a downtown restaurant or a retail outlet, then you’ll probably need big bucks to get off the ground. However…



from Money Talks News https://ift.tt/u4RObDN


A word from our sponsor:

Need Help With Your Personal Finance or need a coach to help you structure or just want to learn the financial skill to self manage your financial matters and retirement. iLearnFromCloud.com

Need to solve a problem quickly, now you can solve it by learning the art of problem solving Art Of Problem Solving

Feeling hungry. Latest food news from Best Restaurant To Eat Malaysian Food and Travel Blog

Memory loss. Need to organize better. Solve problem fast with Free Mind Mapping Software Mind Mapping 101

Need A Customized System Development for your business or Going Paperless XPERT TECHNOLOGIES - Empowering The Paperless Economy

19 December 2023

9 Cheap but Thoughtful Last-Minute Gifts

Happy woman wrapping Christmas gifts
Dragana Gordic / Shutterstock.com

Editor's Note: This story originally appeared on Living on the Cheap. Budget-friendly last-minute gifts can shine — if they’re chosen thoughtfully and presented beautifully. If you’ve waited too long, even Amazon may not be able to help get it there by Christmas, but you should be able to find these items in stores as well.



from Money Talks News https://ift.tt/mfRIb8q


A word from our sponsor:

Need Help With Your Personal Finance or need a coach to help you structure or just want to learn the financial skill to self manage your financial matters and retirement. iLearnFromCloud.com

Need to solve a problem quickly, now you can solve it by learning the art of problem solving Art Of Problem Solving

Feeling hungry. Latest food news from Best Restaurant To Eat Malaysian Food and Travel Blog

Memory loss. Need to organize better. Solve problem fast with Free Mind Mapping Software Mind Mapping 101

Need A Customized System Development for your business or Going Paperless XPERT TECHNOLOGIES - Empowering The Paperless Economy

CGC Digital, MDEC and PayNet team up to address RM90b MSME financing gap

PETALING JAYA: CGC Digital Sdn Bhd, Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), and Payments Network Malaysia (PayNet) have signed a collaboration agreement aimed at driving financial empowerment and fostering inclusivity among micro, small and medium enterprises in Malaysia through pioneering Alternative Credit Scoring solutions.

This tripartite partnership signifies a collective commitment to address a RM90 billion gap in financing for MSMEs.

The digital tool to power the bridging of the financing gap will be the Alternative Credit Scoring undertaken by CGC Digital as it explores alternative data to facilitate the development of its model. The partnership will be led by CGC Digital in providing the digital guarantee, MDEC in connecting fintech players and championing policies/frameworks, and PayNet in utilisation of its payments data.

PayNet as the national payments network has over the years aggregated a sizeable data through its product range – DuitNow (also known as Malaysia’s National QR Code), JomPAY and FPX. MSMEs that are not registered with the Companies Commission of Malaysia but may have registration under local councils could have transaction data in any of these data points.

“Collaborating with MDEC and PayNet, CGC Digital has identified potential fintech companies to embark on proof-of-concept initiatives aimed at validating the effectiveness and viability of Alternative Credit Scoring model. This initiative is aimed to empower MSMEs and bridge the financing gap by democratising access to credit guarantee and financial services in advancing financial inclusion,” said CGC Digital CEO Yushida Husin.

MDEC CEO Mahadhir Aziz said that the collaboration is a testament to their commitment to drive innovation in the financial sector and address the MSME financing gap.

“The Malaysia Digital (MD) national strategic initiative and suite of dynamic PeMangkinMD programmes aim to transform our nation’s digital capabilities, foster the growth of tech companies, and boost the digital economy. We are optimistic to facilitate more partnerships between financial institutions, fintech companies and relevant ecosystem partners with a common goal of revolutionising credit assessment methods which will be a game changer for the financial sector,” he added.

The MoU is envisaged to spark ideas to promote and scale more pilots using Alternative Credit Scoring data points among industry players. According to PayNet chief commercial officer Gary Yeoh, validation of Alternative Credit Scoring’ effectiveness as a complementary tool in the credit assessment of businesses across all sizes will catalyse new frontiers on how credit is assessed and this could be a tipping point in a much-needed financing ecosystem where traditional banks are limited by conventional credit scoring tools.

Using innovative solutions – such as artificial intelligence and machine learning – for insights and data from non-traditional sources such as transaction data, utility and assessment payments, rental payments, mobile payments and more can potentially be used to assess MSMEs’ creditworthiness based on historical payment records.

The parties are cognisant of the opportunities that can be crystalised through Alternative Credit Scoring. The ability to co-create a data-sharing environment that supports a thriving community of fintech companies, accessibility of financial products across all businesses and people and customisation of financial products and services will revolutionise Malaysia’s future financial landscape.



Source: The Sun Daily

A word from our sponsor:

Need Help With Your Personal Finance / Money Issue or need a coach to help you structure or just want to learn the financial skill to self manage your financial matters and retirement. iLearnFromCloud.com

Need to solve a problem quickly, now you can solve it by learning the art of problem solving Art Of Problem Solving

Feeling hungry. Latest food news from Best Restaurant To Eat Malaysian Food and Travel Blog

Memory loss. Need to organize better. Solve problem fast with Free Mind Mapping Software Mind Mapping 101

Need A Customized System Development for your business or Going Paperless XPERT TECHNOLOGIES - Empowering The Paperless Economy

18 December 2023

Tax Matters – Unravelling the Global Minimum Tax puzzle

THE Global Minimum Tax (GMT) is being rolled out across 135 countries, and more are expected to join in. Malaysia will be implementing GMT from Jan 1, 2025.

The intention here is to ensure that multinational enterprises pay their fair share of tax wherever they operate and generate profits.

The minimum tax that large multinationals are expected to pay should not be less than 15% on a global level. This tax only applies to multinationals with annual revenues exceeds €750 million or about RM4 billion.

Although this tax will only affect 50 or 60 Malaysian conglomerates, it has a significant impact since we have many multinational companies operating in the country whose global revenues exceed €750 million.

Many of the multinationals operating in Malaysia are enjoying tax incentives close to zero tax. The global minimum tax is going to affect their return on investments since they would not have taken this into account when they invested in Malaysia many years ago.

If the average turnover of the multinational entity is less than €10 million, and the average income of the entity is less than €1 million each year, the entity will be excluded from GMT.

The Malaysian conglomerates will have a headache. They need to carry out this calculation on a global level to see if they exceed the €750 million threshold, and they need to carry out another set of calculations at the overseas subsidiary level. The calculations are very complex and at times subjective to the interpretation of rules. Excluded from GMT rules are pension funds, government entities, non-profit organisations, investment funds, etc.

The basics

The ultimate goal here is to apply the 15% GMT on the multinational’s excess profits in the respective tax jurisdiction where the effective tax rate or the average tax rate is less than 15%. Excess profits are surplus profits after taking into account a percentage of the profits attributable to the people and the tangible assets used in the business.

Excess profits are seen by tax authorities across the world as profits prone to escape taxation or subject to minimal taxation. Examples in the past is where multinationals have used double taxation agreements, transfer pricing and special tax rulings to escape taxation around the world.

The first step is to calculate the effective tax rate of the multinational enterprise operating in any country. If it is below the 15%, the local jurisdiction will have the right to collect the differential through a top-up tax mechanism. In the event the local jurisdiction does not have the top-up tax mechanism (generally known as Qualified Domestic Minimum Top-up Tax), then the tax jurisdiction where the ultimate parent company is located will collect the differential via another mechanism called Income Inclusion Rule or in the event the jurisdiction of the parent company does not collect the differential, the other entities of the consolidated group will share the differential.

The calculation of this tax starts with the consolidated financial accounts. The revenue, income and tax costs are all obtained from the consolidated financial accounts subject to adjustments.

On revenue, the key adjustments address the difference between the financial accounts and the taxable income, adjustments to the intragroup transactions to ensure they meet the arm’s length test under the transfer pricing rules, and removing bribes/illegal payments.

Tax costs will be the tax expense in the consolidated financial accounts, but will exclude indirect taxes, payroll taxes, property taxes and taxes of a non-income nature. Taxes will include withholding taxes.

This article is contributed by Thannees Tax Consulting Services Sdn Bhd managing director
SM Thanneermalai (www.thannees.com).



Source: The Sun Daily

A word from our sponsor:

Need Help With Your Personal Finance / Money Issue or need a coach to help you structure or just want to learn the financial skill to self manage your financial matters and retirement. iLearnFromCloud.com

Need to solve a problem quickly, now you can solve it by learning the art of problem solving Art Of Problem Solving

Feeling hungry. Latest food news from Best Restaurant To Eat Malaysian Food and Travel Blog

Memory loss. Need to organize better. Solve problem fast with Free Mind Mapping Software Mind Mapping 101

Need A Customized System Development for your business or Going Paperless XPERT TECHNOLOGIES - Empowering The Paperless Economy

Malaysia needs single sustainability-focused ecosystem for all stakeholders: Expert

PETALING JAYA: There needs to be a cohesive sustainable ecosystem in Malaysia for environment, social and governance (ESG) principles to be fully integrated into the economy, according to Think Plus Consulting Sdn Bhd group CEO Dr Norsaidatul Akmar Mazelan.

She said Malaysia needs to form a single sustainability-focused ecosystem that embraces all stakeholders, including the private and public sectors.

“The Malaysia Will and Trust Association (MWTA) is trying to create a single platform which everyone can agree on,” she told SunBiz after MWTA’s Shaping the Future of Estate Planning Forum recently.

Norsaidatul said no single body or association should monopolise sustainability in Malaysia – rather, it needs to have a shared prosperity element for all parties.

She noted that each stakeholder has its own set of values and purposes, but if a shared prosperity element is not present, each party would only act and make decisions according to its own goals, which may not fit or “gel” with the rest of the ecosystem.

“The government’s agenda is to ensure that the private sector integrates ESG practices into its business model, which why there is ESG reporting. So, the skill in ESG is not so much of managing your business, but rather managing all your elements of sustainability,” she remarked.

In addition,Norsaidatul said sustainability should be embedded in a company’s products, processes, people, environmental as well as its own ecosystem engagement which includes its “prosperity-sustainability”.

“Knowledge, competency and attitude bring you the real meaning of transformation ... companies need to assess the project application of their ESG, - not just by looking at their reports.

“We look at the transformation that made the changes for you to fully embrace sustainability; whether you’re with the private sector or the government, the process is the same. Practices will always give you results, if you don’t practise, there are no results,” she added.

Meanwhile, Norsaidatul said estate planners should not be solely product or sales-driven, instead they should understand the needs of their clients and try to integrate ESG principles in their planning process.

“What is your concern on environment? What is your concern on people? What is your concern about your wealth? What you are contributing back .... (it’s ) not just expecting a return out of a process. So, that (ESG) element is where a mindset change must come in.

“It is a new business model, not a traditional one. That element is probably not thought about anywhere else. I hope that MWTA can help give a different perspective of why it is a new game changer and not follow the old traditional mindset,” she added.

Organised by MWTA, the forum aimed to address issues in estate planning, discuss emerging trends, challenges as well as understanding the importance of comprehensive estate planning for peace of mind and asset protection.



Source: The Sun Daily

A word from our sponsor:

Need Help With Your Personal Finance / Money Issue or need a coach to help you structure or just want to learn the financial skill to self manage your financial matters and retirement. iLearnFromCloud.com

Need to solve a problem quickly, now you can solve it by learning the art of problem solving Art Of Problem Solving

Feeling hungry. Latest food news from Best Restaurant To Eat Malaysian Food and Travel Blog

Memory loss. Need to organize better. Solve problem fast with Free Mind Mapping Software Mind Mapping 101

Need A Customized System Development for your business or Going Paperless XPERT TECHNOLOGIES - Empowering The Paperless Economy

Pre-register for U Mobile’s U Home 5G X sooka VIP bundle

PETALING JAYA: U Mobile is collaborating with sooka, the video streaming service by Astro, to launch the U Home 5G X sooka VIP bundle on Tuesday.

With this bundle, subscribers can enjoy uninterrupted, high-resolution streaming of sooka’s rich content of original local entertain-ment and live sports using U Home 5G, U Mobile’s contract-free 5G home broadband plan that offers unlimited fibre-like speeds.

Subscribers will be able to enjoy this bundle for six months at the price of just RM108 monthly (RRP: RM162.90).

In anticipation of this, U Mobile is running a pre-launch campaign where participants can stand a chance to win a Samsung 75” 4K UHD Smart TV (RRP: RM6,099) and a ZTE 5G Router (RRP: RM1,399).

To participate, one simply needs to follow the steps below:

1) Register their interest for the U Home 5G X sooka VIP bundle from now until Dec 18, 2023.

2) Subscribe to the U Home 5G X sooka VIP bundle between Dec 19, 2023 and Jan 31, 2024.

A total of 10 eligible participants will be shortlisted based on every 20th registration of interest. Shortlisted participants will be contacted beginning Feb 5, 2024 to answer one question correctly to be confirmed as a winner.

Winners will each win one unit of Samsung 75” 4K UHD Smart TV and one unit ZTE 5G router.

For more information on the U Home 5G X sooka VIP bundle or for campaign terms and conditions, visit https://ift.tt/NA4r62L.



Source: The Sun Daily

A word from our sponsor:

Need Help With Your Personal Finance / Money Issue or need a coach to help you structure or just want to learn the financial skill to self manage your financial matters and retirement. iLearnFromCloud.com

Need to solve a problem quickly, now you can solve it by learning the art of problem solving Art Of Problem Solving

Feeling hungry. Latest food news from Best Restaurant To Eat Malaysian Food and Travel Blog

Memory loss. Need to organize better. Solve problem fast with Free Mind Mapping Software Mind Mapping 101

Need A Customized System Development for your business or Going Paperless XPERT TECHNOLOGIES - Empowering The Paperless Economy

17 December 2023

Alipay+, e-wallets to promote sustainable cross-border travel

KUALA LUMPUR: Alipay+, a cross-border mobile payment digital platform under Ant International, has launched a year-end campaign to promote sustainable cross-border travel with a series of incentives offered by global partners to users of Touch ‘n Go eWallet by TNG Digital (Malaysia) as well as other four leading e-wallets in Asia – Alipay (the Chinese mainland), AlipayHK (Hong Kong, China), GCash (the Philippines), and TrueMoney (Thailand).

Malaysia, together with Hong Kong SAR, Macao SAR, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and Thailand will be the first batch of destinations of the campaign which will last till Dec 31. Travelers will enjoy a wide array of special offers curated in collaboration with global industry leaders including ComfortDelGro Taxi, Daimaru Matsuzakaya, Galaxy Macau, King Power, Lotte Duty-Free, Marina Bay Sands, and Shiseido Travel Retail, as well as local small and micro-sized enterprises including Durian BB in Malaysia and IJOOZ in Singapore, creating a diverse and inclusive selection for travelers.

Enabled through a partnership with PayNet, eight Alipay+ partner e-wallets, including Alipay, AlipayHK and TrueMoney can now be accepted at more than 1.8 million DuitNow QR merchants across Malaysia.

In anticipation of a substantial increase in Chinese tourist arrivals following the implementation of Malaysia’s visa-free policy for China on Dec 1, Alipay+ has collaborated with Malaysian merchants for exclusive offers for Alipay users from the Chinese mainland. These offers can be used for multiple services, including transportation, dining, and retail.

TNG Digital, operator of Touch ‘n Go eWallet CEO Alan Ni said, “Touch ‘n Go eWallet cross-border payments in the Chinese mainland have grown by more than 100% month-on-month in 2023. With that, we are hopeful that with our small gesture, we can create a path for others to follow.”



Source: The Sun Daily

A word from our sponsor:

Need Help With Your Personal Finance / Money Issue or need a coach to help you structure or just want to learn the financial skill to self manage your financial matters and retirement. iLearnFromCloud.com

Need to solve a problem quickly, now you can solve it by learning the art of problem solving Art Of Problem Solving

Feeling hungry. Latest food news from Best Restaurant To Eat Malaysian Food and Travel Blog

Memory loss. Need to organize better. Solve problem fast with Free Mind Mapping Software Mind Mapping 101

Need A Customized System Development for your business or Going Paperless XPERT TECHNOLOGIES - Empowering The Paperless Economy

17 Home Renovations That Add Value to Your House

Woman with paint roller
Yellowj / Shutterstock.com

Editor's Note: This story originally appeared on Living on the Cheap. Even if you’re not planning to sell your home any time soon, when you consider remodeling, you face this inevitable question: How much will this improvement add to the value of my home? Surprisingly, much of the time the answer is not as much as it costs to make the improvement. But some home renovations pay off more…



from Money Talks News https://ift.tt/JSIbD2t


A word from our sponsor:

Need Help With Your Personal Finance or need a coach to help you structure or just want to learn the financial skill to self manage your financial matters and retirement. iLearnFromCloud.com

Need to solve a problem quickly, now you can solve it by learning the art of problem solving Art Of Problem Solving

Feeling hungry. Latest food news from Best Restaurant To Eat Malaysian Food and Travel Blog

Memory loss. Need to organize better. Solve problem fast with Free Mind Mapping Software Mind Mapping 101

Need A Customized System Development for your business or Going Paperless XPERT TECHNOLOGIES - Empowering The Paperless Economy