financial security

AS Gen Z continues to reshape the workplace with purpose, flexibility, and financial empowerment, employers are being called to rethink the traditional benefits they provide.

“Many employees don’t even realize they need to plan for retirement until it’s too late. By integrating retirement planning into the company culture, organizations show that they care about their people beyond just daily performance. This builds trust, improves morale, and creates alignment between company and employee goals,” said retirement readiness expert and personal finance professional Aristides “Jong” Merida, Jr. during InLife’s recent client forum, “Retire Without Worries” at Fairmont Hotel, Makati.

The best time to plan for retirement was yesterday

Merida shared an experience where he was invited to speak to a group of employees just six months away from retirement. When he entered the room, the atmosphere was festive—laughter, chatter, and a sense of celebration filled the air. But by the time he finished his presentation, the mood had drastically shifted. It felt as though he was leaving a funeral. The realization that many were not financially prepared for retirement had cast a heavy cloud over the room, leaving attendees silent and visibly shaken.

He also shared a conversation with a doctor who asked him for advice as he planned to retire in a few years. “One doctor, aged 58, once asked me how much he needed to sustain his lifestyle after practicing medicine. He earns and spends P500,000. I told him that he needed P150 million invested to live off that amount sustainably. He was shocked. I told him that you’re already living a life that costs that much, which was P6 million a year. You just never thought about how much capital it takes to support that,” he said, adding that you will never get ahead if your expenses match or exceed your income.

InLife’s Retire Assure can help meet these evolving expectations by offering retirement solutions that align with their financial goals and values.

For businesses focused on sustainability and workforce well-being, Retire Assure can be more than just another insurance product, but a strategic asset. By integrating retirement planning into employee benefits programs, companies can reinforce their commitment to long-term employee growth and financial wellness.

Retire Assure is the first true retirement insurance product in the country. It offers a range of features to help one retire peacefully. Its key benefits include the following:

• Guaranteed monthly cash payouts that will not decrease starting at age 60 or 65 until one reaches the age of 100
• Flexible and convenient payment and payouts (one can pay annually, semi-annually, quarterly, or monthly premiums and choose a peso bank account where they will receive their payouts and dividends once they retire)
• Potential for monthly income to grow further through cash dividends
• Guaranteed life insurance protection (where, in case of death, beneficiaries receive the higher of 100% of premiums paid less payouts or the guaranteed cash value)
• No medical checkups required, making applying hassle-free

As a complement to government pensions, Retire Assure can help empower employees to build a more resilient financial foundation early in their careers.

“We noticed that many retirement products either give you a lump sum or short-term payouts, but people don’t always know how to manage them over a lifetime,” said InLife Chief Product and Innovation Officer Jose Eduardo Ang.

“You might get a large amount at 65, but how do you make that last until 100? Retire Assure solves that by offering a guaranteed monthly income. It’s structured to take the stress out of managing retirement funds and provide long-term security,” he pointed out.

Wealth, financial independence, retiring with dignity are synonymous

Retiring is not just about leaving the workforce; it is closely tied to achieving financial independence and building lasting wealth. Merida underlined that all three mean one and the same thing and, to achieve this, one must learn to transition from labor income to passive income.

“Translating income into wealth is the real challenge. If you don’t save, invest, or create a positive cash flow, you can’t build wealth. True financial independence comes from being intentional, not from earning a high salary alone,” Merida said.

Everything we do today is a function of what we expect in the future, he emphasized. “Unfortunately, many people still think of themselves as just employees, with no long-term vision. This mindset is ingrained from a young age. In the insurance industry, for instance, we often focus on short-term needs rather than long-term benefits. But life expectancy is increasing. People might live to 97. If you’re 35 today, your retirement decisions matter now. Leaders need to help their teams see beyond today and make informed, long-term decisions. We must create safer environments that support these shifts and foster better planning,” Merida said.

It is with this forward-thinking mindset that Retire Assure was created. It is not just about retirement. More importantly for today’s generation, it is about peace of mind. With rising costs of living, an unpredictable economy, and the pressure to support their family while planning for their own future, Gen Z needs something they can trust. This is what InLife, through Retire Assure, is all about.