A 48-year-old man with nearly RM1 million in Employees Provident Fund (EPF) savings has sparked discussion online after revealing that he is worried his retirement savings may not be enough to support his current lifestyle.
The story was shared on Threads by financial consultant Zahran, who said the man works as a head of department and earns about RM22,000 a month.
According to Zahran, the man owns a house, drives three SUVs, and is supporting five children studying at private universities.
A screenshot shared in the post showed that the man had RM931,775.02 in EPF savings as of March 1, 2026, with more than RM917,000 held in his Retirement Account.
Despite having close to RM1 million in retirement savings, the man reportedly said he was not worried about the amount itself.
“I’m not afraid that my EPF savings are insufficient. I’m afraid the money won’t be able to sustain my lifestyle after I retire,” he was quoted as saying.
The man explained that he expects to continue paying for expenses such as his housing loan, vehicles, parents’ living costs, children’s education, medical bills and travel with his wife after retirement.
Based on a rough estimate, Zahran calculated that the man would need nearly RM10,000 a month to maintain his current standard of living.
Even if his monthly expenses were reduced to RM8,000, his annual spending would still total RM96,000, excluding inflation, rising healthcare costs and any continued financial support for his children.
Zahran said the case highlights the importance of planning retirement based not only on how much money has been saved, but also on how long those savings are expected to last.
He also asked whether the man had considered the EPF Members Investment Scheme (i-Invest), which allows eligible members to invest part of their EPF savings.
According to Zahran, the objective was not merely to seek higher returns, but to explore additional retirement planning options.
However, he noted that investments made through i-Invest carry market risks, and returns are not guaranteed.
The post drew mixed reactions online, with several netizens cautioning against transferring EPF savings into unit trust investments after sharing their own experiences of investment losses.
Others argued that reducing monthly expenses after retirement would be a more practical solution than trying to maintain the same lifestyle, while some questioned whether a RM22,000 monthly salary could comfortably support three SUVs and five children attending private universities.
Several commenters also suggested that if the man continues contributing to EPF until the age of 60, his retirement savings could potentially grow to between RM2.5 million and RM3 million, depending on future contributions, withdrawals and annual dividend rates.
