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Is PNB MetLife Saral Pension Plan the solution for your financial worries about retirement?
Can the PNB MetLife Saral Pension Plan assure a guaranteed pension to enjoy your golden years stress-free?
Can the PNB MetLife Saral Pension Plan secure a steady income throughout your retirement?
This article delves into the intricacies of retirement planning by examining the PNB MetLife Saral Pension Plan. Let us delve into the plan’s features, benefits, drawbacks, and returns through an Internal Rate of Return (IRR) analysis.
Table of Contents:
What is the PNB MetLife Saral Pension Plan?
What are the features of the PNB MetLife Saral Pension Plan?
Who is eligible for the PNB MetLife Saral Pension Plan?
What are the annuity options and benefits of the PNB MetLife Saral Pension Plan?
Free Look period for PNB MetLife Saral Pension Plan
Surrendering PNB MetLife Saral Pension Plan
What are the advantages of the PNB MetLife Saral Pension Plan?
What are the disadvantages of the PNB MetLife Saral Pension Plan?
Research Methodology of PNB MetLife Saral Pension Plan
Benefit Illustration – IRR Analysis of PNB MetLife Saral Pension Plan
PNB MetLife Saral Pension Plan Vs. Other Investments
PNB MetLife Saral Pension Plan Vs. Fixed-Return Instruments
PNB MetLife Saral Pension Plan Vs. Inflation-adjusted Income
Final Verdict on PNB MetLife Saral Pension Plan
What is the PNB MetLife Saral Pension Plan?
PNB MetLife Saral Pension Plan is a Single Premium, Non-Linked Non-Participating Individual Immediate Annuity Plan. It helps you lead a comfortable life post-retirement with guaranteed income for a lifetime. PNB MetLife Saral Pension Plan also helps you leave a legacy behind in case of any unfortunate accident.
What are the features of the PNB MetLife Saral Pension Plan?
- Make a one-time payment and secure guaranteed income for life.
- Choose to receive annuity payments in monthly, quarterly, half-yearly, or yearly instalments.
- Ensure lifelong income for your spouse, even after you’re gone.
- Access liquidity upon the diagnosis of any of the 20 listed critical illnesses.
- Leave a legacy for your loved ones with a return of capital upon your passing.
Who is eligible for the PNB MetLife Saral Pension Plan?
| Minimum | Maximum | |
| Age at Entry | 40 years | 80 years |
| Annuity Amount | ₹ 1,000 per month, ₹ 3,000 per quarter, ₹ 6,000 per half year and ₹ 12,000 per year. | No limit |
| Purchase Price | An amount that will provide a minimum annuity payout as stated above | No limit |
| Annuity Payout Frequency | Yearly, Half-Yearly, Quarterly, Monthly | |
| Premium Payment Term (PPT) | Single pay | |
| Policy Term | Whole Life | |
What are the annuity options and benefits of the PNB MetLife Saral Pension Plan?
| Options | Option 1: Life Annuity with a Return of 100% of Purchase Price (ROP) | Option 2: Joint Life Last Survivor Annuity with Return of 100% of Purchase Price (ROP) on the death of the last survivor |
| Death Benefit | 100% of the Purchase price | On the first death of either of the Annuitants -100% of the Annuity shall continue On the death of the last survivor – Purchase Price shall be payable in lump sum |
| Survival Benefit | A fixed annuity throughout the lifetime | A fixed annuity till either of the annuitants is alive |
| Maturity Benefit | There is no maturity benefit | |
Free Look period for PNB MetLife Saral Pension Plan
If You have any objections to the terms and conditions of Your PNB MetLife Saral Pension Plan Policy, you may cancel the Policy within 30 days from the date of receipt of the Policy Document whether received electronically or otherwise.
Surrendering PNB MetLife Saral Pension Plan
You can surrender the PNB MetLife Saral Pension Plan policy any time after six months from the date of commencement of risk, if the Annuitant or the spouse or any of the children of the Annuitant is diagnosed as suffering from any of the 20 specified Critical Illnesses.
On approval of surrender, 95% of the Purchase Price shall be paid.
What are the advantages of the PNB MetLife Saral Pension Plan?
- You may take a loan against your PNB MetLife Saral Pension Plan policy any time after six months from the date of commencement of the policy.
- Hassle-free one-time investment which offers regular income.
What are the disadvantages of the PNB MetLife Saral Pension Plan?
- Annuity payments are fully taxable.
- The annuity is not adjusted for inflation.
- Limited annuity options to choose from.
Research Methodology of PNB MetLife Saral Pension Plan
The PNB MetLife Saral Pension Plus is a single-premium immediate annuity plan where you invest your retirement savings to receive a steady income.
While this may seem like a convenient option for senior citizens due to its guaranteed lifetime payouts, it’s important to assess the plan’s returns. Let’s calculate the Internal Rate of Return (IRR) based on the PNB MetLife Saral Pension Plan policy details.
Benefit Illustration – IRR Analysis of PNB MetLife Saral Pension Plan
A 60-year-old male purchases the PNB MetLife Saral Pension Plan with a one-time payment of ₹50 lakhs. He opts for Plan Option 1: Life Annuity with Return of 100% of Purchase Price (ROP), which provides him with an annual annuity of ₹2.86 lakhs.
Upon his death, the purchase price of ₹50 lakhs is returned to his nominee.
| Male | 60 years |
| Purchase Price | ₹ 50 Lakhs |
| Life Expectancy | 85 years |
| Annuity (per annum) | ₹ 2,86,040 |
| Age | Option 1: Life Annuity with a Return of 100% of Purchase Price (ROP) |
| 60 | -50,00,000 |
| 61 | 2,86,040 |
| 62 | 2,86,040 |
| 63 | 2,86,040 |
| 64 | 2,86,040 |
| 65 | 2,86,040 |
| 66 | 2,86,040 |
| 67 | 2,86,040 |
| 68 | 2,86,040 |
| 69 | 2,86,040 |
| 70 | 2,86,040 |
| 71 | 2,86,040 |
| 72 | 2,86,040 |
| 73 | 2,86,040 |
| 74 | 2,86,040 |
| 75 | 2,86,040 |
| 76 | 2,86,040 |
| 77 | 2,86,040 |
| 78 | 2,86,040 |
| 79 | 2,86,040 |
| 80 | 2,86,040 |
| 81 | 2,86,040 |
| 82 | 2,86,040 |
| 83 | 2,86,040 |
| 84 | 2,86,040 |
| 85 | 50,00,000 |
| IRR | 5.61% |
Assuming a life expectancy of 85 years, the IRR for this cash flow is 5.61% as per the PNB MetLife Saral Pension Plan maturity calculator. This return is below average.
Additionally, the annuity amount remains fixed throughout his lifetime, which may not be enough to keep pace with rising expenses and increasing healthcare costs. A step-up in income is essential during retirement to offset inflation.
Another limitation of the MetLife Saral Pension Plan is the restricted access to funds. The invested corpus cannot be accessed, except under certain conditions or upon death.
Given the low returns, fixed annuity without inflation protection, and limited fund access, the PNB MetLife Saral Pension Plan may not be a suitable choice for generating post-retirement income.
PNB MetLife Saral Pension Plan Vs. Other Investments
The PNB MetLife Saral Pension Plan may fall short of meeting your long-term post-retirement expenses. Since it impacts your cash flow, let’s explore better alternatives to invest your retirement corpus.
PNB MetLife Saral Pension Plan Vs. Fixed-Return Instruments
Fixed-return instruments provide a guaranteed regular income stream and serve as a viable alternative to annuity plans like the PNB MetLife Saral Pension Plan. Here are a few fixed-return options that offer higher returns:
- Senior Citizen Savings Scheme (SCSS) with an interest rate of 8.20%
- Bank Fixed Deposits (FDs) offering rates between 7% and 8%
- RBI Floating Rate Bonds with a rate of 8.05% (subject to fluctuation)
While SCSS and bank FDs provide fixed returns over their respective terms, the interest rate on RBI floating bonds can vary. However, none of these options fully address the need for inflation-adjusted income. To achieve that, it’s essential to diversify your portfolio between equity and debt.
PNB MetLife Saral Pension Plan Vs. Inflation-adjusted Income
Consider the following scenario for a better understanding. Using the same ₹50 lakh investment and annuity amount from the earlier example, we can compare it with a diversified strategy.
Assume a 60:40 split between equity and debt. ₹30 lakhs are invested in equity for long-term growth, while ₹20 lakhs are allocated to debt for regular income. Equity is assumed to generate a return of 12% per annum, and debt a return of 6% per annum.
| Age | Equity Portion | Shift from Equity to Debt | Debt Portion | ||||
| Opening Balance | Yearly withdrawal | Closing Balance | Opening Balance | Yearly withdrawal | Closing Balance | ||
| 61 | 30,00,000 | – | 33,60,000 | – | 20,00,000 | 2,86,040 | 18,16,798 |
| 62 | 33,60,000 | – | 37,63,200 | – | 18,16,798 | 2,86,040 | 16,22,603 |
| 63 | 37,63,200 | – | 42,14,784 | – | 16,22,603 | 2,86,040 | 14,16,757 |
| 64 | 42,14,784 | – | 47,20,558 | – | 14,16,757 | 2,86,040 | 11,98,560 |
| 65 | 47,20,558 | – | 52,87,025 | – | 11,98,560 | 2,86,040 | 9,67,271 |
| 66 | 52,87,025 | 15,00,000 | 42,41,468 | 15,00,000 | 24,67,271 | 3,03,202 | 22,93,913 |
| 67 | 42,41,468 | – | 47,50,444 | – | 22,93,913 | 3,03,202 | 21,10,153 |
| 68 | 47,50,444 | – | 53,20,498 | – | 21,10,153 | 3,03,202 | 19,15,368 |
| 69 | 53,20,498 | – | 59,58,957 | – | 19,15,368 | 3,03,202 | 17,08,895 |
| 70 | 59,58,957 | – | 66,74,032 | – | 17,08,895 | 3,03,202 | 14,90,034 |
| 71 | 66,74,032 | 66,74,032 | -0 | 66,74,032 | 81,64,066 | 3,21,395 | 83,13,232 |
| 72 | -0 | – | -0 | – | 83,13,232 | 3,21,395 | 84,71,348 |
| 73 | -0 | – | -0 | – | 84,71,348 | 3,21,395 | 86,38,951 |
| 74 | -0 | – | -0 | – | 86,38,951 | 3,21,395 | 88,16,609 |
| 75 | -0 | – | -0 | – | 88,16,609 | 3,21,395 | 90,04,928 |
| 76 | -0 | -0 | 0 | -0 | 90,04,928 | 3,40,678 | 91,84,104 |
| 77 | 0 | – | 0 | – | 91,84,104 | 3,40,678 | 93,74,032 |
| 78 | 0 | – | 0 | – | 93,74,032 | 3,40,678 | 95,75,355 |
| 79 | 0 | – | 0 | – | 95,75,355 | 3,40,678 | 97,88,757 |
| 80 | 97,88,757 | 3,40,678 | 1,00,14,964 | ||||
| 81 | 1,00,14,964 | 3,61,119 | 1,02,33,075 | ||||
| 82 | 1,02,33,075 | 3,61,119 | 1,04,64,274 | ||||
| 83 | 1,04,64,274 | 3,61,119 | 1,07,09,344 | ||||
| 84 | 1,07,09,344 | 3,61,119 | 1,09,69,119 | ||||
| 85 | 1,09,69,119 | 3,61,119 | 1,12,44,480 | ||||
Every five years, the debt portion is replenished from the equity allocation, and withdrawals are increased by 6% to account for inflation. The initial withdrawal amount is set at ₹2.86 lakhs, matching the PNB MetLife Saral Pension Plan.
At age 71, the entire equity portion is shifted to debt for greater stability. Even with this shift, the investment corpus outlasts you, leaving around ₹1 crore at age 85—double the purchase price of the PNB MetLife Saral Pension Plan.
The 60:40 ratio and the shift to debt at age 71 are for illustration purposes and can be adjusted based on your risk tolerance. This strategy not only provides inflation-adjusted income but also ensures your corpus lasts longer than in the annuity plan.
Final Verdict on PNB MetLife Saral Pension Plan
The PNB MetLife Saral Pension Plan provides a steady income that may feel sufficient in the early years of retirement. However, over time, inflation erodes the purchasing power of the annuity.
A robust retirement plan should not only cover rising day-to-day expenses but also be prepared for unexpected emergencies.
Unfortunately, with the PNB MetLife Saral Pension Plan, your funds are locked, limiting your ability to address such emergencies and it also has a high agent commission.
Maintaining your lifestyle and being able to handle contingencies are crucial during retirement. The PNB MetLife Saral Pension Plan falls short in adapting to changing financial needs, offering neither step-up income to combat inflation nor access to your corpus in times of need.
While other fixed-return instruments offer better returns than annuities and can serve as reliable sources of regular income, they also lack inflation protection. To achieve inflation-adjusted income, incorporating equity into your investment portfolio is a smart move.
A diversified portfolio enables you to receive increasing income over time while preserving your corpus for the long term, and potentially for future generations.
Annuity or pension plans offer a one-size-fits-all approach to retirement, but retirement planning should be personalized.
When it comes to financial advice, are Quora, Facebook, and Twitter the final word?
To craft a retirement plan tailored to your unique needs, it’s advisable to consult a Certified Financial Planner. Their expertise can help guide you in developing a customized plan that meets your financial goals and secures your future.
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