National Bonds: Retirement planning remains top financial goal
DUBAI: National Bonds, the UAE's leading Sharia-compliant savings and investment company, has released the results of its annual survey aimed at highlighting savers' financial aspirations, revealing that retirement planning remains the top financial priority for the second consecutive year.
Increasing savings and setting aside funds for high-value purchases such as a home or a car also ranked high among respondents, highlighting the growing awareness of the importance of early financial planning and disciplined smart saving strategies.
According to the survey, 40% of respondents reported being on track to meeting their 2024 financial goals, while 45% stated they had partially achieved their targets. Confidence levels regarding financial plans for 2025 varied, with 36% expressing complete confidence in reaching their financial aspirations. Meanwhile, younger generations are demonstrating increasing financial awareness, with 40% of Generation Z and 36% of Millennials expressing confidence in reaching their financial goals, compared to 32% of Generation X.
Findings also show that 42% of males reported being on track to achieving their financial goals compared to 33% of females, women showed a stronger inclination to seek professional financial advice, with 78% open to financial guidance or use financial planning tools compared to 76% of men. Despite this both groups prioritized increasing their savings and planning for retirement as key financial goals.
Furthermore, 94% of Emiratis were more inclined to consult financial advisors or use financial planning tools compared to 77% of expatriates. The survey also sheds light on the key challenges that individuals face in achieving their financial goals, with the rising cost of living and unexpected expenses cited as the primary obstacles.
Rehab Lootah, Group Deputy CEO of National Bonds, emphasised, 'The results of this year's survey reflect a growing commitment among individuals to achieving financial stability, particularly in retirement planning. This aligns with National Bonds' mission to empower the community by offering innovative financial solutions that help customers turn their aspirations into reality, such as 'Second Salary' savings plan designed to help UAE nationals and expatriates build a supplementary retirement income, while 'My One Million' enable individuals to accelerate their journey toward AED 1 million in savings and cumulative profits.'
She added, 'At National Bonds, we remain dedicated to fostering a strong savings culture in the UAE by providing tailored solutions that support individuals at every stage of their financial journey. In line with survey findings, we are excited to soon launch a free financial advisory service, ensuring expert guidance is accessible to anyone seeking to strengthen their financial future.'
National Bonds continues to reward savers through its exclusive rewards programme, featuring an annual prize pool of AED36 million. The programme includes quarterly draws totalling AED8 million awarded to eight lucky UAE national and resident savers, 16 luxury cars, and a range of other exciting incentives designed to encourage consistent saving and financial discipline.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al Etihad
5 hours ago
- Al Etihad
UAE participates in ‘BRICS Youth Summit' in Federative Republic of Brazil
11 June 2025 23:05 DUBAI (WAM)The United Arab Emirates participated in the 'BRICS Youth Summit' hosted by the Federative Republic of Brazil, alongside delegations from member states and partner countries from the Global South. The summit aimed to discuss ways to enhance the role of youth in achieving sustainable development and contributing to global UAE delegation was led by Khaled Al Nuaimi, Director of the Federal Youth Authority, and comprised a group of distinguished young Emiratis. This participation underscores the country's commitment to empowering youth and enhancing their presence in international forums. The delegation included representatives from key sectors aligned with BRICS' future priorities, as well as members of the BRICS Youth Council, showcasing the leadership of Emirati youth in shaping a more integrated and inclusive on the nation's participation, Khaled Al Nuaimi said, 'The UAE has always embraced the directives of its leadership, maintaining a steadfast commitment to empowering youth and supporting their active participation in global development. This reflects our firm belief that youth are the key drivers of change, empowered by developing skills, engaging in national and international policymaking, and strengthening their presence on influential Nuaimi added, 'Our participation in the 'BRICS Youth Summit' is an exceptional opportunity to strengthen cooperation among the youth of the Global South. It aims to enhance their political awareness and support leadership initiatives, encouraging them to innovate and engage in entrepreneurship. We are especially encouraging youth's role in developing the green economy and digital technologies, enabling their contribution to comprehensive development and a more sustainable future for communities worldwide.'The Summit addressed several key topics, including: Youth Integration within the Global South; Political and Organisational challenges; Youth Employment and Joint Development; Education, Science, Technology and Innovation as drivers of National Development; as well as Sovereignty, Social Justice, Environmental Preservation, Peace and the right of Nations to Shape a Shared Future. The UAE's participation in the summit reflects its commitment to enhancing international cooperation on youth issues, emphasising youth's pivotal role in building a more balanced and progressive world. It also highlights the UAE's dedication to supporting dialogue platforms for youth and expanding global partnerships, to open new horizons for innovation and sustainable development.
Fintech News ME
17 hours ago
- Fintech News ME
Switzerland's Leonteq Partners with Emirates Islamic on Shari'a-Compliant Structured Products
Leonteq, a Zurich-based fintech company, announced today the formation of a partnership with Emirates Islamic, a financial institution in the UAE, to manufacture and distribute Shari'a-compliant structured products. The collaboration builds on Leonteq's strategic move into the Gulf region. In 2022, the firm introduced a Shari'a-compliant trust certificate issuance programme through IBDAA Certificate Issuer (IBDAA), a dedicated Islamic issuance vehicle. Amanie Advisors, a recognised Shari'a advisory firm, has been engaged by Leonteq to provide guidance on the Shari'a aspects of the programme and subsequent initiatives involving IBDAA. Under this partnership, Emirates Islamic will co-develop certain trust certificates issued by IBDAA and offer these products through its distribution network. Leonteq will support the initiative by providing a full range of services, including issuance arrangements, Shari'a-compliant hedging, and lifecycle management. This collaboration marks a notable development in the Islamic structured product space, bringing together Leonteq's capabilities in investment solutions, structuring, and technology with Emirates Islamic's market presence, credit standing (rated A+ by Fitch), and reach in the UAE wealth management sector. Clients of Emirates Islamic will gain access to investment solutions that were previously limited in availability or scale. These products will be issued via IBDAA, which is among the first Islamic issuance entities able to offer a broad range of payoff structures across various asset classes, supported by automation and flexible investment thresholds. Christian Spieler, CEO of Leonteq, commented: 'We are proud to partner with Emirates Islamic, a top tier institution in the Middle East. This collaboration will allow clients of Emirates Islamic to benefit from Leonteq's longstanding expertise in white-labelling solutions and marks a milestone for Leonteq's growth ambitions in the Middle East.' Farid AlMulla, CEO of Emirates Islamic, said: 'We have always endeavoured to offer Islamic solutions that make a difference in the lives of our customers and beyond. This new partnership will enable our clients, in particular, to benefit from an even bigger product universe that further enhances their investment choices and access to global markets.' Emirates Islamic, a member of the Emirates NBD Group, was established in 2004. It offers a wide range of Shari'a-compliant retail, business, and corporate banking services through a network of 40 branches across the UAE.
Sharjah 24
a day ago
- Sharjah 24
Sharjah Islamic Bank organises open day to recruit citizens
Enhancing the presence of national talents This step is part of the bank's plan to strengthen the presence of national talents in the banking sector within a flexible and growth-oriented work environment. Employment open day Fadila Al Marzouqi, Head of Human Resources at Sharjah Islamic Bank, announced that the bank will organize an open employment day this coming Sunday at the Emirates Financial Institute in Sharjah, aimed at attracting citizens from universities and colleges who seek practical experience and wish to build promising careers in the banking sector. Providing a flexible work environment Al Marzouqi added that the launch of the second phase of the initiative follows the success of the first phase and reflects the bank's commitment to expanding job empowerment opportunities for young Emiratis by providing a flexible work environment that meets their educational needs and supports their professional aspirations. Four-Hour workdays The opportunities offered include hiring a group of citizens for four-hour workdays in various roles such as customer service, call centers, and administrative positions. Applicants must hold at least a university degree or high school diploma. The initiative features a flexible work system that combines on-site and remote work, including initial training at one of the bank's branches to ensure participants are prepared and aligned with the work environment from day one. Supporting localisation efforts This initiative reflects Sharjah Islamic Bank's vision in supporting localization efforts by providing flexible job opportunities that align with youth aspirations and enhance the presence of Emirati talents in the banking sector, which is one of the key sectors supporting economic growth in the country. Aligning with "Nafis" goals This step also aligns with the objectives of the "Nafis" programme, which aims to increase employment rates among citizens in the private sector and qualify them for quality jobs that meet market demands and keep pace with its developments.
