Kisah Sebenar Orang Berhutang 1

Suara Imran kedengaran di hujung corong telefon. "Kamarul, esok result keluar. Kalau ada yang sangkut, habislah aku, extend 6 bulan lagilah." Nafas Kamarul seakan tersekat-tersekat apabila mendengar kata-kata Imran tadi.

Kamarul berdebar-debar, dia sudah tidak sanggup lagi burning the midnight oil. Apabila keputusan keluar pada keesokan harinya, ia benar-benar bermakna bagi Kamarul.

"Alhamdulillah, aku lulus." Bagaikan arus sejuk singgah di kepalanya, dengan kelulusan itu Kamarul dianugerahkan Ijazah Sarjana Muda dengan Kepujian. Sejak hari itu, berpuluh-puluh permohonan kerja resume dihantar ke syarikat-syarikat besar. Akhirnya dia mendapat kerja di syarikat di Petaling Jaya, sebagai eksekutif dengan gaji RM1,500.

Disebabkan tiada pengangkutan awam ke tempat kerja dari rumahnya, Kamarul membuat keputusan membeli sebuah motosikal yang berharga RM 3,500. Dia kekurangan wang lalu ingin meminjam daripada ibunya sebagai wang pendahuluan dan membayar bakinya dengan ansuran bulanan sebanyak RM200 selama 3 tahun.

Ibunya memberikan RM3,500 kepadanya supaya membeli motor itu secara tunai. Apabila ada masa terluang pada hujung minggu, Kamarul pergi ke pusat membeli-belah bagi bermain boling dan menonton filem.

Pada suatu hari dia diperkenalkan dengan kad kredit, selepas diberitahu dia tidak perlu membayar satu sen pun bagi memilikinya. Tanpa berlengah-lengah lagi, Kamarul pun bersetuju. "Encik boleh faks satu salinan borang EA (borang pendapatan). " Lebih kurang dua minggu kemudian, kad kredit itu sampai dan dia pergi ke bank bagi mendapatkan nombor PIN kad itu.

Tips: Periksa rekod perbelanjaan untuk tempoh 12 bulan. Setahun adalah jangka masa yang tepat untuk melihat apa yang berlaku.

Sejak hari itu, kad itu tersimpan kemas tidak terusik di dalam dompetnya. Kini hampir setahun ia tersimpan di dalam dompet tanpa menggunakannya. Genap setahun bekerja di Syarikat ABC, Kamarul membeli sebuah kereta. Dia sudah tidak tahan dengan kepanasan cuaca dan terpaksa berteduh di bawah jambatan setiap kali hujan lebat.

Harga kereta : RM 53,000 Wang Pendahuluan: RM 1,500 Tempoh : 9 Tahun (108 bulan) Ansuran : RM 624 Sejak memandu kereta, Kamarul mula menggunakan kad kredit bagi mengisi minyak keretanya. Sekiranya dahulu, dia membayar tunai kerana RM5 cukup bagi satu tangki minyak motornya, tetapi sekarang RM50 pun belum penuh satu tangki keretanya.

Kamarul membayar minyak petrol keretanya menggunakan kad kredit dan menjelaskan bilnya apabila mendapat gaji pada hujung bulan. Pernah sekali kad kreditnya tidak dapat digunakan. Selepas kejadian itu, dia memohon satu lagi kad kredit dari bank yang lain.

Sekiranya salah satu kad kreditnya rosak ataupun tidak diterima, dia masih ada satu lagi kad kredit yang dapat digunakan.

Seperti biasa, setiap tahun, gajinya akan naik di antara 5 - 9%. Kini gajinya RM 2,750. "Alhamdulillah dengan umur 26 tahun, aku sudah mendapat gaji sebesar ini." Hatinya benar-benar puas. Jodoh, rezeki, ajal dan maut di tangan Tuhan. Apabila sampai waktunya, semua remaja akan bersatu termasuklah Kamarul. Dia bertunang dengan Balqis dengan menetapkan hantaran kahwin sebanyak RM6,666.

Semasa dalam pertunangan, Kamarul membuat satu pinjaman peribadi bagi urusan perkahwinannya. "Alhamdulillah, pinjaman aku lulus." Kamarul merasa gembira pinjaman peribadi sebanyak RM 15,000 dari sebuah bank tempatan diluluskan. Dia memerlukan duit yang banyak bagi menampung kos hantaran dan majlis perkahwinannya yang akan diadakan secara sederhana.

Tips: Kirakan jumlah perbelanjaan anda dalam sebulan, kirakan dengan semua bil yang perlu anda bayar dalam sebulan.

Bersambung dalam artikel Kisah Sebenar Orang Berhutang 2

There's making it big

There's making it big. Then there's making the Forbes 400. From Bill Gates and Warren Buffett to Steve Jobs and Nike's Phil Knight, our annual list of the richest people in America is home to icons of technology, investing and industry, with a entry level of $1 billion to make it on the list. It's an elite group, but it's hardly permanent.

Thanks to death and declining fortune, this year 34 members of the 2009 edition were off the list. And over time business cycles and the radical reshaping of the economy lead to even more tectonic shifts. In 1982 the total net worth of the Forbes 400 was $127 billion, with energy fortunes representing 21.6% of the total. This year the total net worth of the list was $1.4 trillion, and finance and investments led the way, responsible for 25.5%.

So who's waiting in the wings? Based on our research, we see 15 people as likely candidates to breach the billion-dollar barrier in the coming years. Call it the Forbes 400 Farm Team. On it are some of the biggest names in entertainment, sports' most branded athletes and businessmen on the brink of making it very big. This elite group of tech moguls, hedge-funders, athletes and entertainers is hovering under billionaire status with a strong chance of breaking into the Forbes 400 ranks this decade, including some well-known names such as Jay-Z, Jerry Seinfeld, Tiger Woods and James Cameron.

Jerry Seinfeld, with an estimated net worth of $800 million, is a very likely bet. His TV show about nothing has earned $2.7 billion in 12 years and could take in $200 million more a year, thanks to syndication payments. Seinfeld has spent some of his portion buying up New York real estate and has a four-car garage (in Manhattan!) for his fleet of vintage motors. The cash-rich star may need another hit: The Marriage Ref wasn't it.

Another likely candidate is producer Jerry Bruckheimer, worth $850 million. The Hollywood producer's blockbuster franchises, like Pirates of the Caribbean and National Treasure, have generated $9 billion at the global box office, with more to come. TV hits include the CSI franchise, Without a Trace and Amazing Race. Director James Cameron moved a lot closer with the release of Avatar, which earned $2.7 billion at the box office and is the bestselling Blu-ray disc of all time. His older films, including Titanic, have earned a combined $3 billion. We estimate his current net worth at $650 million.

[See The Millionaire's Retirement Plan]

With $450 million and a career trajectory aimed right at the sky, we expect Jay-Z could make the list one day as well. Jay-Z has elevated hip-hop to rock arenas, packing ballparks with Eminem this summer. If he keeps selling out monster shows, money will rain down on all his ventures: the Roc Nation label, a back catalog (ownership reverts to him in 2014), Rocawear clothing royalties, a stake in the New Jersey Nets. He'll score nicely if a suitor buys Carol's Daughter, a hot beauty care line backed by Jay-Z and other celebs. He and wife Beyonce Knowles may already be music's first billion-dollar couple.

From sports we see two very familiar names: Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan, each worth $500 million, as likely list members one day soon. Jordan, the former Chicago Bulls wonder, earned $90 million in salary during his playing career. Most of his fortune now derives from endorsement deals with his biggest sponsor, Nike ( NKE - News); he raised his stake in the NBA's Charlotte Bobcats to 80% this year.

Woods' fortune took a beating his year. His agents, the tax man and recently divorced wife Elin Nordegren have all gotten pieces of his $130 million in career prize money and $900 million in revenue from endorsements, appearance fees and golf course design business since 1996. But he will make it to 10 figures if he starts winning again and sponsors return.

The fastest-rising member of this year's 400 was 26-year-old Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, who's net worth sprung from $2 billion last year to $6.9 billion this year. Other social media mavens will likely follow his path in the years ahead. Sean Parker, cofounder of Napster ( NAPS - News) and Plaxo, was the Silicon Valley veteran who joined Facebook in 2004 as its founding president and helped it navigate initial funding. He left in 2005 for venture capital but still has a 4% stake, pushing his net worth to $920 million.

Right behind him at $850 million is Mark Pincus, the love-him-or-hate-him leader of Internet's most popular gaming site, Zynga, named for his late bulldog. Pincus' fourth startup, it grosses some $500 million from virtual goods and promotions with 7-Eleven, Target ( TGT - News) and MTV. "FarmVille," "FrontierVille" and "Zynga Poker" are its most popular games, and it's worth an estimated $5 billion right now.

Then there's Reid Hoffman. A former executive at Apple ( AAPL - News) and PayPal, Hoffman cofounded LinkedIn in 2003; networking site started making money three years later and now has 75 million users; about half its members are outside the U.S. Tiger Global Management bought 1% of the firm in July, valuing it at $2 billion. Hoffman's estimated worth: $340 million.

SEAN PARKER

©Ralph Orlowski/Getty Images for Burda Media

Facebook

Estimated net worth: $920 million

Cofounder of Napster and Plaxo, Parker was the Silicon Valley veteran who joined Facebook in 2004 as its founding president and helped it navigate initial funding. He left in 2005 for venture capital but still has a 4% stake. Justin Timberlake plays Parker in the upcoming film "The Social Network."

MARK PINCUS

©ZUMA Press/Newscom

Zynga

Estimated net worth: $850 million

Love-him-or-hate-him leader of Internet's most popular gaming site, Zynga, named for his late bulldog. Pincus' fourth startup, it grosses some $500 million from virtual goods and promotions with 7-Eleven, Target, MTV. "FarmVille," "FrontierVille" and "Zynga Poker" are its most popular games.

JERRY BRUCKHEIMER

©Phil McCarten/UPI/Newscom

Movies, TV

Estimated net worth: $850 million

The Hollywood producer's blockbuster franchises, like "Pirates of the Caribbean" and "National Treasure", have generated $9 billion at the global box office, with more to come. TV hits include the "CSI" franchise, "Without a Trace" and "Amazing Race."

JERRY SEINFELD

©Carlo Allegri/Reuters

Television

Estimated net worth: $800 million

His TV show about nothing has earned $2.7 billion in 12 years and could take in $200 million more a year, thanks to syndication payments. Seinfeld has spent some of his portion buying up New York real estate and has a four-car garage (in Manhattan!) for his fleet of vintage motors. The cash-rich star may need another hit: "The Marriage Ref" wasn't it.

ERIC LEFKOFSKY

Groupon

Estimated net worth: $750 million

Chicago investor is cofounder and 30% owner of the fastest-growing company ever, Web phenom Groupon, which updates its online audience about deep discounts on products and services. His venture fund, Lightbank, has stakes in 11 companies, including two now public ones: Innerworkings and Echo Global Logistics. As for being outed as an almost-billionaire: "It's a good thing and a bad thing."

WILLIAM ACKMAN

©Allen Fredrickson/Reuters

Hedge Fund

Estimated net worth: $700 million

Ackman may get control of Manhattan's giant apartment complex Stuyvesant Town-Peter Cooper Village. His Pershing Square Capital Management, with a partner, picked up $300 million of its junior debt and launched a foreclosure proceeding, but they may get beaten out by more senior creditors. A judge is set to rule soon. Whatever happens, the hedge fund tycoon has raised his profile.

DENNIS GILLINGS

©Dibyangshu Sarkar/AFP/Getty Images

Quintiles

Estimated net worth: $700 million

Gillings founded privately held Quintiles, to which the drug industry outsources clinical trials. With $2.8 billion in annual revenue, it is the largest and most influential company in its field.

RAY R. IRANI

©Joe Pugliese

Occidental Petroleum

Estimated net worth: $700 million

Angrier shareholders will cheer when Irani, the third-highest-paid U.S. CEO of the past decade, sets a future retirement date this fall. He'll still get paid like a prince for years. Irani's $600 million in Oxy shares could benefit from a potential 1-billion-barrel find near Bakersfield, Calif., and high oil prices.

The Millionaire's Retirement Plan

Jika anda baru saja memasuki dunia kerja, bersara mungkin tampaknya seperti seumur hidup jauh. Satu juta dolar dengan bersara? Itulah mimpi orang lain, kan? Tidak harus. Ini adalah rancangan bersara miliuner. Untuk perhitungan ini, menganggap pulangan tahunan rata-rata 8%, disesuaikan dengan inflasi sebanyak 3% - sebuah anggaran yang wajar dari imbal hasil dari pasaran rata-rata.

Umur 25: Sebuah Awal yang Baik
Kau 25 dan mendarat yang pekerjaan pertama di tangga kerjaya anda - selamat! Sebelum anda memulakan hidup dengan standard gaji yang baru anda tabungan anggaran, bersara anda. Jika anda mempunyai 401 (k) rencana yang berpadanan dengan sumbangan anda, gunakan! Dolar ini sesuai seperti jaminan pulangan atas pelaburan. Jika anda tidak mempunyai 401 pencocokan (k), mencari reksa dana melalui syarikat pelaburan dengan kos rendah, banyak sekarang menawarkan target dana yang memperuntukkan risiko pelaburan anda dengan tahun bersara yang disasarkan dalam fikiran - yang besar bagi seorang pelabur awal .
Pilih Roth IRA jika anda boleh, anda tidak boleh memotong sumbangan anda dari cukai anda, tetapi anda akan menikmati pengeluaran cukai percuma di 65. Rancangkan untuk bermula dengan menjimatkan sekitar $ 200 per bulan untuk mencapai matlamat jutawan anda, peningkatan jumlah ini bulanan dengan $ 10 setiap tahun sebagai anda mendapatkan kenaikan gaji atau promosi hanya akan mempercepatkan tabungan anda.
Umur 35: Rolling Seiring
Sekarang anda telah menyimpan sekitar $ 45.000 dan anda sudah dewasa dalam kerjaya anda dengan gaji yang lebih besar, tetapi sering, komitmen keluarga seperti anak-anak dan hipotek akan tampak lebih mendesak dari tabungan selama bertahun-tahun emas anda. Jangan membuat kesalahan dengan melambatkan tabungan pensiun anda. Sekarang, anda perlu jalan Facebook sumbangan anda untuk sekitar $ 400 per bulan - ingat bahawa pencocokan 401 (k) akan membantu anda dalam mencapai jumlah ini.
Jika anda mempunyai anak-anak dan bimbang tentang menabung untuk kuliah mereka, melihat cara ini: cara terbaik untuk membantu mereka di masa depan adalah dengan memastikan anda kewangan suara di bersara. Membuat menabung untuk bersara keutamaan.
Umur 45: Holding Steady
Kau pertengahan kerjaya, dan hal-hal yang terlihat baik dalam portfolio bersara anda. tabungan anda telah berkembang menjadi sekitar $ 160.000 - tidak jelek, tetapi masih tidak cukup masa untuk melambatkan. Meningkatkan sumbangan bersara anda untuk sekitar $ 450 per bulan atau lebih, dan anda akan bergulir jalan untuk status jutawan dengan 65.
Umur 55: Dekat dengan Finish Line
Pada usia 55, portfolio bersara anda harus berada di $ 400,000 atau lebih. Anda boleh mula melihat garis finish, tapi mulai bertanya-tanya mengenai risiko. Jika anda telah melabur dalam dana target, portfolio anda telah menyesuaikan peruntukan untuk anda, jika tidak, lihatlah menyesuaikan beberapa pelaburan anda untuk mencerminkan toleransi risiko yang rendah. Dan ingat: pendapatan anda, katakanlah, umur 70 tidak akan dicabut selama 15 tahun - banyak masa untuk naik turun naik pasaran.
Pada usia 55, berharap untuk benar-benar menaikkan yuran bersara anda, untuk sekitar $ 600 per bulan, dan banyak lagi jika anda boleh mengelolanya. Semakin banyak yang anda simpan, semakin cepat anda boleh meninggalkan sembilan-ke-lima belakang.
Umur 65: Pengurusan Aset Prudent
Anda berada di garis finish: seorang jutawan di 65! Kerana anda tidak mempunyai cara untuk menambah tabungan anda sekarang bahawa anda keluar dari tempat kerja, pengurusan aset bijaksana sangat penting. Simpan menutup mata pada portfolio anda sehingga anda boleh membuat sarang telur kali terakhir anda. Melindungi diri terhadap inflasi dan risiko pasaran, dan anda akan menikmati tahun emas anda tanpa bimbang kewangan.
The Bottom Line
Dengan tabungan yang mantap dan kebiasaan kewangan yang cerdas, anda boleh bersara jutawan - mungkin bahkan sebelum anda 65.