Five questions · about a minute
A savings or endowment policy has matured, or is about to, and a sum has landed in your account. There is no rush and no single right answer — but the decision gets easier once you are clear on three things: when you might need the money, what it is actually for, and how much movement in value you can live with. These five questions walk through exactly that. Nothing is stored, nothing is sent, and you are not asked for your details.
When you might need it. Money needed within a couple of years is a different problem from money you will not touch for ten. Most regret comes from committing funds for longer than the plan for them actually allowed.
What it is for. A sum earmarked for a parent’s care behaves differently from one meant to top up income later, or one with no job at all yet. Naming the job narrows the options quickly.
How much movement you can live with. Not a theoretical score out of ten — what you would actually do if the value fell for a year. Answering that honestly rules more things out than any product comparison.
Do I have to decide straight away? No. Matured funds sitting in a bank account for a few weeks while you think is a perfectly reasonable choice. The cost of waiting a month is small; the cost of committing to the wrong horizon can last years.
Should I just leave it in the bank? Sometimes that is the right answer, particularly for money you may need soon. The real question is whether all of it needs to be that liquid, or only part of it.
What happens after the five questions? You get a short summary of what your answers suggest about timeline, purpose and risk. It is a way to organise your own thinking — not a recommendation, and not a suggestion to buy anything.
This page and the questions above are general information to help you organise your own thinking. They do not take account of your particular circumstances and are not financial advice or a recommendation of any product. For advice on your own situation, please speak to a licensed financial adviser representative.