The Problem I Set Out to Solve
Most expats are doing the right things. They earn well, they save, they invest something. But when you ask them whether they are on track to retire before sixty, they cannot give you a confident answer. Not because they are not trying. Because nobody has ever sat down with them and shown them their actual numbers.
That gap is what Free Before Sixty exists to close.
Why I Do This
I moved to Dubai in 2015 as a new expat. Like most people starting out abroad, I thought earning in a stronger currency was enough. It wasn't.
In my first year, I got scammed. I bought financial products I didn't need. I put money into investments that didn't fit my situation.
Then a family medical emergency hit. There were no savings in place. No insurance. I had to sell my investments at a loss and drain what little I had saved. That was the wake-up call.
In 2018, I joined the financial services industry here in the UAE as an independent financial advisor, selling insurance and regular savings plans. I thought I was helping people. By 2020, at the height of the pandemic, I realised I wasn't. Products were sold under the banner of guidance. Commissions shaped recommendations. The client's actual retirement outcome was rarely the starting point. That is how the industry is structured.
So I left. I decided to build something different. No products. No commissions. No hidden agenda. Just coaching built entirely around your goals, your numbers, and your life.
That is why I do this. So no one has to go through what I went through to figure it out.
Where I Am Now
I have since been recognised by the UAE Securities and Commodities Authority as a Registered Financial Influencer (#79), been featured in Gulf News, The National, Dubai Eye 103.8, and Esquire, and spoken at the Philippine Congress on a national policy affecting Filipinos living abroad. I host the Pera and Purpose Podcast, which teaches people how to use money as a tool to live a meaningful life.
My coaching practice takes on a maximum of four clients per month so that every engagement gets the depth it deserves.
What I Actually Do
I work with expats. Professionals, families, and couples living and working abroad who want to retire before sixty and need a clear, structured plan to get there.
Over 90 days, we build that plan together. We look at where you are today, define what retirement actually looks like for you, structure your investments for your specific goals, and give you the framework to make confident financial decisions for the rest of your life.
I do not sell you anything. I am paid for working with you toward the outcome you want, not for any product you buy. That is how it should work.
Credentials and Registration
Jay Adrian Tolentino is a financial coach and educator. He holds the following credentials and registrations:
- Award in Financial Planning, Chartered Insurance Institute (CII)
- Award in Investment Planning, Chartered Insurance Institute (CII)
- Certified Financial Education Instructor (CFEI), National Financial Educators Council
- Registered Financial Planner (RFP), RFP Philippines
- Registered Financial Influencer (#79), UAE Securities and Commodities Authority
He is not a licensed financial advisor, portfolio manager, stockbroker, or insurance agent in any jurisdiction. All coaching and content is educational in nature. Clients are always encouraged to work with licensed professionals in their specific jurisdiction for regulated financial advice.
Free Before Sixty Coaching FZE LLC is registered in the Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone, United Arab Emirates (License No. 4426245.01).