Although CPF Life is compulsory, there are those who will not be automatically enrolled. If your age and CPF Retirement Account meets the following, you will automatically be enrolled to CPF Life. Otherwise, you stay at the Retirement Sum Scheme. What is the Retirement Sum Scheme? Under this scheme, the CPF Retirement Account will be drawndown on a monthy basis starting 65 (the minimum payout age) until up to 95 years old. Most people may be confused with the CPF Minimum Sum Scheme … [Read More...]
LATEST ARTICLE (SUBSCRIBE TO MY MAILING LIST TO AVOID MISSING THE LATEST)
How money is created through the reserve ratio and why it is important know?
Have you thought of how money is created? You need to understand the mechanism of how money is created because the supply of money has an influence over an economy. If there is large increase in money supply, it encourages economy activities but drives up inflation. If there is a decrease in money supply, it discourages economic activities but could push down prices of goods and running the risk of deflation. There are generally three ways which central banks control money supply: interest … [Read More...]
Featured articles
What is meant by utmost good faith (uberrima fides)?
When applying for insurance, the principal of utmost good faith applies. The Latin equivalent of 'utmost good faith' is uberrima fides. The principal of utmost good faith or Uberrima fides means … [Read More...]
Conservative Account (for existing clients only)
This is an announcement for existing clients. The Conservative Account is an investment that aims to provide a return of 2-4% per annum (inclusive of dividends) with low volatility. The Account … Read more
What we can learn from Warren Buffett? Part 4
This is a multi part article. For the previous article, you can read it here: What we can learn from Warren Buffett? Part 3. Do not get emotional Warren Buffett is not perfect. We can learn from his … [Read More...]
If an insurance company pays claims that are much less than the premium collected, does it mean the product is priced too expensive?
I saw this Facebook post the other day and I felt it is one of the most common misconception about insurance. The Eldershield is meant for old age but the pool is young and so the claims are low. … [Read More...]
Dimensional Funds are now available for retail investors
For those who are into index investing will know how frustrating it is to do so. Vanguard has decided only to make its index funds available to Accredited Investors. Those who prefer to invest in MAS … [Read More...]
What we can learn from Warren Buffett? Part 3
This is a multi part article. For the previous article, you can read here: What we can learn from Warren Buffett? Part 2. Treat the investment as a business Unlike many investors, Warren Buffett … [Read More...]
What we can learn from Warren Buffett? Part 2
This is a multiple part article. For the previous article, please refer to this article: What we can learn from Warren Buffett? Part 1 Having a diversified portfolio As at end of 2017, SEC 13F … [Read More...]
What we can learn from Warren Buffett? Part 1
BYD Co Ltd was listed on the Hong Kong exchange in 2002. It was one of China’s biggest rechargeable batteries maker. Berkshire Hathaway - the holding company which Warren Buffett is the largest … [Read More...]
Share Repurchase vs dividends
Many investors understand what dividends are. However, not many realized that there is another type of invisible dividends that is called the share repurchase. Both shares repurchase and dividends … [Read More...]
SingHealth breach: what does it mean to lose your data
By now everybody would have read in the news that 1.5 million SingHealth’s patients’ information were stolen. Singapore has a population of 5.79 million. So 26% of the population got their personal … [Read More...]
Why this company’s stock price plunged despite large profit announcement?
Q: Wilfred, Company X5 announced on 8th March 2018 that its full year results for 2017 was US$163 million in earnings. This was significantly larger than that in 2016 of only $6.7 million. However, … [Read More...]
featured articles
Here’s a video by a bank on how it anyhow sell Universal Life
One of my client sent me this webinar video on legacy planning. The first 11 minutes is educational and I generally agree with the speaker. So you can safely watch first 11 minutes without much harm. … [Read More...]
Case study on CPF Retirement Sum Topping-Up Scheme resource optimisation
One of the most time consuming task I have to do for comprehensive financial planning is often related to the allocation of limited resources. Under comprehensive financial planning, there are a … [Read More...]
Rental income may not be enough to service property loans, warns MAS
"In particular, before investing in property, investors should be aware that rising vacancy rates, declining rentals and impending interest rate increases mean that they may not always be able to rely … [Read More...]
Millions of dollars of retirees’ money lost in property scam
It was reported that $60 million worth of investors’ money was lost in a property ponzi scam right in Singapore ("Investors caught in $60m ponzi scam", Straits Times 24 May 2015). Ms Leong Lai Yee … [Read More...]
A whopping 65% of retirees’ saving will not last, says NTUC Income’s survey
It was reported that 65% of retirees feel that their savings will not last through retirement. This survey was conducted by Nielsen commissioned by NTUC Income. In addition, retirees say that one of … [Read More...]
6 ways to increase your investment returns
1: Asset allocation is critical The most important part of investment is to get the asset allocation right. This is because large proportion of the percent of return variation of a portfolio is … [Read More...]
FREE personalised retirement planning analysis report for those 40 & above
I created a new retirement planning tool for those who are 50 and above to help them plan for their retirement. This new tool is FREE. The tool is capable of generating automated preliminary … [Read More...]
Question on Investment Linked Policy charges (ILP charges)
Question: Wilfred, my financial adviser sold me a product called X and he told me that the insurance charges are constant throughout my entire life. My premium is $1,200 a year. However, I read in the … [Read More...]
3 common excuses to delay retirement planning
In the HSBC’s latest global report, Generations and journeys, a whopping 59% of retirees is using cash savings/ deposits to help them fund their retirement. There were other worrisome findings … [Read More...]
