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
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...]
Strange way of how CPF Interest is calculated & retirement planning
CPF has a rather strange way of calculating interest. In this article, I will explain how CPF interest is calculated and how you can make use of this knowledge to reduce the disadvantage of such a … [Read More...]
Examples of mis-selling an insurance
In this short article, I will show how insurance products are mis-sold to unsuspecting customers. This article also serves as an education short write-up for existing financial advisers because they … [Read More...]
Why private banking clients have no asset allocation skills?
A UBS survey among high networth individuals in Singapore and Hong Kong revealed interesting findings: 62% of investors admitted that they did not know how much to save for retirement Only 1% … [Read More...]
Why using ILPs for children’s education planning is a bad idea?
Many parents use ILP to save for children's education. I think this is a bad idea. This is why: The ILP salesman will market ILP on children's education like this: Life assured on the child. … [Read More...]
Only 36% believe they can retire comfortably, says DBS-Manulife Retirement Wellness Study
In a survey called the DBS-Manulife Retirement Wellness Study released on 5 January 2016, it was found that: 2 in 5 Singapore residents are not confident about their retirement preparations. 56 … [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...]
Tips in selecting a Universal Life
Stroll down to the end of this page if you are looking for the Universal Life Calculator I created. Universal Life products are often marketed to the high networth individuals. It appears to be … [Read More...]
High networth asking govt for help because of poor financial planning
There was a letter written to the Sunday Times on 19th February 2017 about a high networth (or at least behaving like one) who was so cash scrapped that she asked whether the government can help her. … [Read More...]
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...]
