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
Up to 70% of financial advisers’ recommendations were unsuitable, says MAS mystery shoppers survey
MAS commissioned an external consultant to conduct a mystery shopping exercise in 2012 to determine the quality of advice given out by financial advisers[1]. The MAS mystery shoppers' statistics were … [Read More...]
(Another) 4 reasons why Singaporeans and you cannot retire
There was a report that an aircraft technician was worried that he may be force to retire when he turns 65 years old this Saturday. This is because the re-employment age ceiling will increase from 65 … [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...]
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...]
Dividend Yield Play turn out to be a disaster (as usual, nothing new under the sun)
Today’s Sunday Times talk about Business investment trust in which it was found to be attractive to investors looking for dividends. I am always very fascinated by the idea of high dividend yield … [Read More...]
MAS gives examples of illegal sales tactics for the Balance Scorecard
In 2015, there will be new laws governing the conduct of financial advisers in Singapore. Despite large number of laws governing the manner which financial advisers must act, majority of these laws … [Read More...]
Widespread financial illiteracy on retirement planning, says CPF Advisory Panel
It was reported that Singaporeans are suffering from the lack of financial literacy. The problem is actually widespread despite Singapore scoring tops in mathematics. “There is a difference between … [Read More...]
3 Reasons Singaporeans Cannot Retire
Do you know that a survey shows that Singaporeans comes up number one in financial literacy? The strange thing is that in the same survey, it was found Singaporeans failed in retirement … [Read More...]
Life Expectancy and the Importance of Retirement Planning
We have heard in the news that life expectancy is rising. But how much is it rising and what is the impact to retirement planning? I downloaded the statistic from Singapore Department of Statistics … [Read More...]
