Posts
An email from a very regular reader:
Saw your post on CPF balance.
Aiyoh, people so sour grape to say you how lian.
But nevermind, I support you to be how lian, k?
SMOL's comments soooo hilarious. Really made my day! ROFL.
Honestly, OA savings aside, I think growing the SA is quite achievable.
In Jan 2008, I only had $17,084 in my SA, accumulated through the course of my active employment.
Was contemplating to do the transfer earlier but decided to keep the money in OA for investments.
I first transferred some funds from OA to SA in 2009 and by end 2009, I had $52,893 in SA after earning $1670 interest for the year.
In 2010 I didn’t do anything cos I resigned from XXX and took 6 months sabbatical to finish my Masters.
No income, so nothing much to transfer. :P
Then I resumed the transfer in 2011 to 2013 till I met the prevailing CPF ceiling.
My CPF-SA now stands at $182,213.73 after earning $7,474 of interest last year.
This year there will be more contributions accumulated since the ceiling has been raised to $6K. Happy!
So, don't say it cannot be done.
Never try, why say cannot?
Don't sour grapes.
Grapes can be sweet.
I know because I am eating sweet ones now.
Related posts:
1. AK is showing off his CPF numbers.
2. 2016 changes to the CPF and SRS.
Bloggy Award
15 comments:
ak,
things are born to shine, not just human, everything!
but the biggest of all are the stars, cos they are massive (in size).
please continue to how lian!
AK,
As a failed financial blogger, it's good to know I can provide some comic relief for the community :)
I may be a man-whore; but I'm not a freeloader!
Evangelism is not about knocking at doors and pissing people off by telling them if you don't believe you go straight to hell...
Sometimes all we need is just be ourselves.
Those curious why we so happy will come knocking at our doors:
"How come you can be so happy all the time? Can you share with me the secret of your happiness?"
You're a bleeding heart so you'll probably do it for free. Spoil market $#@@%^*(^$@!
Me?
I'll start with:
"I'm thirsty."
Can be done. My SA stands at $170k. Think I should hit $240k++ when I reach 55. I did not give any additional contribution out of pocket. Happy they increased ceiling to 6k and increased the contribution rates for those 50-55. Sad that after 55 the contribution rates goes down. :-(
Ya continue to show the number. Wait g increase e min sum in sa further n lock it until 70 age.
Hi coconut,
That is so poetic. Thank you for the encouragement. :)
Hi SMOL,
Not I say one. This blog post is really a re-production of an email from our fellow archer of the fairer sex. ;)
Hi Siew Mun,
You are another inspirational story and I hope to publish your guest blog in ASSI one day. hint, hint... ;)
Hi tong,
Singapore is not into welfarism and there is no state funded pension scheme. The CPF is about helping the government to help ourselves. I hope that many more people would see it this way in time to come.
The government may increase the age at which you may draw down part of your money to 70 but what is the probability of that. Remote. If because of this fear, we fail to capitalise on helping ourselves, we are doing ourselves a disservice.
If we top up our SA early..(1) if the Basic Retirement Sum increases at 3% p.a we are guarded against such future increments. The top-up monies and its accrued interest will go towards meeting that BRS allowing us to withdraw the monthly CPF-SA mandatory contributions (2) if we live longer, the compounding effect has a longer runway. (3) if we move on early, this is a good tool to pass on money to your kids or your favourite relative (if single). By default your nominees get it in cash or you can choose to gift it to their CPF accounts.
As always, I encourage using a spreadsheet for yourself to paint the picture.
By the way, newborn infants in SG have CPF accounts now from the S$3,000 MA gift from the SG government. I have started gifting money to my nephews' SA from age 1. Their mom will probably do voluntary contributions to their CPF (spread amongst 3 accounts) later this year. We will see the compounding effect in full. If there are any changes, we will adjust and adapt.
Hi
I have recently transferred the monies from my ordinary to special account. I have reached the ceiling in the special account. This is despite my need to use the monies in the ordinary account to purchase my "first" property (this will be executed once the ideal resale property has been found). The shortfall can be serviced via cash or bank loan (which I hope that I do not need). I still have about 25 plus years of working life (from official retirement age). Think that this transfer will aid me in a long run.
Agree with you that we have to do something in order for the government to help ourselves. This is the action which I personally feel that it is essential in the course of our path towards financial freedom. Financial freedom (to me) is the choice of not having to work for a living. Thanks for your blog which has benefitted me a lot. Looking forward to more interesting write-up from you.
Ben
Hi caelitus and Ben,
Thanks for sharing your experience with us here. I hope that many more CPF members will take advantage of what is essentially a risk free and volatility free AAA investment grade bond for a financially more comfortable future.
Hi AK,
Assuming at 55 years old, a person has $300k SA and $300k OA after setting aside BRS in Retirement Account. If he chooses not to withdraw this money and leave it at CPF, the interest earned a year would be $300k x 4% and $300k x 2.5%, a total of $19,500.Can this interest be withdrawn and leave the $600k intact to continue earning interest? If he has a dividend income of $30k per year and coupled with CPF interest, he does not even have to dip in the capital amount. Is this assumption correct?
Thanks.
himmel
Hi Himmel,
Once a person is retired from the workforce at age 55, he can withdraw money from his CPF savings at any time and in any amount provided he has met the MS (which would be squirreled away in the newly created RA).
He could choose to withdraw only the interest earned on his CPF savings (in excess of what is in his RA) if that is what he wants to do, leaving the capital intact. :)
Reader says...
The $ingapore narrative is always about not being enough - we need to "future-proof" against technological disruptions/keep up with times etc.
I think this creates a very stressful environment.
I'd just like to save and invest enough money so that I can lead a simple and carefree life.
After reading your blog I felt motivated to VC to MA/SA and transfer some money from OA to SA.
I'm 28 this year and have about 100k in liquid assets and 100k in CPF.
Hoping to be able to gear down to something less stressful in my 30s.
Matthias Mar says...
Haha next time pple say u hao-lian u can tell them But I told you so 😂
Post a Comment